Letters A–Z
· = dot (short) · — = dash (long)
| Letter | Morse code | Note |
|---|---|---|
| A | · — | Short then long |
| B | — · · · | One long, three short |
| C | — · — · | Alternating long-short |
| D | — · · | Long, two short |
| E | · | Single dot — most common letter |
| F | · · — · | Two short, long, short |
| G | — — · | Two long, one short |
| H | · · · · | Four dots |
| I | · · | Two dots |
| J | · — — — | One short, three long |
| K | — · — | Long-short-long |
| L | · — · · | Short-long-short-short |
| M | — — | Two long dashes |
| N | — · | Long then short |
| O | — — — | Three long dashes |
| P | · — — · | Short-long-long-short |
| Q | — — · — | Long-long-short-long |
| R | · — · | Short-long-short |
| S | · · · | Three dots (SOS first letter) |
| T | — | Single dash — second most common |
| U | · · — | Two short, one long |
| V | · · · — | Three short, one long |
| W | · — — | Short-long-long |
| X | — · · — | Long-short-short-long |
| Y | — · — — | Long-short-long-long |
| Z | — — · · | Two long, two short |
Numbers 0–9
Numbers follow a logical pattern: 1 is one dot followed by four dashes. Each additional digit shifts one dot to a dash until 5 (all dots), then the pattern reverses for 6–9.
| Digit | Morse code |
|---|---|
| 0 | — — — — — |
| 1 | · — — — — |
| 2 | · · — — — |
| 3 | · · · — — |
| 4 | · · · · — |
| 5 | · · · · · |
| 6 | — · · · · |
| 7 | — — · · · |
| 8 | — — — · · |
| 9 | — — — — · |
Punctuation and symbols
| Char | Name | Morse code |
|---|---|---|
| . | Period | · — · — · — |
| , | Comma | — — · · — — |
| ? | Question mark | · · — — · · |
| ! | Exclamation | — · — · — — |
| / | Slash | — · · — · |
| @ | At sign | · — — · — · |
| : | Colon | — — — · · · |
| ; | Semicolon | — · — · — · |
| ( | Open paren | — · — — · |
| ) | Close paren | — · — — · — |
| - | Hyphen | — · · · · — |
| " | Quote | · — · · — · |
| ' | Apostrophe | · — — — — · |
| + | Plus | · — · — · |
| = | Equals | — · · · — |
SOS — the universal distress signal
SOS is the most recognized morse sequence: ··· — — — ···. It was chosen not because the letters S-O-S mean anything specific, but because the pattern is unmistakable — three short, three long, three short — and impossible to confuse with any other signal.
S
· · ·
O
— — —
S
· · ·
The signal should be sent as one continuous sequence with no pause between letters. Standard spacing rules are suspended for SOS to ensure it reads as a single block.
Timing rules
Morse code is based on one unit of time — the length of a dot. Everything else is a multiple of that unit. Speed is measured in words per minute (WPM), using the word PARIS as the standard (50 units long).
Tips for learning morse code
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Start with E and T
E is a single dot (·), T is a single dash (—). They are the two most common letters in English and the simplest patterns in morse. Learn them first and everything else branches from there.
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Use the Koch method
Learn two characters at full speed first (E and T). Only add a new character when you can receive the existing ones at ≥90% accuracy. This wires you to recognize sounds, not count dots mentally.
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Learn sounds, not symbols
Counting "dot-dash" in your head is slow. Experienced operators hear "di-dah" as A, "dah-dit-dit" as D. Use audio practice tools — not just visual charts — from day one.
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Numbers have a pattern
1–5 are one-through-five dots followed by dashes filling up to five characters. 6–9 are the reverse. 0 is all dashes. Once you see it, numbers take minutes to memorize.
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SOS unlocks free practice
SOS is three letters most people already know (··· — — — ···). Once you can send it fluently, you have a working loop to practice timing and rhythm on.