Fix various typos in my article, thanks yargo and katolaz for reporting them!

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# Seeing the light of Morse
Both yargo and katolaz submitted articles dealing to some extent with Morse codeto this issue of Circumlunar Transmissions. After reading them both in my capacity as editor of this issue, I felt compelled to make a small contribution of my own in the hopes of rounding this theme out a little. The other two articles focus mainly on the use of Morse code in the context of radio. This makes perfect sense, as amateur radio is in some sense the "natural habitat" of Morse code in the 21st century (and, of course, both the authors are licensed amateur radio operators). However, as yargo mentioned, the code itself is largely independent of medium and can be transmitted using any system which offers control over the duration for which any two distinct "symbols" are present. Probably the second most frequent medium in which Morse code has been used, after radio, is light.
Both yargo and katolaz submitted articles dealing to some extent with Morse code to this issue of Circumlunar Transmissions. After reading them both in my capacity as editor of this issue, I felt compelled to make a small contribution of my own in the hopes of rounding this theme out a little. The other two articles focus mainly on the use of Morse code in the context of radio. This makes perfect sense, as amateur radio is in some sense the "natural habitat" of Morse code in the 21st century (and, of course, both the authors are licensed amateur radio operators). However, as yargo mentioned, the code itself is largely independent of medium and can be transmitted using any system which offers control over the duration for which any two distinct "symbols" are present. Probably the second most frequent medium in which Morse code has been used, after radio, is light.
Instead of transmitting a radio carrier or generating an audible tone, one can turn simply turn on any source of visible light, and leave it on for the appropriate duration before turning it off again. Particularly at night time, the flashing light can be seen over long distances, especially if binoculars or a telescope are used. Not as long as a high frequency radio signal bouncing off the ionosphere can travel, of course, but longer than a shout (or a whistle) can be heard.
Instead of transmitting a radio carrier or generating an audible tone, one can simply turn on any source of visible light, and leave it on for the appropriate duration before turning it off again. Particularly at night time, the flashing light can be seen over long distances, especially if binoculars or a telescope are used. Not as long as a high frequency radio signal bouncing off the ionosphere can travel, of course, but longer than a shout (or a whistle) can be heard.
Using visible light to send communications using Morse code has a long history, especially in military contexts, dating back to at least the 19th century. So-called "heliographs", using a mirror to reflect the bright light of the sun and relying on purely mechanical means to break the beam were used in both World Wars and early conflicts to provide instantaneous long-distance communication without any need for electricity or cables. So-called "Aldis lamps" have a long tradition of use at sea, a method pioneered by the Royal Navy. Heliographs were also used in civillian contexts, including the US Forestry Service.
Using visible light to send communications using Morse code has a long history, especially in military contexts, dating back to at least the 19th century. So-called "heliographs", using a mirror to reflect the bright light of the sun and relying on purely mechanical means to break the beam were used in both World Wars to provide instantaneous long-distance communication without any need for electricity or cables. So-called "Aldis lamps" have a long tradition of use at sea, a method pioneered by the Royal Navy. Heliographs were also used in civillian contexts, including the US Forestry Service.
There are two things that I find especially appealing about light-based Morse code: