Reference Chart

Morse Code Alphabet

Complete A–Z letters, 0–9 numbers, and punctuation. ITU-R M.1677-1 standard. Printable and memorizable.

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Morse Code A to Z

Each card shows the letter, its dots and dashes, and the phonetic rhythm used by radio operators.


Complete Reference Table

Char Morse Rhythm Elements

How Morse Code Works

A dot lasts 1 unit; a dash lasts 3 units. Space between elements: 1 unit. Between letters: 3 units. Between words: 7 units. The most common English letter E = · (one dot), T = — (one dash). Rare letters like Q use 4 elements.

Binary Tree Memorization

Morse code forms a binary tree — left = dot, right = dash from the root. E and T at level 1, I/A and N/M at level 2. Navigate the tree to decode without looking up a chart — the method used by every licensed ham radio operator.

Phonetic Rhythms

Learn sounds, not symbols: C = “Co-ca-Co-la” (—·—·), F = “Did-I-make-it” (··—·), Q = “God save the Queen” (——·—).


Morse Code Numbers (0–9)

Numbers follow a perfect system: 1 = one dot + four dashes, adding a dot each time through 5, then removing dots and adding dashes through 9, ending with 0 = five dashes.

Digit Morse Pattern
1 ·———— 1 dot + 4 dashes
2 ··——— 2 dots + 3 dashes
3 ···—— 3 dots + 2 dashes
4 ····— 4 dots + 1 dash
5 ····· 5 dots
6 —···· 1 dash + 4 dots
7 ——··· 2 dashes + 3 dots
8 ———·· 3 dashes + 2 dots
9 ————· 4 dashes + 1 dot
0 ————— 5 dashes

FAQs

The letter E — a single dot (·). It’s the shortest code because E is the most frequent letter in English. T gets a single dash (—) as the second most common.

The ITU standard covers 26 letters, 10 digits, and 20+ punctuation/procedural marks — 56+ characters total. Each uses 1 to 6 signal elements.

SOS = ···———··· (three dots, three dashes, three dots). Transmitted as one continuous signal, not three separate letters. It’s the international distress signal under maritime law.

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