# Circuit Playground Morse Code Flasher ## Overview This project uses a **Circuit Playground Express** board to convert text into **Morse Code** using Circuit Playground's built-in **neopixel LEDs**. Use it as an emergency beacon, a spy communicator, or to help you learn Morse code for yourself. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/049/236/medium800thumb/makecode_morse_flasher2.jpg?1513108423) # What You'll Need To build this project, you'll need the following items: - [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333) - [Micro USB cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2185) - Your desktop computer # What is Morse Code? [Wikipedia defines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_code) Morse Code as the following: > **Morse code**  is a method of transmitting [text](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Written_language "Written language") information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment. It is named for [Samuel F. B. Morse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_F._B._Morse "Samuel F. B. Morse"), an inventor of the [telegraph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telegraph "Telegraph").  So, Morse code is essentially a way to communicate using short and long tones or flashes of light. Below is a chart that shows each letter of the alphabet along with its translation into Morse ' **dots**' and ' **dashes**': ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/049/239/medium800/makecode_450px-International_Morse_Code.jpg?1513108961) The above chart also provides rules for the length of each Morse code - for example; one **dash** should last three times as long as one **dot**.  With those basic rules in mind, let's program the **Circuit Playground** board to display messages as Morse code flashes of light … # Circuit Playground Morse Code Flasher ## Program It To get the Morse Flasher running, you'll need to program your **Circuit Playground Express** with the project's code. Connect your board to your computer using a **Micro USB cable** and choose how you'd like to program it.  The project code is available for MakeCode or Circuit Python. The code for this project was written in both **MakeCode** and **CircuitPython** languages - so you can choose which one you'd like to use: [Morse Code Flasher for MakeCode](../../../../morse-code-flasher/makecode) or [Morse Code Flasher for Circuit Python](../../../../morse-code-flasher/circuit-python) # Circuit Playground Morse Code Flasher ## MakeCode To program your **Circuit Playground Express** board with **MakeCode** , attach your computer via a micro USB cable, you should see it appear as a an attached drive named " **CPLAYBOOT". ** In the MakeCode window below, click the pink download button in the lower right corner and move the downloaded **.uf2** file to the " **CPLAYBOOT**" drive. https://makecode.com/_2h9cwD0vJTwX # Customize the Message By default, the board will display Morse code for " **SOS**", but you can easily customize it with any capital letters or numbers.  To do so, Modify the first block in within the " **on start**" block: ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/049/268/medium800/makecode_Screen_Shot_2017-12-13_at_4.30.11_PM.png?1513200632) Simply replace "SOS" with your message - just be sure to use only capital letters: **A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z**   # A Tour of the Code Let's take a look at all of the MakeCode blocks and learn a bit about how they work … ## On Start This is where we define the **variables** we’ll be using to store values we need to access from our code. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/049/409/medium800/makecode-onstart.jpg?1513665053) `message` is the message we’ll be displaying in Morse code. `dotLength` is the length of time (in seconds) one morse dot will take to display. `dotLength` is also used to determine the durations of the other time variables (`dashLength` & `spaceLength`) So, if you change `dotLength`, the other time variables will change in relation to it. `Alphabet` is an array that contains the entire alphabet as capital letters. `Morse` is an array that contains the morse codes used to represent the entire alphabet. ## Functions The **functions**  do all the real work in our project.  Let's look at each one and learn about what it does … ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/049/410/medium800/makecode-showDot.jpg?1513665107) The `showDot` function turns the LEDs red, waits for one `dotLength`, then turns them off and waits for one `dotLength`. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/049/411/medium800/makecode-showDash.jpg?1513665119) The `showDash` function turns the LEDs red, waits for one `dashLength`, then turns the LEDs off and waits for one `dotLength`. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/049/412/medium800/makecode-showSpace.jpg?1513665134) The `showSpace` function turns the LEDs off, then waits for one `spaceLength`. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/049/413/medium800/makecode-encode.jpg?1513665146) The `encode` function translates the `message` variable into morse code using the `Alphabet` and `Morse` arrays. It takes each character from the `message`, finds that character’s morse code equivalent, and adds that code to a variable named `morseOut`. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/049/414/medium800/makecode-MorseLights.jpg?1513665234) The `MorseLights` function takes all the dots and dashes stored in the `morseOut` variable and converts them into LED flashes. One by one, it checks each character in `morseOut`. If it finds a **dot** , it will call the `showDot` function. If it finds a **dash** , it will call the `showDash` function. And if it finds a **space** , it will call the `showSpace` function. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/049/415/medium800/makecode-forever.jpg?1513665245) Finally, the `forever` block runs two functions over and over in a **loop**. First it calls the `encode` function to encode our message, then it calls `MorseLights` to display our message in Morse code with the **Circuit Playground’s** LEDs.  # Circuit Playground Morse Code Flasher ## CircuitPython To program your **Circuit Playground Express** board with **CircuitPython** code, first make sure your board is set up to use CircuitPython - check out the [Quick Start guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-circuit-playground-express/circuitpython-quickstart) for instructions. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/076/427/medium800/makecode_connect_usb.jpg?1559621644) Once your board is set up and attached to your computer via a micro USB cable, you should see it appear as an attached drive named " **CIRCUITPY". ** (You may need to double-click the **Reset** button to make it appear.) Copy the code below and save it as a file named " **code.py**" on the " **CIRCUITPY**" drive. https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/blob/main/Morse_Code_Flasher/code.py ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/085/271/medium800/makecode_Screen_Shot_2019-12-03_at_2.49.29_PM.png?1575402615 This is what CIRCUITPY contents should look like when you're done) Once the new **code.py** file is saved, the board should restart and start displaying the **SOS** message in Morse code. You should see flashes that correspond to the following sequence: # . . . - - - . . . # A Tour of the Code So, what is all this CircuitPython code doing?  Let’s take a look piece by piece … ## Imports First off, we import **code libraries** that allow us to do complex things with simple commands … ``` import time import board import neopixel ``` # Variables Next, we define the variables we’ll be using to store important values … ``` message = 'SOS' # Message to display (capital letters and numbers only) dot_length = 0.15 # Duration of one Morse dot dash_length = (dot_length * 3.0) # Duration of one Morse dash symbol_gap = dot_length # Duration of gap between dot or dash character_gap = (dot_length * 3.0) # Duration of gap between characters flash_color = (255, 0, 0) # Color of the morse display. brightness = 0.5 # Display brightness (0.0 - 1.0) morse = [('A', '.-'), ('B', '-...'), ('C', '-.-.'), ('D', '-..'), ('E', '.'), ('F', '..-.'), ('G', '--.'), ('H', '....'), ('I', '..'), ('J', '.---'), ('K', '-.-'), ('L', '.-..'), ('M', '--'), ('N', '-.'), ('O', '---'), ('P', '.--.'), ('Q', '--.-'), ('R', '.-.'), ('S', '...'), ('T', '-'), ('U', '..-'), ('V', '...-'), ('W', '.--'), ('X', '-..-'), ('Y', '-.--'), ('Z', '--..'), ('0', '-----'), ('1', '.----'), ('2', '..---'), ('3', '...--'), ('4', '....-'), ('5', '.....'), ('6', '-....'), ('7', '--...'), ('8', '---..'), ('9', '----.')] ``` `message` is the string of letters or numbers we want to display in Morse code. `dot_length` is the length of time (in seconds) one morse dot will take to display. `dot_length` is also used to determine the value of all the other time variables (`dash_length`, `symbol_gap`, & `character_gap`) So, if you change `dot_length`, all the other time variables will change in relation to it. `flash_color` is the color the LEDs will show when they flash. `brightness` determines how bright the flashes will be. Finally, the `morse` variable is an array of value pairs called “ **tuples** ”.  Each tuple contains two values - the **first one is the readable character** we want to display in Morse code and the **second is the sequence** of Morse dots and dashes we’ll use to display that readable character. # MorseFlasher Object Next up, we define the **MorseFlasher** object which will translate our readable characters to Morse code and handle all the LED flashing. It looks pretty big, but it's not too complicated once you break it down … ``` class MorseFlasher: def __init__(self, color=(255,255,255)): #set the color adjusted for brightness self._color = (int(color[0]*brightness), int(color[1]*brightness), int(color[2]*brightness)) def light(self, on=True): if on: pixels.fill(self._color) else: pixels.fill((0,0,0)) pixels.show() def showDot(self): self.light(True) time.sleep(dot_length) self.light(False) time.sleep(symbol_gap) def showDash(self): self.light(True) time.sleep(dash_length) self.light(False) time.sleep(symbol_gap) def encode(self, str): output = "" #iterate through string's characters for c in str: #find morse code for a character for x in morse: if x[0] == c: #add code to output output += x[1] # add a space in between characters output += " " #save complete morse code output to display self.display(output) def display(self, code=".-.-.- "): # iterate through morse code symbols for c in code: # show a dot if c == ".": self.showDot() # show a dash elif c == "-": self.showDash() # show a gap elif c == " ": time.sleep(character_gap) ``` Within the `MorseFlasher` object, there are several functions that define how it works: The ` __init__ ` function creates the MorseFlasher object and sets the color that it will show by multiplying an initial color by the `brightness` variable. The `light` function turns the LEDs on or off depending on a given **boolean** (True or False) value. The `showDot` function turns the LEDs on, waits for one `dot_length`, then turns them off and waits for one `gap_length`. The `showDash` function turns the LEDs on, waits for one `dash_length`, then turns them off and waits for one `gap_length`. The `encode` function takes a message and translates it into morse code using the `morse` array variable. It takes each character from the message, finds that character’s morse code from the array of **tuples** , and adds that code to a variable named `output`. Once all the characters in the message have been translated, the `display` function is called and given the `output` variable. Finally, the `display` function takes a string of morse code (dots, dashes, and spaces) and converts into LED flashes.  One by one, it checks each character in the code. If it finds a **dot** , it will call the `show_dot` function. If it finds a **dash** , it will call the `show_dash` function. And if it finds a **space** , it will wait for the length of one `character_gap`. # Let's do this! Once all of our functions have been defined, it’s time to get the party started and use all that code we've written above … ``` # Initialize NeoPixels pixels = neopixel.NeoPixel(board.NEOPIXEL, 10, auto_write=False) pixels.fill((0, 0, 0)) pixels.show() # Create a morse flasher object. flasher = MorseFlasher(flash_color) # Main loop will run forever while True: flasher.encode(message) ``` In order to easily control our LEDs, we create `pixels` which is a `Neopixel` object from the `neopixel` library we imported earlier.  We want to make sure the LEDs are all turned off at the start, so we set them to black `(0, 0, 0)` and call `pixels.show()` to show the colors we just set. Next we create the `MorseFlasher` object named `flasher` and we give it the color we want the LEDs to flash. Finally - we set all the gears in motion.  Inside the main loop (`while True:`) we call the flasher object’s `encode` function and give it our `message` to display.  Once the function has completed and shown the `message`, the main loop will begin again and our `message` will be displayed - FOREVER! … or at least until you disconnect power or reprogram the Circuit Playground board ;) # Circuit Playground Morse Code Flasher ## Change it! This project is a great starting point for learning to code for the **Circuit Playground Express**.  Consider modifying it to make it your own.  Here's some ideas for changes you can make and some tips on how to make them in **CircuitPython** : # Change the message By default, the code will display Morse code for "SOS", but you can easily customize it with any capital letters or numbers.  To do so, Modify this line: `message = 'SOS'` Simply replace **SOS** with your message - just be sure to use **only capital letters or numbers** : `A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0` (Note that the **MakeCode** version of the code will only display letters, not numbers) # Customize the color of the LEDs The color and brightness of the LEDs can be changed by modifying these two lines in the **CircuitPython** code: `flash_color = (255, 0, 0) # Color of the morse display.` `brightness = 0.5 # Display brightness (0.0 - 1.0)` The  **flash\_color**  numbers represent the amount of ( **Red** , **Green** , **Blue** ) mixed together to create the final displayed color. They can be any whole number between **0** and **255**. The  **brightness**  value changes how much of the **flash\_color** is displayed.  It can be set to a decimal value between **0.0** and **1.0** # Adjust the speed of the LED flashes The duration of LED flashes and the gap between them can all be changed with this line: `dot_length = 0.15 # Duration of one Morse dot` The **dot\_length** value represents time in seconds, so changing **0.15** to **1.0** will make each 'dot' flash last one whole second - which is pretty long for morse code! # More ideas Once you feel comfortable making changes to the code, try making some more advanced modifications like these: - Set the display to only trigger after pressing one of the built-in buttons - Set a different message to display for each button pressed - Add an audio tone which plays in sync with the LEDs ## Featured Products ### Circuit Playground Express [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333) **Circuit Playground Express** is the next step towards a perfect introduction to electronics and programming. 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