How to Learn Morse Code

Morse code is a communication system developed by Samuel FB Morse that uses strings of dots and dashes to convey encrypted messages. Although originally invented for telegraph communication, Morse code is still used by amateur radio broadcasters today, and it is also useful in transmitting emergency signals in times of danger. Learning Morse code is not difficult, but it requires the same study and effort as learning a foreign language. Once you’ve mastered the basic symbols, you can start writing and translating your own messages.

Table of Contents

Get familiar with Morse code symbols

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Learn the meaning of basic symbols. Morse code consists of two different symbol units – dots and dashes. The first goal is to learn to recognize these symbols as they appear. A dot looks like a full stop at the end of a sentence, while a dash is an extended horizontal line similar to a hyphen. Every character in English can be represented by these dots and dashes. ^{[1] X Research Source}

In official Morse code system terminology, the dot is called a “dit”, the short “i” pronounced and the silent “t” sound.
The tile is called a “dah” with a short “a” sound.

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Learn Morse code alphabet. Take a look at the Morse alphabet and use it as a reference when decoding a character. As you learn the alphabet, make a note of each letter or number, then read the corresponding dit-dah combination aloud. Over time, every time you see or hear Morse code, you will reflexively recall the alphabet. ^{[2] X Research Source}

While the Morse code alphabet is a useful reference resource, proficient users are encouraged to learn Morse code by hearing its sounds instead of seeing written symbols. This learning method eliminates the step of visual recognition of Morse code on paper. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
You can download the Morse code alphabet at the end of this article.

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Sound out each signal. Practice pronouncing dit and dah in the right rhythm. The dit sound is short, with only one sound. The dah is about 3 times longer than the dit. This fast, slow rhythm is how the units in Morse code are distinguished.

Notice the spacing between words and characters. Each character is separated by a hyphen, and a complete word is separated by 7 dots. The more meticulously spaced words and characters are, the easier the message is to recognize.
It’s generally easier to learn Morse code with audio than with text because you don’t have to sit down and count units of dit and dah. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Word association for easy learning. Word association is a powerful tool to help you memorize characters and numbers in Morse code. For example, you can relate the letter “C” of Morse code to the word “catastrophic” which begins with the letter “C”, both of which have the same number of syllables and even the same stress. . Another example is the word “mailman” with the letter “M” and “gingerbread” with the letter “G”.

Build a list of word associations that help you memorize quickly by associating the sequence of symbols with the corresponding sound that comes naturally to your mind.
Jot down the word associations you come up with in a notebook and read the characters aloud as you study.

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Begin to match basic words and letters. The simplest characters are those that begin with a dit or dah sound. For example, the letter “E” is a dit sound in Morse code, “T” is a dah sound. From there, you can move on to learning the letter “I” consisting of 2 dits and the letter “M” which is 2 dah sounds. Consolidate your knowledge of basic letters before combining them into more complex sentences. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Two- and three-letter words (“me” (me) = – – • ) (“cat” = -•-• •- – ) are the easiest to remember when you’re new to compound words.
Emergency signal “SOS” ( • • • – – – • • • ) is something you must learn first, because in emergency situations this knowledge will save your life. ^{[6] X Another source of distress signal research} is CDQ (“-•-• – • • – – – •”), ie “Come Quick Danger” is also essential. ^{[7] X Research Source defiel.com/morse-code-sos-light/}

Practice using Morse code

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Listen to Morse code recordings. Look for recorded messages in Morse code to get a first-hand look at how this cryptosystem communicates. Notice the pauses between characters as well as the dit dah unit of each character. If needed, you can adjust the speed to slow down to make it easier to listen. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

In the archives of the American Radio Relay League there is a collection of Morse code recordings for listening practice. ^{[9] X Research Source}
If you own an amateur radio, tune in to the HF frequency for a more realistic feel. ^{[10] X Research Source}
Alternatively, you can purchase practice recordings that come with level-appropriate instructions. “Morse Code Teacher” by Gordon West is a good choice for beginners.

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Children’s book translation. Storybooks for children often use short, simple sentences, which are perfect for practicing Morse code. You can flip through children’s books for short sentences and translate them into Morse code. This cipher system is designed to convey simple messages, so children’s books are a rich resource for practice.

When starting out, use a book for toddlers, like “Fun with Dick and Jane”. These are famous books with simple lines (“See Spot run. Run, Spot, run!” = ••• • ••• •–• — – •-• ••- – • •-•-•- •-• ••- -• –••– ••• •–• — – –••– •-• ••- -• )
This is a useful learning strategy to help you reach your speed goals. For example, if you want to encode 5 words in 1 minute, each page has about 10 words, you should try to complete each page in 2 minutes.

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Make a vocabulary list for yourself. At the end of each lesson you should extract a few important words and phrases, then shuffle them, and at the beginning of the next lesson code them. This helps you solidify your knowledge by forcing yourself to recognize and decode repeated characters. Keep the vocabulary simple for more effective writing and reading. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Once you’ve become proficient, keep a notebook entirely in Morse code.
For daily practice, get into the habit of writing shopping lists, names of loved ones, haiku poems, or short messages in Morse code.

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Study with a friend. If you know anyone who’s also trying to learn Morse code, the two of you could be good friends. Use codes to greet each other, exchange ideas or dark jokes with Morse code. You will be more interested in learning if you have a friend to motivate and make things more interesting. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Create a set of flashcards to play quizzes with friends or lovers.
Send messages with dots and dashes instead of regular language.

Take advantage of other resources

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Download the Morse code app on your phone. Nowadays, there are many apps like Morse-It or Dah Dit that make learning more convenient. These apps allow you to learn by listening to audio recordings and recognizing images, providing a synchronized learning experience. These applications also have touch buttons that feel like the old traditional Morse code typing. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Learning by app helps you practice coding in your spare time at home or on the go.
Combine app and pen-and-paper learning to reinforce decoding in all its forms.

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Take a Morse code class. Many amateur radio operators offer Morse code classes to everyone, including non-radioers. By taking a traditional classroom, you’ll receive well-structured lectures and one-on-one instruction that enhances receptivity. ^{[14] X Research Source}

The instructors of these courses are people who have diverse teaching methods to effectively convey lessons to different audiences.
Through classes like these, you have the opportunity to access software and devices that are hard to see in real life.

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Learn through audio lessons. If there are no classes where you live, you can purchase recorded lectures. You just need to follow the lecture at your own pace and complete the accompanying exercises. Over time, the level of the lesson will become more difficult and you will become more and more proficient.

Remember to bring a notebook and pen to write down the dit dah units you hear. Be sure to review the accompanying text lecture to identify Morse code messages in their various forms. ^{[15] X Research Source}
One of the benefits of a recorded lecture is that you can listen to it over and over again to reinforce important concepts and adjust the pace of the lecture to suit you.

Advice

Do not be discouraged. Learning Morse code is not easy and you cannot master it overnight. Like any other skill, Morse code takes a lot of practice to get good at.
Carry the Morse code alphabet with you for convenient collation when needed.
In the curriculum of survival courses often teach Morse codes for emergency use. These courses can be useful to you if you want to learn Morse code for practical reasons.
Writing down your favorite passage or poem in Morse code is a great way to memorize the alphabet.
Morse code can be communicated in many ways, such as flashing a flashlight, a sound, or a flashing light.
Each study session should only last about 20-30 minutes to avoid distraction and overload by new information.

Warning

You should not attempt to send signals in Morse code over amateur radio without sufficient knowledge and experience as this may irritate other users.

Things you need

Morse code alphabet
Morse code recordings
Notebook and pencil
Books to read for children
Morse code learning app
Morse code books or discs
An amateur radio set (optional)

Steps