cw

International Morse code today is most popular among amateur radio operators, in the mode commonly referred to as “continuous wave” or CW. This name was chosen to distinguish it from the damped wave emissions from spark transmitters, not because the transmission is continuous.


Samuel Morse. Together with Alfred Vail was a developer of the Morse code.


Alfred Vail. The alphabetic codes (actually the “alphabet”) were added by Alfred Vail. This fact Morse subsequently denied in any way (at the same time attributing the invention of the telegraph as such). Vail perhaps also invented the digital part of the code.

In 1848 the Vail/Morse code was perfected by Friedrich Gerke. The code improved by Gerke is used up to the present time.

While many hams like to use Morse code, it is not required.