Morse code timeline
From the first demonstration in 1838 to the beacons that still identify themselves in Morse today. Every entry names its source.
Why every entry carries a source
More attractive stories circulate about Morse code than documented ones. So every entry above carries a link, and where research disagrees the entry says so itself.
That applies above all to Marconi's reception of 1901. That he heard three dots from Cornwall in Newfoundland is in every book. But no recording was made, only two men with an earpiece, and technical historians dispute the reception to this day. As an event in radio history it counts all the same - just with that caveat attached.
Four periods
- Beginnings - from bench experiment to international standard, 1838 to 1865.
- At sea - radio becomes rescue technology: first distress call 1899, CQD 1904, SOS 1906, Titanic 1912.
- Heyday - when speed became a sport. The 1939 record still stands.
- Today - the end at sea in 1999, the end of the licence examination, and what remains regardless.
Frequently asked questions
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Was the Titanic the first ship to send SOS?
No. The RMS Slavonia was the earliest documented ship to send SOS, in 1909, followed two months later by the SS Arapahoe. The Titanic sent both CQD and SOS - and after that CQD disappeared from radio traffic.
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Why does 1901 say "disputed"?
Because the reception was not recorded. Marconi and his assistant listened in; whether the sound really was the signal from Poldhu can no longer be established. The doubts are old and serious, so they are stated.
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When did Morse code really end?
At sea on 1 February 1999, when the satellite-based GMDSS replaced it. Commercially in the United States on 12 July 1999. That is not the end of it: amateur radio, aviation beacons and armed forces still use it.