# Section 10 - The Morse Code Assessment

## The Morse Code

Morse code, known as telegraphy or CW, is the oldest and simplest form of radio communications. It has a number of advantages over other modes of communication, most notably the very narrow bandwidth, and the readability of very low level signals. It is much less affected by interference than other modes. Signal levels of S4+ are usually required to maintain good voice communications on the HF bands, but CW can be coped right down to S1 or below!

In telegraphy the use of abbreviations is common. Over time these have become standard and allow the sender to communicate a large amount of information with relatively few characters. Most common amongst these are the Q-codes. A secondary advantage of these abbreviations is that people may communicate basic information without speaking a common language.

Q-codes and similar abbreviations DO NOT form part of the Morse Assessment.

## International Requirement

Until recently Morse was often the only common mode of communication between radio amateurs and the other radio service users, such as the military and marine users. If the situation arose where these services needed an amateur to cease transmission or move to another frequency, they would have sent the message in Morse code. For this reason all countries are obliged to set a Morse code test for those radio amateurs wishing to use the bands below 30MHz where radio signals may travel world-wide even at low power.

In recent years the Morse code has ceased to be used by the public services, and it is likely that the international testing requirement will soon be lifted. However, use of the Morse code by amateurs is likely to continue due to the advantages mentioned above.

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