{"id":1308,"date":"2011-07-15T19:34:33","date_gmt":"2011-07-16T00:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=1308"},"modified":"2011-07-15T19:35:23","modified_gmt":"2011-07-16T00:35:23","slug":"passion-for-morse-code-night-of-nights-featured-in-ny-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2011\/07\/passion-for-morse-code-night-of-nights-featured-in-ny-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Passion for Morse Code, Night of Nights featured in NY Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many of you reading the SWLing Post are not only passionate shortwave radio listeners, but also amateur radio operators. My love of shortwave radio listening eventually led me to obtain my ham radio license, and as a result, to learn about Morse code. I had always admired Morse code–a.k.a. CW (Continuous Wave)<\/a>–as a mode of communication in the amateur radio world.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Italian, hand-crafted Begali Simplex is this author's way of sending code in style. (Photo courtesy: Begali)<\/p><\/div>\n

Several years ago my passion for CW finally encouraged\u00a0me to learn it, during which time I practiced it almost daily with my ham radio mentors.\u00a0During the process of learning code, I went from struggling to hear the difference between “dits” and “dahs” to being able to distinguish letters, symbols, words and phrases.\u00a0Today, we chat over the SW radio bands about all sorts of things–radios, the weather, our families–in Morse code, or what we like to call “the sacred language.” Indeed, it is sacred…in its simplicity and its efficacy. Morse code is more\u00a0intelligible than voice-over long-distance radio transmission, because the receiver or radio operator only needs to\u00a0distinguish\u00a0between the short and long “dit” and “dah” sounds, truly form following function.<\/p>\n

And speaking of function, Morse code used to have a vital role in our communications landscape.\u00a0The following article, from the NY Times, sheds some light on a little maritime radio history. For a Night Each Year, the Airwaves Buzz With Morse Code<\/a><\/p>\n

Morse code\/CW frequencies–how to find morse code on the shortwaves<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don’t be fooled by the NY Times article’s title: the airwaves are always filled\u00a0with the sounds of Morse code 24\/7. Don’t believe me? Simply turn on the SSB (single-side band) mode on your portable shortwave receiver, then tune between the following frequencies:<\/p>\n

1800-2000 kHz<\/p>\n

3500-3600 kHz<\/p>\n

7000-7200 kHz<\/p>\n

10100-10150 kHz<\/p>\n

14000-14150 kHz<\/p>\n

18068-18110 kHz<\/p>\n

21000-21200 kHz<\/p>\n

24890-24930 kHz<\/p>\n

28000-28300 kHz<\/p>\n

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all frequencies where you’ll hear CW; rather, it represents the main amateur radio watering holes for CW\/Morse code operations.<\/p>\n

Want to learn Morse code? Check out this article on QRPer.com<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many of you reading the SWLing Post are not only passionate shortwave radio listeners, but also amateur radio operators. My love of shortwave radio listening eventually led me to obtain my ham radio license, and as a result, to learn about Morse code. I had always admired Morse code–a.k.a. CW (Continuous Wave)–as a mode of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[81,3],"tags":[90,457,88,458,456,371],"class_list":["post-1308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-events","category-news","tag-cw","tag-cw-frequencies","tag-morse-code","tag-morse-code-frequencies","tag-night-of-nights","tag-ny-times"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-l6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":33166,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/07\/night-of-nights-returns-tonight\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":0},"title":"“Night of Nights” Returns Tonight!","author":"Thomas","date":"July 12, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Brian Smith (W9IND), who writes: The cast may be smaller than in previous years, but the \u201cNight of Nights\u201d nostalgia show will go on. At 8:01 p.m. Eastern Time today (0001 UTC July 13), two maritime CW stations operated by the Maritime Radio Historical\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Current Events"","block_context":{"text":"Current Events","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/current-events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Night-Of-Nights.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Night-Of-Nights.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Night-Of-Nights.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Night-Of-Nights.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":224,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2009\/04\/google-commemorates-218th-anniversary-of-samuel-morse%e2%80%99s-birthday\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":1},"title":"Google commemorates 218th anniversary of Samuel Morse\u2019s birthday","author":"Thomas","date":"April 27, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"We woke up this morning to find the homepage of search engine, Google, in morse code. What a great way to commemorate Samuel Morse's birthday. In case you missed this special Google Doodle, check out the screen capture below. _ _. _.._ Google! Why not learn morse code and add\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"googleincw","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qrper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/04\/googleincw-300x159.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":38460,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/07\/night-of-nights-cw-event-returns-tonight\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":2},"title":"\u201cNight of Nights\u201d CW Event Returns Tonight!","author":"Thomas","date":"July 12, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Brian Smith (W9IND), who shares the following announcement: \u201cNight of Nights\u201d CW Event Returns Friday (U.S. Time)\u00a0 \u201cIt was 20 years ago today,\u201d say members of the Maritime Radio Historical Society, but they\u2019re not covering a famous Beatles song. They\u2019ll certainly be on key,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Maritime-Historical-Night-of-Nights-e1562898985768.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Maritime-Historical-Night-of-Nights-e1562898985768.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Maritime-Historical-Night-of-Nights-e1562898985768.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55255,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/01\/radio-waves-absolute-radio-turns-off-am-in-uk-carlos-latuff-interview-x-class-flaring-and-morse-code-is-back\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":3},"title":"Radio Waves: Absolute Radio Turns Off AM in UK, Carlos Latuff Interview, X-Class Flaring, and Morse Code Is Back!","author":"Thomas","date":"January 7, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Radio Waves:\u00a0 Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the\u00a0SWLing Post\u2019s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio.\u00a0Enjoy! Absolute Radio to switch off all AM transmitters across the UK (Radio Today) Bauer is removing Absolute Radio from Medium\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Elecraft-KX2-CW-Morse-SP4-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Elecraft-KX2-CW-Morse-SP4-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Elecraft-KX2-CW-Morse-SP4-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Elecraft-KX2-CW-Morse-SP4-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Elecraft-KX2-CW-Morse-SP4-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55536,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/02\/radio-waves-k-pop-and-morse-code-ham-radio-resonating-with-youth-mystery-cb-message-and-pirate-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":4},"title":"Radio Waves: K-Pop and Morse Code, Ham Radio Resonating with Youth, and Pirate Radio","author":"Thomas","date":"February 6, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Radio Waves:\u00a0 Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the\u00a0SWLing Post\u2019s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio.\u00a0Enjoy! Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors Dennis Dura, Michael McShan, and David Iurescia for the following tips: Morse Code is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Elecraft-KX3-CW-Morse-POcket-Paddle-QRP-Ranger-Vance-POTA-1-4-1024x768-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Elecraft-KX3-CW-Morse-POcket-Paddle-QRP-Ranger-Vance-POTA-1-4-1024x768-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Elecraft-KX3-CW-Morse-POcket-Paddle-QRP-Ranger-Vance-POTA-1-4-1024x768-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Elecraft-KX3-CW-Morse-POcket-Paddle-QRP-Ranger-Vance-POTA-1-4-1024x768-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61193,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/11\/carlos-illustrated-radio-listening-report-and-recording-of-the-russian-navy-in-cw-november-23-2024\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":5},"title":"Carlos\u2019 Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of the Russian Navy in CW (November 23, 2024)","author":"Thomas","date":"November 24, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor and noted political cartoonist,\u00a0Carlos Latuff, who shares\u00a0illustrated radio listening report of a recent transmission from the Russian Navy in Morse Code. 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