Does anyone here done something like sending ASCII to a microcontroller
which then emits morse code? I'm tinkering around with old telegraph
sounders.

--
David Griffith
--- Put my last name where it belongs

In article ,
(David Griffith) wrote:

Does anyone here done something like sending ASCII to a microcontroller
which then emits morse code? I'm tinkering around with old telegraph
sounders.

David-

I understand the old telegraph sounders made a clack-clack sound rather
than a beep. They also used an earlier version of code than
international Morse, where some characters had mini-spaces in addition
to dots and dashes.

Either way, the solution may be similar. Use the ASCII code as an
address for locating the timing required for each character, stored in a
look-up table.

Use a basic timing subroutine. Call it once for a dot or a space. Call
it three times for a dash. Before calling it, turn on the output keyer
for Mark and off for Space.

If you didn't have an existing sounder, you could generate another
timing interval that would repeat at an audio rate for the amount of
time the Mark signal would be on.

Fred
K4DII

"David Griffith" wrote in message
...
Does anyone here done something like sending ASCII to a microcontroller
which then emits morse code? I'm tinkering around with old telegraph
sounders.

Yes. I re-wrote the firmware in my Icom repeater, which included the ID
section too.

On Apr 14, 2:46 am, "D. Stussy"
wrote:
"David Griffith" wrote in message

...

Does anyone here done something like sending ASCII to a microcontroller
which then emits morse code? I'm tinkering around with old telegraph
sounders.

Yes. I re-wrote the firmware in my Icom repeater, which included the I
D
section too.

Here's a webpage where a fellow has done something similar:

http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/

It's on the right hand side of the page, a link called "telegraph
sounder"

http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/telegraph.shtml

I'd note he should have used more and finer wire on his home made
sounder electromagnet. But technical issues aside, it's some gorgeous
handwork. Also he has a bit of software to convert a RSS feed to the
sounder, which is what you might be interested in.

I just think it's really cool to have a mix of 1840's technology
plugged into a computer.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -

David Griffith wrote:
Does anyone here done something like sending ASCII to a microcontroller
which then emits morse code? I'm tinkering around with old telegraph
sounders.


Well that is basically how any CW radio software works David, Most
digital programs (used for PSK, Olivia, RTTY and such now days) such as
Digipan, Hamscope, DM-780 (Part of the Ham Radio Delux package) all
these do CW..

Now with these programs you are sending from the keyboard so you are
sending "Key-Code" not ASCII to the CPU. but if you re-direct the input
to an RS-232 port using the DOS MODE command,,,, you can then send ASCII
to the com-port selected for this job and the computer will send .- ...
-.-. .. ..

David Griffith wrote:
Does anyone here done something like sending ASCII to a microcontroller
which then emits morse code? I'm tinkering around with old telegraph
sounders.

I think I blew one characer (I typed it right but then screwed it up)

..- ... -.-. -- -- Is what I meant tho type

Michael J. Coslo wrote:
On Apr 14, 2:46 am, "D. Stussy"
wrote:
"David Griffith" wrote in message

...

Does anyone here done something like sending ASCII to a microcontroller
which then emits morse code? I'm tinkering around with old telegraph
sounders.

Yes. I re-wrote the firmware in my Icom repeater, which included the I
D
section too.

Here's a webpage where a fellow has done something similar:

http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/

It's on the right hand side of the page, a link called "telegraph
sounder"

http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/telegraph.shtml

That's one of the first places I looked and where I got the idea.
However, what he did was have a circuit watch the keyboard LEDs. What
I'm trying to do is make something that attaches to an RS232 port. That
way, I can run a three or four wire cable from a server in a back room
to wherever I decide to put my sounder. There are two ways I could do
this. The first is cheap and dirty. It works by energizing the sounder
coils whenever RTS is asserted. That would require special program --
not too tough, but won't be as flexible as in the second approach. The
other is to buffer RS232 in a microcontroller, convert to morse code,
then tap out the message. In effect, this creates a one-way
serial-to-telegraph modem. That second approach is what has me most
interested. Suppose you have a server writing logs to a serial port...
See the sort of bizzare fun that can be had?

--
David Griffith
--- Put my last name where it belongs

Fred McKenzie wrote:
In article ,
(David Griffith) wrote:

Does anyone here done something like sending ASCII to a microcontroller
which then emits morse code? I'm tinkering around with old telegraph
sounders.

David-

I understand the old telegraph sounders made a clack-clack sound rather
than a beep. They also used an earlier version of code than
international Morse, where some characters had mini-spaces in addition
to dots and dashes.

Either way, the solution may be similar. Use the ASCII code as an
address for locating the timing required for each character, stored in a
look-up table.

Use a basic timing subroutine. Call it once for a dot or a space. Call
it three times for a dash. Before calling it, turn on the output keyer
for Mark and off for Space.

If you didn't have an existing sounder, you could generate another
timing interval that would repeat at an audio rate for the amount of
time the Mark signal would be on.

I have a couple vintage sounders. Hook a batter and key in serial with
a sounder. When the key is down, the sounder clicks down. Let go and
it clacks up. So, a dot is "click-clack" and a dash is
"click-wait-clack". I think the Mark and Space stuff has to do with the
fact that the line was always kept energized, thus, an idle line would
hold the sounder arm down. That way you'd know immediately if there was
a line fault. That would be a bit wasteful now, so I suppose I should
preceed each message with a very long dash to at least try to fake that
part.


--
David Griffith
--- Put my last name where it belongs

David Griffith wrote:
\
I have a couple vintage sounders. Hook a batter and key in serial with
a sounder. When the key is down, the sounder clicks down. Let go and
it clacks up. So, a dot is "click-clack" and a dash is
"click-wait-clack". I think the Mark and Space stuff has to do with the
fact that the line was always kept energized, thus, an idle line would
hold the sounder arm down. That way you'd know immediately if there was
a line fault. That would be a bit wasteful now, so I suppose I should
preceed each message with a very long dash to at least try to fake that
part.



As I recall there is international Morse Code and American Morese code..
Two different codes, and one (American I think) is better suited to the
click/clackers and guess what.. That font of much knowledge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Morse_code

Has an article on it at the above link INCLUDING the code itself!!!!

Also called the Railroad code.. IT is not as suited to radio as
International Morse code is.

As to the line running energized.. There are several reasons for this,
Many countries the phone system keeps current flowing in the wires all
the time, this is called "Sealing Current" and if you have the manual
for an old 300 or 1200 baud modem lying about you can read all about it.

The reason for this is to PREVENT line faults, believe it or not. As
well as instant detection of line faults.

Modern teletype (BAUDOT and later ASCII teletype machines) like the Type
15, 28 and 33 all used idle on MARK

One of the more interesting lengths of paper tape I used to have was
punched by one of the national news wires one November back in what,
1963 (The 23th as I recall) You play the tape and it starts typing out
routine items (I recall a farm report or some such but it's been many
years since I played the tape) then suddenly the machine runs "OPEN"
(Space) for a period and then the news flash.. Then it goes back to
routine and again it runs open.. the operator intruppted sends "Go Ahead
Dallas" and we read "The president is dead"

That's some tape.

John from Detroit wrote:
David Griffith wrote:
Does anyone here done something like sending ASCII to a
microcontroller which then emits morse code? I'm tinkering around
with old telegraph sounders.

I think I blew one characer (I typed it right but then screwed it up)

.- ... -.-. -- -- Is what I meant tho type

I still blew it the last two (M) should be .. (I)

I'm glad I can send it better than I can type it!