64
$\begingroup$

Why do people still use Morse code?

What are its advantages over newer voice or data communication modes?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ Morse code , . . . . CW is like Navigating by the Stars ! ... Have been CW/QRP 63 years $\endgroup$
    – Glen Ellis K4KKQ
    Commented Feb 8 at 0:07

18 Answers 18

Reset to default
81
$\begingroup$
  • because there are a large number of operators who had to learn it to get their licence
  • because there is a large (but slowly diminishing) number of operators who learned it while serving in the armed forces
  • because the transmitters and receivers can be extremely simple and inexpensive, not needing much more than a key and headphones along with the rig, antenna and battery to send and receive
  • because (in theory) it has a very tiny bandwidth, allowing small QRP transmitters to send a very effective signal. This also allows a large number of contesters to cram into a few kilohertz of bandwidth, each (with suitable filtering) able to be picked out individually
  • because it's a point of pride for some operators that they know this thing that the young 'uns don't.

CW can be sent exceptionally well by computer (with software like fldigi) or by any number of USB/serial keyers (such as the WinKeyer or K3NG Arduino keyer). It can be copied reasonably well in software (fldigi again, or CW Skimmer). The Reverse Beacon Network relies on multiple stations worldwide running CW Skimmer to report on propagation, and will show you where your CQ has been copied.

It can be thought of as a digital mode, but one that can be copied by ear with sufficient training. It's typically a little slower that PSK-31 or RTTY, and CW only supports a very limited single-case character set. Although it is no longer used commercially or by the military, it's likely to stick around in ham radio for a long time.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
5
  • 5
    $\begingroup$ It has a tiny bandwidth only "in theory?" I'd say, in practice also. Even without suitable filtering, every human comes with a sophisticated wetware filter that's very good at distinguishing tones. $\endgroup$
    – Phil Frost - W8II
    Commented Jan 16, 2014 at 15:27
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Hang around on 20m with a waterfall running, and you'll see many CW traces taking up 2-300 Hz, or 2-3× the bandwidth of PSK-31. I do agree about tonal discernment, though; we are evolved to identify tones, and that's why environmental noise that is tonal is so distracting. $\endgroup$
    – scruss
    Commented Jan 16, 2014 at 17:37
  • 5
    $\begingroup$ I don't find my own reason: "because it's fun!" (and I'm a young 'un). $\endgroup$
    – user885
    Commented Jan 26, 2015 at 18:15
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I too am an young'un (28, but I started ham radio when I was 16), and I love CW. $\endgroup$
    – Sterling N0SSC
    Commented Jun 23, 2020 at 19:51
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Some radios are notorious for Morse key clicks that take up way too much bandwidth. $\endgroup$
    – rclocher3
    Commented Jan 8, 2021 at 7:06
39
$\begingroup$

The advantage? Efficiency! You get to put all of that power of your rig into a very small bandwidth, whereas voice modes need to spread the power out much more (for example, SSB uses roughly 2.8kHz of bandwidth).

Quote from: http://home.windstream.net/johnshan/cw_ss.html :

Going a little bit further, assuming a SSB signal takes up 2000 Hz., and comparing a 100 watt 25 WPM CW signal with a 100 watt SSB signal, we have the following. The average power density for CW is 100W / 100 Hz. or 1 w/Hz. For SSB it's 100W / 2000 Hz. or .05 w/Hz. Follow closely now, it gets interesting although a little more technical. We could say that the gain in using CW over SSB is Gain(db) = 10*log(1/.05) which is about 13db. That means that a 5 watt CW signal packs an equivalent punch to a SSB signal at 100 watts.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
4
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ That would be the slightly more ideal than typical case. You'll hear plenty of CW operators squeezing out splattery, over-driven signals which affect the full width of the waterfall. A well-modulated CW signal is a thing of great beauty on the waterfall: a crisp vertical line with almost no width. $\endgroup$
    – scruss
    Commented Oct 22, 2013 at 23:44
  • 9
    $\begingroup$ All modern digital modes are more efficient than CW in terms of reliable communication at a given power level. For example, CW at 25 WPM requires 100 Hz, while PSK31 at 50 WPM requires 62.5 Hz. $\endgroup$
    – Walter Underwood K6WRU
    Commented Oct 23, 2013 at 1:01
  • $\begingroup$ Digital modes usually require a separate computer and interface, though that is changing a little with purpose-built equipment. So if efficiency includes power consumption, CW can win the day. $\endgroup$
    – Bill - K5WL
    Commented Oct 23, 2013 at 18:33
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ An iPad can run PSK31 for a very long time on battery power. It is probably using 2-3W to do that, since they give a 10 hour life (browsing or video) for a 25 Watt-hour battery. $\endgroup$
    – Walter Underwood K6WRU
    Commented Oct 24, 2013 at 5:05
24
$\begingroup$

One of the reasons it's still in use is because of its inherent simplicity - no real signal processing is needed. Thus, CW transmitters and receivers are very simple and thus inexpensive.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
22
$\begingroup$

One of the biggest advantages of CW is that users worldwide can contact each other without knowing English, or any specific language. Conversation is limited to the common Q codes, but these provide significant flexibility and ability to communicate making Morse Code a common language of sorts.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
5
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Interesting answer, but Q codes aren't limited to CW. You can use them on any other mode. $\endgroup$
    – scruss
    Commented Dec 11, 2013 at 13:39
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @scruss As long as you know how the English alphabet is pronounced, yes. I suspect morse is a little easier, but you're right, it's not that big a hurdle. $\endgroup$
    – Adam Davis
    Commented Dec 11, 2013 at 14:12
  • $\begingroup$ I was really meaning other digital modes. I seldom use voice modes because — although I'm a native English speaker from the UK — many people in North America have deemed my accent too thick and heavy to try to understand. ☺ $\endgroup$
    – scruss
    Commented Dec 12, 2013 at 15:31
  • $\begingroup$ Wha not? Y'all do sound interestin', speaking a furrin' language lahk yew non-Murricans dew. $\endgroup$
    – K7AAY
    Commented Jan 7, 2014 at 17:18
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ I had this very conversation on Saturday at a club-meet here in Thailand. The guy I was talking to said that most Thais are very nervous and self-conscious when speaking English (as was I when first learning Thai!), and I suggested that Morse Code would be an easier way to communicate because everyone uses the same 'language'. So this answer gets a +1 from me. Regarding the 'thick' UK accents, I am from Yorkshire and there are some accents in the UK (try listening to a Glaswegian speak, or someone from Belfast!) that I find hard to understand sometimes $\endgroup$
    – Scott Earle ♦
    Commented Jul 7, 2014 at 1:52
11
$\begingroup$

Because it's fun to send and receive messages by Morse code!

It's something that can be done without any specialized equipment for sending and receiving. It's a shared historic experience. It's a challenge, and a skill that is fun to learn. It puts you into a special "club," setting you apart from those non-CW capable hams.

But mostly, it's just fun.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ This is a valid answer, but it's already been stated multiple times in multiple other answers. If you agree with existing answers, please consider upvoting them rather than re-stating them. Or, please consider editing your answer to distinguish it from the information already contained in other answers. $\endgroup$
    – Phil Frost - W8II
    Commented Jul 23, 2014 at 13:50
11
$\begingroup$

I love Morse code for these reasons:

  1. It's fun.
  2. There is something satisfying about pulling a really weak signal out from the noise just 10s of Hz away from another really strong semi-local signal, and making a decent contact with someone halfway around the planet with less than 100W.
  3. I can put headphones on and operate in the living room while the XYL is watching TV (think: condo in the city), and neither of us is disturbed by the other. I'm busy calling CQ DX (from here in Thailand you can get quite a lot of responses when the conditions are right) while she's watching some awful soap on TV - and we're both happy!
  4. Speaking of condos in the city - with a compromised antenna and reduced power, you can STILL work the world with a little help from the propagation gnomes if you use Morse code.

Reason 1 is the main one though :)

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
10
$\begingroup$

I would echo the point mentioned by N8WRL: "Why do I operate CW? It is a blast!"

I'm actually re-learning morse and realising I've been missing out on a lot of fun over the years.

In terms of learning and training, it feels some way between learning a musical instrument and learning a new language. It is an excellent way to stimulate the brain - an investigation into morse-related neuroplasticity can be found here:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20346399

"You never know when it will be needed":

http://www.cq2k.com/about_morse_code/Medical_Uses_of_Morse_code.htm

Why is morse code still in use? We know it is technically efficient, is good for the brain, but many people use morse because it's really fun!

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
9
$\begingroup$

I am a new ham, and I decided to learn it, and use it, strictly for the purpose of efficiency. CW operation is low bandwidth, and therefore requires very little power to get a signal out over long distances. You will not get the same results from voice transmissions or other larger bandwidth data modes (although JT-65A and PSK31 are relatively efficient data modes). It's very gratifying to work around the world with ease in CW mode, whereas doing so in voice is doable, but a lot more difficult. The best advantage I can think of over other data modes is that you don't need to depend on a computer or external device to create Morse code messages. It's a human rendered data mode.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
9
$\begingroup$

I got my technician license in 1992 to play with packet and TCP/IP on VHF/UHF. I got bitten by the HF bug listening to the CW subbands. I decided to learn CW on my laptop on business trips. I struggled to pass 5 WPM for my Tech-plus but I did and I got on 80m CW. A few months later I had WAS and It wasn't long after that I passed 20 WPM for my Extra.

Why do I operate CW? It is a blast!

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ Unfortunately, this answer fails to answer the broader question of why amateur radio operators in general would still use CW today. It provides an interesting anecdote as well as your personal feeling ("it is a blast!") but little more than that. I would suggest you edit your answer to list concrete reasons why a person should learn and use Morse code for communication today. $\endgroup$
    – user
    Commented Jan 15, 2014 at 13:07
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ @MichaelKjörling: Thank you for your comment. I would also like to point out that Amateur Radio is a hobby so "It is a blast" is a fantastic reason to use a mode like CW. I also like to dabble in woodworking and enjoy hand-boring holes for pegs. There is no good technical reason for me to do that aside, from "it is a blast." $\endgroup$
    – n8wrl
    Commented Jan 16, 2014 at 13:22
9
$\begingroup$

Morse code requires an extremely small bandwidth (and is usable in a channel that has a relatively low S/N) for a mode that requires no digital processing hardware or computer/digital logic chips (instead requiring just the skill of a couple of human brains) to communicate. Some people value accomplishing things using personally learned skills rather than software and DSPs/CPUs designed by others.

A legal Morse code transmitter is about as simple as possible as that which can be constructed from basic analog components, although a CW receiver might require more parts than for AM (not sure about a pure regenerative receiver design).

Morse code is also a useful cross-over skill that could potentially be very useful to have in certain survival or medical situations, such as signaling by mirror when lost in the woods, eye blinking when partially paralyzed (or captured behind enemy lines), using one-button or blow/puff controllers by the severely disabled, etc.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Compare the number of radio amateurs who could build a CW transmitter and regenerative receiver, against the number who can understand all the algorithms and could code from scratch FT8 or D*. $\endgroup$
    – hotpaw2
    Commented May 28, 2019 at 12:53
8
$\begingroup$

In noisy conditions, CW is the most effective mode for "real time" communications. This is the primary reason that CW remains popular with DXers.

Some digital modes can succeed under even worse conditions, but they do so by employing redundancy, which makes for very slow QSOs.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ I think this is debatable. CW with an experienced operator with a good ear and mastery of their rig's filters can interpolate missing sounds to guess letters correctly. PSK modes can disappear into the inaudible, and yet still be copied at 50⁺ WPM. $\endgroup$
    – scruss
    Commented Oct 23, 2013 at 15:47
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ It quite possible to improve on the sensitivity of CW without employing redundancy. A fairly obvious improvement is coherent CW, which is incidentally unpopular because other modes do even better. As another example, BPSK31 (as scruss mentions) employs no redundancy. $\endgroup$
    – Phil Frost - W8II
    Commented Jul 22, 2014 at 11:48
  • $\begingroup$ I certainly agree with the first part but not the second part. CW is easier than SSB to decode by ear in noisy conditions, but digital mode decoders are less successful, even when the code is Morse. $\endgroup$
    – SDsolar
    Commented Sep 22, 2017 at 3:32
7
$\begingroup$

In the UK, the terms of the licence start with:

1(1) The Licensee shall ensure that the Radio Equipment is only used: (a) for the purpose of self-training in radio communications, including conducting technical investigations; and (b) as a leisure activity and not for commercial purposes of any kind.

CW/morse lends itself to the self-training aspect due to the simplicity of the equipment required.

For example, in the Summits on the Air program, there is an ongoing PP3 challenge - which making the most QSOs using one PP3 type 9V battery. This is only possible by operating on very low power, and using CW. OK, this is only for fun, but that is what most of us are in amateur radio for, are we not?

Personally, I haven't mastered CW (yet?) but I am quite impressed to watch/listen to operators working the key...

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
7
$\begingroup$

It was all I could afford when I was a kid. AM and SSB gear was expensive and still is! Stuck with it because: Signals are stronger, More of a challenge, and a CQ gets answered faster. Great people on CW.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
5
$\begingroup$

Morse code is a raw and ancient way to deliver a signal to its destination. Even in case of non-digitised communication, Morse code is a way to express signal. The science of this is known to all telecommunication personnel, and thus is still used in many cases. It is also easier to create than a digital code.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • 5
    $\begingroup$ Morse is neither raw nor ancient, and I haven't found a single "telecom person" that knows morse code. Most hams don't know morse, myself included. It is simply an efficient method of controlling a tone, which in itself is an efficient way to extend the range of a transmission and mitigate interference or signal loss that otherwise would make voice contact difficult or impossible. $\endgroup$
    – Ron J. KD2EQS
    Commented Jan 15, 2014 at 13:54
1
$\begingroup$

I'd like to add two more reasons people still use Morse code that haven't been mentioned much: DXing and contesting on HF.

When people earn their licenses and HF privileges, the next challenge, besides learning about antennas and how to operate the radio and such, is figuring out what to do on the air. Ragchewing is a natural way to start of course, but soon many people start keeping track of states, provinces, and entities (countries) in the log, and then find themselves actively seeking new ones. In short, they start DXing.

Many of the same people who enjoy DXing find themselves operating in contests to get some easy new states, provinces, and entities in the log, and soon find themselves enjoying contesting also. Contesting and DXing are similar and complimentary.

I doubt that many people learn Morse code just for contesting and DXing, but those who do learn the code and try using it for HF DXing and contesting quickly discover that the narrow bandwidth of the mode yields a better signal-to-noise ratio and therefore better power efficiency, i.e. more miles or kilometers per watt, than wide-band modes like SSB. In short, Morse code is well-suited for DXing and contesting, and enhances those activities. Many people who try Morse code contesting also discover how much fun it can be. Many contesters apparently agree with me, as shown by the fact that many of the most popular contests exclusively or partially use Morse code.

Operating efficiently in a Morse code contest is a unique cerebral challenge to copy fast code well, get the information into the computer, and quickly make an efficient reply. It can be intimidating at first, but for those who enjoy such things, each fast and efficient contact is rewarded by a feeling of pleasure, a "dopamine hit", that encourages the operator to keep at it. Personally I enjoy contesting, and I can tell you that efficiently "running" a constant stream of callers answering my CQs at 25 or 30 WPM offers a thrill that I haven't experienced any other way. It demands 100% of one's attention, the time flies by, and it can be tremendous fun! (I like SSB contesting also, but because it's usually less of a challenge it doesn't seem as much fun to me.)

Morse code is good for DXing and contesting, and in return DXing and contesting support Morse code and help keep it alive. In my opinion, if Morse code were only used for ragchewing like (amateur) AM, then Morse code would be nearly dead like AM. (To be fair, there are also other reasons why amateur AM usage has declined.)

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
$\begingroup$

Why use CW? Because it's fun!!! It is a secret language of sorts.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
-1
$\begingroup$

Using Morse code is a skill, and people like to practice their skills.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ This s the start of an answer, but without explaining why someone would acquire the skill in the first place, it isn't a particularly useful answer. $\endgroup$
    – PearsonArtPhoto
    Commented Jul 19, 2016 at 17:11
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Having a skill is self sufficient. $\endgroup$
    – Pedja YT9TP
    Commented Jul 19, 2016 at 19:34
-1
$\begingroup$

Morse code needs to be known as it is the lowest common denominator for emergency situations.

I am aware that there are radio installations for use in emergencies in nuclear fallout situations and the most likely signal to get through will be Morse [although whether it's detectable over any background radiation is another question].

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .