Edited by Wireless Powerlines, Krystle, General Jackson, Sondra C and 50 others
The Morse Code was developed by Samuel F.B. Morse in 1844. Even after more than 160 years, it is still used today, especially by amateur radio operators. The code can be sent quickly over the telegraph, and is also useful for emergency signaling (SOS) with a radio, mirror, or flashlight, and even for people with severe disabilities to communicate. In order to master Morse code, however, you need to approach it like a new language.
1Listen carefully to slow morse code recordings. What you're listening for is a combination of dots and dashes (also referred to as dits and dahs). A dit is a short beep, while a dah is a longer beep (three times longer). Every letter is separated by a short pause, and every word is separated by a longer pause (three times longer).
- You can search or shop for practice recordings, or use a shortwave receiver to listen to the real thing. Free and inexpensive Morse training software is available and usually better than the recordings, it can be set to change the text randomly so it never gets "stale" and you can choose whatever learning method works best for you. Never count dots and dashes, learn the sound of the letter. If you are using Farnsworth, you set the spacing between letters slower than the letter speed. Choose a letter speed a bit above your target code speed and never lower the letter speed, only the letter spacing. This is the way to learn Morse as a language, 15-25 words per minute or more. The following methods are best used when you have no intention of using Morse above 5 words per minute, they will require you to un learn the bad habits and start over.
2Refer to a copy of the Morse Code alphabet (as seen at the bottom of the page). You can use a basic chart such as the one shown at right (click to enlarge), or you can use a more advanced chart which includes punctuation, abbreviated phrases, prosigns and Q Codes. Match up what you heard to the letters in the alphabet. What does it say? Were you correct?
Some people find it easier to learn by writing down the letter with dots/periods and dashes, and comparing it to a chart such as the one shown; others say this creates an additional step that will only slow you down in learning Morse code. Do whatever feels more comfortable for you. If you choose to avoid interpreting written dots and dashes, you can use a pronunciation chart which lists the sounds of the Morse Code signals, as if you were hearing them, rather than the dash and dot symbols.
3Sound it out. Practice translating basic words and sentences into Morse code. In the beginning, you can write it down, then sound it out, but eventually you'll need to go straight to sounding it out. For example, the word "cat". Write it down:
-.-. .- -
then transmit the word (you can use the buttons on a mobile phone, or beep vocally -- the latter will probably help your mind pick up the code faster). To pronounce morse code, dit is pronounced di with a short i sound and a silent t. Dah is pronounced with a short a sound. So cat is pronounced dah-di-dah-di di-dah dah. Once you feel comfortable with that, pick up a children's book and try to transmit the content in Morse code without writing anything down. Record yourself and play it back later to see if you were correct.
- Be conscious of your spacing. Each letter needs to be separated by a space that's the same duration as a dah (three times the duration of a dit). Each word needs to be separated by a space that lasts about seven times the duration of a dit. The better your spacing, the easier your code will be to understand.
4Memorize the easiest letters first. A single dah is a "T" and a single dit is an "E". Next, a dah-dah is an "M" and a dit-dit is an "I". Memorize the letters for 3 and 4 dits and dahs in a row. Once you've got those down, start memorizing the combinations: dit-dah, dit-dah-dah, dit-dah-dah-dah, and so on. Leave the more complex combinations for last. Fortunately, this includes some less commonly used letters (like Q, Y, X, and V) so when you get to this point, focus on the more commonly used letters first. Notice how E and T have the shortest symbols, and how K, Z, Q, and X have long symbols.
5Make associations. For every letter, think of a memorable "sound alike". Here's an example: The letter "C" is dah-dit-dah-dit (long short long short). Can you think of a word that starts with that letter, and sounds like the Morse pronunciation? How about catastrophic, which has an emphasis on the first and third syllable, and begins with a "c"? Or how about dah-dit, which is Morse code for "N"? How about nanny? This will be harder for words that end in several "dahs" in a row, since many words in the English language alternate emphasis between syllables, and usually do not end with an emphasis, but you could use sentences, too. There are also existing Morse code mnemonics that have been around for many years; you might be able to find them online, or purchase them.
- If you're a music lover, you can try associating Morse code pronunciations with tunes or melodies that are familiar with you. For example, the distinctive beginning of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 is short-short-short-long, or dit-dit-dit-dah, which is the letter "V", the roman numeral for "5" (as in Beethoven's 5th Symphony), and is rather appropriate for such a "victorious" tune, don't you think? During WW2, BBC broadcasters used this four-note melody to start off its radio broadcasts because of its association with the word "victory"!
6Have fun with it. Want to get your friends into it? Learn how to blink code. That way, you can give an SOS blink when your friend just introduced you to a rather unpleasant blind date, for instance. Use written Morse code to write secret notes, or keep a diary in Morse, or tell dirty jokes without anyone knowing. Give someone a Morse code greeting card. Say "I love you" in Morse code (how romantic!). Whatever floats your boat, find a way to do it in Morse code, and you'll learn it much faster.
- Get a Morse Code app for your phone. Or look online for training software: it is very helpful!
- To indicate that you have made a mistake while broadcasting the previous word, transmit eight dots. This will tell the receiver of your message to cross out the last word transmitted before the signal.
- Practice! When you have spare time, ask a friend or family member to sit down with you and listen to you transmit Morse Code. Give them a chart, and let them decipher your messages. Not only will this increase the knowledge of both you and your helper, it will also allow you to pick up on any mistakes you may be making or any bad habits that you are developing so they can be rectified before any problem develops.
- Listen very carefully. When learning try very slowly till you get the hang of it.
- Learning the Morse Code can be easy with the right tool. Copy and laminate the chart below and then keep it in your wallet. You'll remember the code faster, as you'll remember where the letters lie on the tool. Read it down from the top. White is dit and colored is dah. You start with E & T, which are dit and dah. Going directly downward, read each line. Therefore, V is dit dit dit dah. Good luck.
- Don't give up! Learning Morse Code won't be easy; it's like learning a new language. There are new letters, abbreviations, grammatical styles and many other things to learn. Don't be discouraged if you make mistakes, just practice over and over again until you perfect it.
- Do not use any visual charts as you do not train the ears through the eyes. Do not use any slow training methods as you will have to relearn letters to gain speed. The goal is to reccognize letters then entire words instantly, not count dits and dahs. Computer program with Koch and Farnesworth methods is the way to go.
Recent edits by: Yoko Kanai, Jakesoup, Anna
In other languages:
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 413,352 times.