In article et, "Dwight
Stewart" writes:

I based that on the fact that Morse code has been widely featured in
movies (Titantic to War Movies), television (Hogan's Heros to Westerns to
Sci-Fi), books, children's toys, the military decades ago, youth
organizations, and so on. So, again, I do think it is a fact that most
people in this country today know about Morse code.

Well, I simply disagree. Most people in the USA don't really know what Morse
code is.

btw, the 1997 James Cameron film had no significant Morse code in it at all.
Nor any real mention of the role played by radio. You have to see the 1956
flick "A Night To Remember" for that.

They may not know what
it's called, how to do it, or whatever, but only a truly isolated person
would not know at least something about it.

If they do't even know what it's called, they can hardly make an informed
judgement about it.

That is especially true for
anyone interested in radio (shortwave listeners, potential new hams, and so
on).

Not from what I've seen whenever I've demonstrated Morse code.

73 de Jim, N2EY

"N2EY" wrote:
"Dwight Stewart" writes:
I based that on the fact that Morse code has
been widely featured in movies... (snip)

Well, I simply disagree. Most people in the USA
don't really know what Morse code is.


How can you say that, Jim? As I said, Morse code has been shown in some
form or another in perhaps several hundred movies, television shows, and
news broadcasts, over the last forty or fifty years. One would almost have
to live in a cave without electric power to have not heard code at least
several times and not know it is sent with a key (telegraph or other).
Because of that, I think it is absurd to suggest that most don't know what
Morse code is. They may not know the details, but they most certainly do
know what it is.


If they do't even know what it's called, they can
hardly make an informed judgement about it.


Why do they have to know what something is called to make an informed
judgement about it? I may not know what a certain crane is called (or how it
works), but can still make an informed judgement not to stand under any load
that crane may be moving.


That is especially true for anyone interested in radio
(shortwave listeners, potential new hams, and so
on).

Not from what I've seen whenever I've demonstrated
Morse code.


What are you basing that conclusion on? I don't doubt that those people
didn't know how to send code, but you'll never convince me that they didn't
even know what Morse code was.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/

"N2EY" wrote


Well, I simply disagree. Most people in the USA don't really know what
Morse
code is.


I suppose that depends on what 'is' really is.

If I walk up to 100 random people over the age of 10 in a shopping mall and
ask them "what is the Morse code", I'm sure every one them would give me an
answer. You'd get answers like:

"The alphabet in dots and dashes".
"Those clicks they used to send telegrams in the cowboy movies."
"SOS"
"Those beeps and boops I used to hear on my SW receiver."
"A barrier to entry into HF amateur radio." [The devil made me say that.]
etc., etc., etc.

My point is that most people in the USA have at least a passing familiarity
with *what* Morse code is, even if they can't recite the code for each
letter/numeral.

73, de Hans, K0HB