The 'absolute magic' of Morse code that still connects people globally

3 hours ago

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News image — Morse code clubs are changing and expanding all the time

BBC A man sat on a chair in the grass. He has on headphones which are connected to a small morse key in his hands with a black wire. He is wearing a light blue shirt with white stripes and grey canvas trousers. He is also wearing some clear rimmed glasses. — Morse code clubs are changing and expanding all the time

Holding a tall pole and lightweight antenna wires which connect to Morse keys, a group of amateur radio fans attempt to call strangers on the other side of the world.

They send a short message from a hill on the outskirts of Bristol, asking, "Is anyone out there?". They wait, and silence. Suddenly, they hear a series of dits and dahs. Someone has picked up their message. A person thousands of miles away has heard them, and a conversation begins.

It is this human contact, after transmitting into the unknown, that creates the "absolute magic" of using the code, said the chair for the European Network of Morse Clubs.

He explained that younger people are "coming with sheer curiosity and then falling in love with it". as clubs are expanding and changing all the time.

"Nowadays we are all connected.... If the providers switched off the routers, we'd have no signal, but amateur radio will be there," he added.

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In Bristol, the Shirehampton Amateur Radio Club meets every Friday. It is open to anyone who wants to explore their interest in the amateur radio community.

Members learn to communicate using Morse code, which is a method of communication that uses a series of short and long signals, known as dots and dashes.

A woman and a man in a field assembling a radio contact point. The are using a large tall black pole and dangling long antenna wires from the top of it to the ground. — Within 15 minutes of setting up, clubs can begin making contacts

Paul Roberts, is chair of the club, he said: "It's an enormous, fun club.

"It's a hobby of discovery and I've got an awful lot of friends from it as well."

He has been using Morse code nearly all of his life and added, "there's always something new and different to learn."

He takes part in Parks on the Air, (POTA), which is a programme where operators set up in natural areas and gain points for making contact with different locations in Europe and beyond.

He said: "We also climb up mountains, some of us may be too old to go, but nevertheless we go."

Getty Images Close up of Morse key, with Morse code chart on wooden desk. — Club members describe Morse code as a "hobby of discovery"

Chloe Barker, a member of the club, said: "You get excited and you get a buzz out of it.

"If I work with someone in a country where they may not be many operators with that call sign I'll generally run to tell the club, it's brilliant."

She explained: "Because this is so varied, there's always something there for you, no matter where your interests lie."

While the technology may seem rudimentary, the community behind it continues to find ways to connect with people, one series of dots and dashes at a time.

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