What is Morse code?

Morse code is an alphabetic code of long and short sounds, originally transmitted by telegraph. Each letter in the alphabet has a corresponding sound or series of sounds unique to it. The long sounds are referred to as dashes, while the short sounds are dots. Varying lengths of silence denote spaces between letters or words. To make a dot on a telegraph, the telegraph key or switch was depressed and allowed to rapidly spring back. To make a dash the key was held down longer before allowing it to rebound. Thus messages were sent by tapping the key in a rhythm of coded letters. Messages were received via a radio transceiver, sounding like dots and dashes of static. American Samuel Finely Breese Morse (1791-1872) invented the telegraph and Morse code in 1836. The code was successfully tested on 24 May 1844, when Morse himself sent the first message between Washington DC and Baltimore: "What has God wrought?" The most well known Morse code phrase is SOS (save our souls). SOS was chosen ...  more

Morse code is a method of transmitting information through sequences of short and long elements, commonly known as "dots" and "dashes," that has been in use for over 160 years. It was developed by Samuel F.B. Morse in the early 1840s to communicate letters, numbers, punctuation and special characters through the telegraph that could be easily read by humans. The name Three Dot Dash is significant since the telegraph was the first form of communication that sent a message faster than someone could move – and farther than someone could see. The spirit of Three Dot Dash is to give the same speed and amplification to projects and message of peace coming from youth all around the world – achieving victory for peace.  more