{"id":37934,"date":"2019-05-25T06:32:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-25T10:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=37934"},"modified":"2019-05-25T06:32:35","modified_gmt":"2019-05-25T10:32:35","slug":"smithsonian-morse-code-celebrates-175-years-and-counting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/smithsonian-morse-code-celebrates-175-years-and-counting\/","title":{"rendered":"Smithsonian: Morse Code Celebrates 175 Years and Counting"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

The U.S. military J-41-A straight key (Photo by WD8RIF)<\/p><\/div>\n

Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post<\/em> readers who shared the following article from the Smithsonian Magazine<\/a>:<\/p>\n

The first message sent by Morse code\u2019s dots and dashes across a long distance traveled from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore on Friday, May 24, 1844 \u2013 175 years ago. It signaled the first time in human history that complex thoughts could be communicated at long distances almost instantaneously. Until then, people had to have face-to-face conversations; send coded messages through drums, smoke signals and semaphore systems; or read printed words.<\/p>\n

Thanks to Samuel F.B. Morse, communication changed rapidly, and has been changing ever faster since. He invented the electric telegraph in 1832. It took six more years for him to standardize a code for communicating over telegraph wires. In 1843, Congress gave him US$30,000 to string wires between the nation\u2019s capital and nearby Baltimore. When the line was completed, he conducted a public demonstration of long-distance communication.<\/p>\n

Morse wasn\u2019t the only one working to develop a means of communicating over the telegraph, but his is the one that has survived. The wires, magnets and keys used in the initial demonstration have given way to smartphones\u2019 on-screen keyboards, but Morse code has remained fundamentally the same, and is still \u2013 perhaps surprisingly \u2013 relevant in the 21st century. Although I have learned, and relearned, it many times as a Boy Scout, an amateur radio operator and a pilot, I continue to admire it and strive to master it.[…]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Click here to continue reading the full article at the Smithsonian online.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post readers who shared the following article from the Smithsonian Magazine: The first message sent by Morse code\u2019s dots and dashes across a long distance traveled from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore on Friday, May 24, 1844 \u2013 175 years ago. It signaled the first time in human history […]<\/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":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,288],"tags":[90,88,7788],"class_list":["post-37934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-radio-history","tag-cw","tag-morse-code","tag-smithsonian"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-9RQ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"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":37934,"position":0},"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":1308,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2011\/07\/passion-for-morse-code-night-of-nights-featured-in-ny-times\/","url_meta":{"origin":37934,"position":1},"title":"Passion for Morse Code, Night of Nights featured in NY Times","author":"Thomas","date":"July 15, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"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\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\/2011\/07\/BegaliSimplexPro-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":16020,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/morse-code-training-in-the-air-force\/","url_meta":{"origin":37934,"position":2},"title":"Morse code training in the Air Force","author":"Thomas","date":"December 10, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post reader,\u00a0Pete Carron (W3DKV) who writes: \"Thought you might be interested in the following article from Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas, posted May 20, 2015.\u00a0Apparently Morse Code still isn\u2019t dead, not even in the military!\" Morse code training moving to Goodfellow GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":" (U.S. Air Force photo by Kemberly Groue)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/111116-F-BD983-002.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/111116-F-BD983-002.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/111116-F-BD983-002.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42400,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/smithsonian-open-access-take-a-deep-radio-nostalgia-dive\/","url_meta":{"origin":37934,"position":3},"title":"Smithsonian Open Access: Take a deep radio nostalgia dive!","author":"Thomas","date":"March 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bal\u00e1zs Kov\u00e1cs, who shares the following announcement: [Check out the] Smithsonian Open Access, where you can download, share, and reuse millions of the Smithsonian\u2019s images\u2014right now, without asking. With new platforms and tools, you have easier access to nearly 3 million 2D and 3D\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/art-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/NMAAHC-C0BB53FBAE782_4001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/NMAAHC-C0BB53FBAE782_4001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/NMAAHC-C0BB53FBAE782_4001.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/NMAAHC-C0BB53FBAE782_4001.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":37934,"position":4},"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":61346,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/the-bbc-world-service-covers-the-morse-code-championships-in-tunisia\/","url_meta":{"origin":37934,"position":5},"title":"The BBC World Service covers the Morse Code championships in Tunisia","author":"Thomas","date":"December 11, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors David Korchin and Pete Polanyk, who share the following documentary from the BBC World Service: Morse code: Ready to transmit The Documentary Podcast At the world Morse Code championships in Tunisia, competitors must battle to be the fastest and most accurate at sending and\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\/2020\/10\/POTA-Icom-IC-705-mat-tuner-mAT-705-CW-Morse-Paddles-13.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/POTA-Icom-IC-705-mat-tuner-mAT-705-CW-Morse-Paddles-13.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/POTA-Icom-IC-705-mat-tuner-mAT-705-CW-Morse-Paddles-13.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/POTA-Icom-IC-705-mat-tuner-mAT-705-CW-Morse-Paddles-13.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37934"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37934\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}