[CW] American vs Continental (was Origin of 'ES'?)

[Donald Chester]

>   With 13 letters and all the numbers different, I doubt little could be
>communicated.

I count 11 letters different.  It would be only partial copy, but the jist 
of the messasge should get through.  We sometimes struggle through a QSO 
over the air with a little over 50% copy (QRM, weak signals, QRN).  Of 
course, numbers would be hopeless.  Only "4" is the same, although the 
American long dash for zero is often substituted for "....." in ham QSO's.

Interestingly, "Q" in American is "F" in Continental - dits and dahs 
transposed.

>The "dot-space" letters of the American Morse code would
>be very confusing.

As would be the "long" dash versus the normal dash.

Some old-time landline telegraphers claim that American is faster than 
Continental.  I have also heard it said that the dot-space letters and the 
long dash make American more like natural human language with its 
irregularities in structure.

Of course, with landline telegraphy, receiving by ear is a whole different 
ballgame, with the clicks of the sounder instead of the on/off tone we are 
used to with radio.  Hovever, I have listened to Continental sent through a 
sounder and found it amazingly easy to copy in my head, even the first time 
I tried.  There is usually a demonstration set up at the Dayton Fleamarket.

I have never attempted to copy American.

Don K4KYV

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