Reference
Morse code chart
The full International Morse alphabet per ITU-R M.1677-1. · is a dit (short), — is a dah (three times as long).
Heads up
Reading this chart will not teach you Morse — your ear has to learn the rhythm, not your eyes. Use the chart as a reference while you do daily audio drills with the Koch method.
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 — — · ·
Numbers
0 — — — — —
1 · — — — —
2 · · — — —
3 · · · — —
4 · · · · —
5 · · · · ·
6 — · · · ·
7 — — · · ·
8 — — — · ·
9 — — — — ·
Pattern: 1 is one dit + four dahs, 5 is five dits, 0 is five dahs. Counts shift one position per step.
Punctuation
. · — · — · —
, — — · · — —
? · · — — · ·
' · — — — — ·
! — · — · — —
/ — · · — ·
( — · — — ·
) — · — — · —
& · — · · ·
: — — — · · ·
; — · — · — ·
= — · · · —
+ · — · — ·
- — · · · · —
_ · · — — · —
" · — · · — ·
$ · · · — · · —
@ · — — · — ·
Prosigns operators actually use
Prosigns are letters run together without the usual gap, used as procedural signals on the air. Once you start listening to real CW, you hear these constantly.
| Prosign | Pattern | Means |
|---|---|---|
| SOS | · · · — — — · · · | International distress signal |
| AR | · — · — · | End of message |
| BT | — · · · — | Paragraph break |
| KN | — · — — · | Invite specific station to transmit |
| SK | · · · — · — | End of contact |
| CQ | — · — · — — · — | Calling any station |
Timing rules
- A dit is one time unit on.
- A dah is three time units on.
- Gap inside a letter: one unit off.
- Gap between letters: three units off.
- Gap between words: seven units off.
- Speed (WPM) is calibrated so the word
PARIStakes 60/WPM seconds at standard timing.
Want this in your ear, not your eye?
Morsy drills the chart with full-speed Koch audio. Free to start, no ads. Or read our guide to Morse code if you want the background first.