Convert black-and-white sprites into... morse code?

alien_example.txt

Alien in base 16:  183C7EDBFF245AA5
Alien in base 32:  1GF3URFVI8ML5
Alien in base 36:  D9NURFZQYYSL
Alien in morse, base 16:  ['.----', '---..', '...--', '-.-.', '--...', '.', '-..', '-...', '..-.', '..-.', '..---', '....-', '.....', '.-', '.-', '.....']
Alien in morse, base 32:  ['.----', '--.', '..-.', '...--', '..-', '.-.', '..-.', '...-', '..', '---..', '--', '.-..', '.....']
Alien in morse, base 36:  ['-..', '----.', '-.', '..-', '.-.', '..-.', '--..', '--.-', '-.--', '-.--', '...', '.-..']

sprite_morse.py

ALIEN = """
...XX...
..XXXX..
.XXXXXX.
XX.XX.XX
XXXXXXXX
..X..X..
.X.XX.X.
X.X..X.X
"""

def base(num, b, alphabet="0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"):
    """
    Return the integer 'num' in base 'b', using the alphabet provided.
    """
    return ((num == 0) and alphabet[0]) or \
        (base(num // b, b, alphabet).lstrip(alphabet[0]) + alphabet[num % b])

def sprite_to_num(sprite):
    """
    Convert a sprite string (like ALIEN) into a single number
    that represents it.
    """
    # This uses a hack to convert it into a bit string that python's
    # built-in int() will convert. Bits are base 2!
    bits = sprite.replace("X", "1").replace(".", "0").replace("\n", "")
    return int(bits, 2)

def sprite_base(sprite, b):
    return base(sprite_to_num(sprite), b)


# CONVERT THE ALIEN FOR MORSE CODE TAPPING
print "Alien in base 16: ", sprite_base(ALIEN, 16)  # TI 99/4A BASIC
print "Alien in base 32: ", sprite_base(ALIEN, 32)  # GRAPH PAPER MORSE
print "Alien in base 36: ", sprite_base(ALIEN, 36)  # BEST POSSIBLE MORSE




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': '----.',
}

def morse(s):
    return [MORSE[c] for c in s]

def sprite_morse(sprite, b=36):
    return morse(sprite_base(sprite, b))

# CONVERT AGAIN
print "Alien in morse, base 16: ", sprite_morse(ALIEN, 16)  # TI 99/4A BASIC
print "Alien in morse, base 32: ", sprite_morse(ALIEN, 32)  # GRAPH PAPER
print "Alien in morse, base 36: ", sprite_morse(ALIEN, 36)  # BEST POSSIBLE

Here's the original alien graphic: http://contrapunctus.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/alien2.png

This was in response to my brother, who's a HAM radio op and wondered if there would be an easy way to transmit old-school sprites -- like on the TI 99/4A -- via morse code. (Yeah, it's a silly question, and here's my silly solution.)