A in Morse Code: ·−
The letter A in Morse code is ·−, spoken as "di-DAH": one short, then one long. That is 1 dot and 1 dash, with a dash held three times as long as a dot. To remember it, think a-PART (the short syllable is the dot, the stressed one is the dash).
Timing: how long each part lasts
Morse timing is built from one unit, the length of a dot. A dash is 3 units, and the silence between the elements of a single character is 1 unit. At 20 words per minute, one unit is 60 ms, so A breaks down like this:
| Element | Signal | Length (units) | At 20 WPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dot | · | 1 | 60 ms |
| Gap | (silence) | 1 | 60 ms |
| Dash | − | 3 | 180 ms |
| Total for A | 5 | 300 ms | |
How to signal A
- Tap it: one short, then one long. A short is a quick tap; a long is a heavier tap, or a quick tap followed by a slight hold, about three times as long.
- Blink it: one short, then one long. Use quick blinks for dots and slow, deliberate eye closes for dashes, keeping the rhythm steady.
- Flash it: one short, then one long. Short flashes for dots; for dashes, hold the light on about three times longer. Any flashlight or phone screen works.
How to remember A
Say a-PART (the short syllable is the dot, the stressed one is the dash) in rhythm with the code and the pattern sticks: "di-DAH".
Words that start with A: Alpha ·− ·−·· ·−−· ···· ·−, anchor ·− −· −·−· ···· −−− ·−·, arrow ·− ·−· ·−· −−− ·−−, atlas ·− − ·−·· ·− ···. The first is A's NATO phonetic name, which operators use to spell aloud.
A (dot-dash) and N (dash-dot) are exact mirror images: flip the order and you get the other letter. Many courses teach them as the first pair for exactly that reason.