Morse Code Reference
The standard International Morse Code alphabet, numerals, and common punctuation — plus how prosigns differ from ordinary spaced letters.
Letters & numerals are timing, not typing
A dah is three times the length of a dit. Within one letter, dits/dahs are separated by one dit-length of silence. Between letters, the gap is three dit-lengths; between words, seven. Getting this spacing right matters more than sending speed.
Letters
| Letter | 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 | --.. |
Numerals
| Digit | Morse |
|---|---|
| 0 | ----- |
| 1 | .---- |
| 2 | ..--- |
| 3 | ...-- |
| 4 | ....- |
| 5 | ..... |
| 6 | -.... |
| 7 | --... |
| 8 | ---.. |
| 9 | ----. |
Common punctuation
| Character | Name | Morse |
|---|---|---|
| . | Full stop | .-.-.- |
| , | Comma | --..-- |
| ? | Question mark | ..--.. |
| / | Slash | -..-. |
| = | Break (BT prosign) | -...- |
| - | Hyphen | -....- |
| ( | Open parenthesis | -.--. |
| ) | Close parenthesis | -.--.- |
| @ | At sign (2004 ITU addition) | .--.-. |
| : | Colon | ---... |
Prosigns: sent as one joined character
A prosign like AR or SK is sent as a single
continuous character with no gap between its component letters — not as
two separately-spaced letters. That is what distinguishes, for example, the
prosign AR (dit-dah-dit-dah-dit, joined) from sending the two
letters "A" and "R" with a normal inter-letter gap. Every prosign entry
below is marked accordingly on its own page.
Sent as a single continuous character (dit-dah dit-dah), not as two separately-spaced letters "A" and "A." Formal traffic-handlin…
AR End of messageจบข้อความSent as a single continuous character (dit-dah-dit-dah-dit), never as the two separately-spaced letters “A” and “R.” Marks the en…
AS Wait / stand byรอสักครู่Sent as a single continuous character (dit-dah-dit-dit-dit), not as separately spaced "A" and "S." Tells the other station to sta…
BT Break (section separator within a message)คั่นตอน (แบ่งส่วนภายในข้อความ)Sent as a single continuous character (dah-dit-dit-dit-dah), not as separately spaced "B" and "T." Functions like a paragraph bre…
CL Closing down stationปิดสถานีOften sent right after SK: "SK CL" means the contact is over and the operator is also shutting the station down (as opposed to SK…
CT Commence transmissionเริ่มการส่งSent as a single continuous character (dah-dit-dah-dit-dah). CT and KN are genuinely different prosigns with different Morse patt…
HH Error / correctionข้อผิดพลาด/แก้ไขSent as 8 continuous dits with no gaps. In real practice many operators shorten this to just a few extra-spaced dits, or simply p…
K Go ahead (invitation to transmit, anyone)เชิญพูดได้ (เชิญใครก็ได้ตอบ)Sent at the end of a transmission to invite a reply from anyone listening — classically closes a CQ call ("CQ CQ DE HS8AC K"). Lo…
KN Go ahead, named station onlyเชิญพูด เฉพาะสถานีที่ระบุเท่านั้นSent as a single continuous character (dah-dit-dah-dah-dit), not as separately spaced "K" and "N." Marks the end of a transmissio…
SK / VA End of contactจบการติดต่อSent as a single continuous character (dit-dit-dit-dah-dit-dah), not as separately spaced letters. Marks the true end of the whol…
Sources
- HISTORICAL ITU REFERENCEITU-RRecommendation ITU-R M.1677 — International Morse code — https://www.itu.int/dms_pubrec/itu-r/rec/m/R-REC-M.1677-1-200910-I!!PDF-E.pdf
- AMATEUR PRACTICEARRLInternational Morse Code Procedural Signs (Prosigns) — https://www.arrl.org/ham-radio-glossary