Charge imbalance in early cables: the influence of language

D. de Cogan; G. J. Janacek; A. Al-Ajllan; S. C. Carter; D. Claflin; C. Collins; M. R. Cutlack; P. Davies; F. Galaasen; M. Hubee; D. C. Love; O. O. Meduoye; A. Merritt; T. Nash; T. L. Newell; S. S. Patten; T. R. Pierson; A. L. Pluck; J. Radford; T. Raja; M. P. Salisbury; S. Walker; P. Willows

Charge imbalance in early cables: the influence of language

D. de Cogan, G. J. Janacek, A. Al-Ajllan, S. C. Carter, D. Claflin, C. Collins, M. R. Cutlack, P. Davies, F. Galaasen, M. Hubee, D. C. Love, O. O. Meduoye, A. Merritt, T. Nash, T. L. Newell, S. S. Patten, T. R. Pierson, A. L. Pluck, J. Radford, T. RajaM. P. Salisbury, S. Walker, P. Willows

School of Computing Sciences

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper

Abstract

The basis for this paper was initiated by observations that were made by a group of undergraduate students (the co-authors listed above) as part of a coursework exercise in an elective unit (CMPS2S22 "The Information Revolution and its origins") which is taught at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. It concerns a technical problem that must have beset the early operators of cables who used a sensitive galvanometer with a light-spot, so that deflections one way were identified as dots and the other way as dashes. If Morse code had been designed for use on long distance cables, then it would have been balanced, so that the number of dots in an average message would equal the number of dashes. This would generally leave the light spot in the middle of the screen. But Morse code was not designed this way and the sum of dots generally exceeds the sum of dashes. In the case of the imbalance in Morse code messages, there are linguistic effects, but we may be certain that operators would, with experience, have developed coping strategies, so that the spot did not go off the scale. However, the authors are not aware of any record of such operational procedures

Original language	English
Pages	55-62
Number of pages	8
Publication status	Published - 2004
Event	IEE History of Technology Conference - University College London, London, United Kingdom Duration: 2 Jul 2004 → 3 Jul 2004

Conference

Conference	IEE History of Technology Conference
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	London
Period	2/07/04 → 3/07/04

Cite this

de Cogan, D., Janacek, G. J., Al-Ajllan, A., Carter, S. C., Claflin, D., Collins, C., Cutlack, M. R., Davies, P., Galaasen, F., Hubee, M., Love, D. C., Meduoye, O. O., Merritt, A., Nash, T., Newell, T. L., Patten, S. S., Pierson, T. R., Pluck, A. L., Radford, J., ... Willows, P. (2004). Charge imbalance in early cables: the influence of language. 55-62. Paper presented at IEE History of Technology Conference, London, United Kingdom.

de Cogan, D. ; Janacek, G. J. ; Al-Ajllan, A. ; Carter, S. C. ; Claflin, D. ; Collins, C. ; Cutlack, M. R. ; Davies, P. ; Galaasen, F. ; Hubee, M. ; Love, D. C. ; Meduoye, O. O. ; Merritt, A. ; Nash, T. ; Newell, T. L. ; Patten, S. S. ; Pierson, T. R. ; Pluck, A. L. ; Radford, J. ; Raja, T. ; Salisbury, M. P. ; Walker, S. ; Willows, P. / Charge imbalance in early cables: the influence of language. Paper presented at IEE History of Technology Conference, London, United Kingdom.8 p.

@conference{0e079c3df8e14dc380356777d99e4984,

title = "Charge imbalance in early cables: the influence of language",

abstract = "The basis for this paper was initiated by observations that were made by a group of undergraduate students (the co-authors listed above) as part of a coursework exercise in an elective unit (CMPS2S22 {"}The Information Revolution and its origins{"}) which is taught at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. It concerns a technical problem that must have beset the early operators of cables who used a sensitive galvanometer with a light-spot, so that deflections one way were identified as dots and the other way as dashes. If Morse code had been designed for use on long distance cables, then it would have been balanced, so that the number of dots in an average message would equal the number of dashes. This would generally leave the light spot in the middle of the screen. But Morse code was not designed this way and the sum of dots generally exceeds the sum of dashes. In the case of the imbalance in Morse code messages, there are linguistic effects, but we may be certain that operators would, with experience, have developed coping strategies, so that the spot did not go off the scale. However, the authors are not aware of any record of such operational procedures",

author = "{de Cogan}, D. and Janacek, {G. J.} and A. Al-Ajllan and Carter, {S. C.} and D. Claflin and C. Collins and Cutlack, {M. R.} and P. Davies and F. Galaasen and M. Hubee and Love, {D. C.} and Meduoye, {O. O.} and A. Merritt and T. Nash and Newell, {T. L.} and Patten, {S. S.} and Pierson, {T. R.} and Pluck, {A. L.} and J. Radford and T. Raja and Salisbury, {M. P.} and S. Walker and P. Willows",

year = "2004",

language = "English",

pages = "55--62",

note = "IEE History of Technology Conference ; Conference date: 02-07-2004 Through 03-07-2004",

}

de Cogan, D, Janacek, GJ, Al-Ajllan, A, Carter, SC, Claflin, D, Collins, C, Cutlack, MR, Davies, P, Galaasen, F, Hubee, M, Love, DC, Meduoye, OO, Merritt, A, Nash, T, Newell, TL, Patten, SS, Pierson, TR, Pluck, AL, Radford, J, Raja, T, Salisbury, MP, Walker, S & Willows, P 2004, 'Charge imbalance in early cables: the influence of language', Paper presented at IEE History of Technology Conference, London, United Kingdom, 2/07/04 - 3/07/04 pp. 55-62.

Charge imbalance in early cables: the influence of language. / de Cogan, D.; Janacek, G. J.; Al-Ajllan, A.; Carter, S. C.; Claflin, D.; Collins, C.; Cutlack, M. R.; Davies, P.; Galaasen, F.; Hubee, M.; Love, D. C.; Meduoye, O. O.; Merritt, A.; Nash, T.; Newell, T. L.; Patten, S. S.; Pierson, T. R.; Pluck, A. L.; Radford, J.; Raja, T.; Salisbury, M. P.; Walker, S.; Willows, P.

2004. 55-62 Paper presented at IEE History of Technology Conference, London, United Kingdom.

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper

TY - CONF

T1 - Charge imbalance in early cables: the influence of language

AU - de Cogan, D.

AU - Janacek, G. J.

AU - Al-Ajllan, A.

AU - Carter, S. C.

AU - Claflin, D.

AU - Collins, C.

AU - Cutlack, M. R.

AU - Davies, P.

AU - Galaasen, F.

AU - Hubee, M.

AU - Love, D. C.

AU - Meduoye, O. O.

AU - Merritt, A.

AU - Nash, T.

AU - Newell, T. L.

AU - Patten, S. S.

AU - Pierson, T. R.

AU - Pluck, A. L.

AU - Radford, J.

AU - Raja, T.

AU - Salisbury, M. P.

AU - Walker, S.

AU - Willows, P.

PY - 2004

Y1 - 2004

N2 - The basis for this paper was initiated by observations that were made by a group of undergraduate students (the co-authors listed above) as part of a coursework exercise in an elective unit (CMPS2S22 "The Information Revolution and its origins") which is taught at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. It concerns a technical problem that must have beset the early operators of cables who used a sensitive galvanometer with a light-spot, so that deflections one way were identified as dots and the other way as dashes. If Morse code had been designed for use on long distance cables, then it would have been balanced, so that the number of dots in an average message would equal the number of dashes. This would generally leave the light spot in the middle of the screen. But Morse code was not designed this way and the sum of dots generally exceeds the sum of dashes. In the case of the imbalance in Morse code messages, there are linguistic effects, but we may be certain that operators would, with experience, have developed coping strategies, so that the spot did not go off the scale. However, the authors are not aware of any record of such operational procedures

AB - The basis for this paper was initiated by observations that were made by a group of undergraduate students (the co-authors listed above) as part of a coursework exercise in an elective unit (CMPS2S22 "The Information Revolution and its origins") which is taught at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. It concerns a technical problem that must have beset the early operators of cables who used a sensitive galvanometer with a light-spot, so that deflections one way were identified as dots and the other way as dashes. If Morse code had been designed for use on long distance cables, then it would have been balanced, so that the number of dots in an average message would equal the number of dashes. This would generally leave the light spot in the middle of the screen. But Morse code was not designed this way and the sum of dots generally exceeds the sum of dashes. In the case of the imbalance in Morse code messages, there are linguistic effects, but we may be certain that operators would, with experience, have developed coping strategies, so that the spot did not go off the scale. However, the authors are not aware of any record of such operational procedures

M3 - Paper

SP - 55

EP - 62

T2 - IEE History of Technology Conference

Y2 - 2 July 2004 through 3 July 2004

ER -