Morse Code Reference
Morse Code Translator
Morse code is a method of encoding text characters using sequences of dots and dashes (short and long signals). Originally developed by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail in the 1830s for use with the electric telegraph, it became the standard for long-distance communication. This tool converts between plain text and International Morse Code in real time.
FAQ
Q: What is Morse code?
A: Morse code is a character-encoding scheme that represents letters, numbers, and punctuation as sequences of short signals (dots) and long signals (dashes). It was originally designed for telegraph communication and remains widely recognized today.
Q: How do you separate letters and words in Morse code?
A: Letters are separated by a short pause (represented here as a space between dot/dash groups). Words are separated by a longer pause (represented as a forward slash / or three-unit gap in timing).
Q: Is Morse code still used today?
A: Yes. Morse code is still used in aviation (NDB identifiers), amateur radio, assistive technology for people with disabilities, and as an emergency signaling method (SOS: ... --- ...). Some military applications also retain it.
Q: What is the difference between a dot and a dash?
A: A dot (dit) is a short signal lasting one time unit. A dash (dah) is a long signal lasting three time units. The gap between parts of the same letter is one time unit, between letters is three units, and between words is seven units.
Q: What characters are supported by this translator?
A: This translator supports the 26 Latin letters (A–Z), digits 0–9, and common punctuation marks including period, comma, question mark, exclamation mark, apostrophe, quotation mark, slash, parentheses, ampersand, colon, semicolon, equals sign, plus, hyphen, underscore, dollar sign, and at sign.