Another point about code

[VE7NOT]

A ham wrote an aticle in one of the old ham magazines, i think from the 80s'. It sort of hits you hard when you read it. Although for many years I largely ignored to code as i have staed before now that it's no longer a stubling block I actually have alot of fun with it.

The article I think was about a ham know knew code , but never used it after his test. One day he was in a hospital visitng a relative and he noted a patient across the hall banging a spoon. (If i remember right he was on a resperator or someting)

The ham was told the guy did this all the time and they were worried about his mind.

As he was taking to his relative he started to realize soemthing about the banging. He told eveyone to stop talking for a moment and listened harder. H E L P rang through his head automatically. He quickly went to the next room to tha spoon-banging patient. He asked the patient to send again. The patient sent perfect slow code telling him that he was uncomforatble. From them on a friendship grew and the ham was his only contact with the outside world. I forget if the patient fied or not but i remember the ham saying that with tears he had a new appreciation for the code. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[N8CPA]

I think that article was "Morse -- A State of Mind." #It was in QST sometime in the early '90s. #The person who figured out the tapping was a medical student. #The patient was recovering from a stroke. #He kept sending CQ CQ over and over, and the hospital staff thought it was just spasticity.

[al2i]

Wow. Cool story.

[ae4fa]

There was another one - with pictures - within the past 10 years. #Fellow had bypass surgery, tube down the throat and all that.

His wife, also a ham, was there when he came to. #Soon after he began sending code into her hand. #It was, "Hurts like hell"

End result, his medication was increased to an acceptable level.

[k4kyv]

I recall a police-detective comic strip back in the 50's called Kerry Drake. There was an episode about a girl who was paralysed neck down from polio, and was confined to an iron lung. Her caretaker had taught her Morse code so she could communicate by blinking with her eyelid, when she was initially totally paralysed except for facial muscles.

When some mafia types took over her parents' house, there was always someone in the room when her caretaker arrived. She tried to tell the caretaker what was going on by blinking Morse. Unfortunately, it just happened that the goon who was guarding the room could read Morse, and let her know he was aware of what she was attempting, by making the comment, "Hey, that's pretty good telegraphin'. They taught me Morse code when I was in boy scouts."

Wonder if any of the comic strip fans who inhabit this board recall that episode?

[N8CPA]

That was the Pueblo Incident (1968). It really happened. The North Koreans paraded out the captives in front of news crews. As one read the statement that they were being treated well, one of the captive crewman blinked the word, "TORTURE."

[VE7NOT]

Quote[/b] (N8CPA @ Dec. 08 2005,03:19)]I think that article was "Morse -- A State of Mind." It was in QST sometime in the early '90s. The person who figured out the tapping was a medical student. The patient was recovering from a stroke. He kept sending CQ CQ over and over, and the hospital staff thought it was just spasticity.
That might be it. I don't remember all the exact details. You are probably right

ae4fa - I remember reading that one too.

[wb7dmx]

my personal thoughts are that everyone should knoe the code, but not just for ham radio, it can be used with almost any method of sending like useing a flash light.
it is the only method of sending a message useing anything you can get your hands on, even smoke signals, try that with any other method.

[al2i]

Quote[/b] (N8CPA @ Dec. 08 2005,11:56)]That was the Pueblo Incident (1968). It really happened. The North Koreans paraded out the captives in front of news crews. As one read the statement that they were being treated well, one of the captive crewman blinked the word, "TORTURE."
I didn't know it happened again. Jeremiah Denton, an American prisoner of war in North Vietnam used his eyes to convey a message while being interviewed by media and saying that he was being treated well. The following is lifted from the Denton's Foundation web page: (http://dentonfoundation.org/Jeremiah%20Denton.htm)

"Throughout the interview, while responding to questions and feigning sensitivity to harsh lighting, Denton blinked his eyes in Morse Code, repeatedly spelling out a covert message: "T-O-R-T-U-R-E". The interview, which was broadcast on American television on May 17, 1966, was the first confirmation that American POWs in Vietnam were being tortured."

[N8CPA]

Now I'm not sure. I specifically remember reading about in reference to the Pueblo Incident which happened in '68. But the reporter who wrote it might have been confusing the incident with the Denton interview. Or, the Pueblo crewman might have been inspired by the Denton interview two years before. It could well have happened twice.