Got a message on my cell about textalympics. Is anyone on here planning on entering?
They categorize by age, although I’m not sure what the age groupings are. So you hopefully the older crowd won’t have to compete with the text a holic teenagers.
Reminds me of a story I read on Engadget a few years back. They had a contest where a 13-year-old girl–who was supposedly a master texter–against an 93-year-old radio operator using Morse Code. Not only did the old man completely trounce the girl, but he actually sent the message verbatim, while the girl used text slang to do it. You can read the story here: bit.ly/yLKxB
On a side note, I’ve found a piece of software called “Just Learn Morse Code”, which teaches it by using Koch’s method and Farnsworth timing. Basically, under Koch’s method, you learn code at a relatively high speed, but you start with only two letters: K and M. From there, you do five-minute exercises where you type in the letters as you hear them. Once your accuracy gets to be over 90%, you add another character until you get them all. And with Farnsworth timing, the characters themselves are transmitted at full speed, but with extra space inserted in between.
Anyway, I doubt learning this will ever have any practical applications, but you never know. Does anyone out there know of any modern usages for Morse code?
Earning a Boy Scout badge?
The most popular current use of Morse code is by amateur radio operators, although it is no longer a requirement for amateur licensing in many countries. In the professional field, pilots and air traffic controllers are usually familiar with Morse code and require a basic understanding. Navigational aids in the field of aviation, such as VORs and NDBs, constantly transmit their identity in Morse code. Morse code is designed to be read by humans without a decoding device, making it useful for sending automated digital data in voice channels. For emergency signals, Morse code can be sent by way of improvised sources that can be easily “keyed” on and off, making Morse code one of the most versatile methods of telecommunication in existence.
I’d totally enter that if all you cheaters weren’t allowed to use T9!!
Kay I will bite what’s a T9?
T9 is a setting on your cell that can auto-complete your words for you, based on the words you use the most.
I have a QWERTY texting phone, and make every keystroke instead.
Lol that’s easier than T9 Smartass…
Easier for you and I maybe… but I know a lot of T9 users that talk a lot of smack! lol
How hard is it to get a ham license these days?
I think it’s easier than ever to get a ham license, isn’t it? Did they do away with some of the requirements?
Morse code isn’t a requirement for lower level licences anymore but
many operators still use code as it gets through when voice doesn’t.
During Katrina when voice communication broke down coders did a lot
of the emergency work.
I swear I added a reply to this topic…
It said something like -
Bah, I hate T9 Also… Especially when they claim that T9 is “faster”… However, I found that a QWERTY keyboard on cell phone is just as good. I’ve got QWERTY, and can text just as fast as my Text-A-Holic relative that texts all day with her T9.
I especially hated the early versions of T9. Where it just gave suggestions on how to end your words. LOL my old Razor would only guess the next letter for me. And it was always wrong!!!
I like T9, no qwerty for me…
i don’t like slide phones. And I can’t afford a blackberry.