E in Morse Code: ·
The letter E in Morse code is ·, spoken as "dit": one short. That is 1 dot, with a dash held three times as long as a dot. To remember it, think eh? (a single quick beat, the shortest thing you can send).
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 E breaks down like this:
| Element | Signal | Length (units) | At 20 WPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dot | · | 1 | 60 ms |
| Total for E | 1 | 60 ms | |
How to signal E
- Tap it: one short. 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. Use quick blinks for dots and slow, deliberate eye closes for dashes, keeping the rhythm steady.
- Flash it: one short. Short flashes for dots; for dashes, hold the light on about three times longer. Any flashlight or phone screen works.
How to remember E
Say eh? (a single quick beat, the shortest thing you can send) in rhythm with the code and the pattern sticks: "dit".
Words that start with E: Echo · −·−· ···· −−−, east · ·− ··· −, ember · −− −··· · ·−·, engine · −· −−· ·· −· ·. The first is E's NATO phonetic name, which operators use to spell aloud.
E has the shortest code in the entire system, a single dot, because it is the most common letter in English. Morse and Vail gave the cheapest signals to the busiest letters, reportedly after counting the type in a printer's cases.