Z in Morse Code: −−··
The letter Z in Morse code is −−··, spoken as "DAH-DAH-di-dit": two long, then two short. That is 2 dots and 2 dashes, with a dash held three times as long as a dot. To remember it, think ZINC ZOO-keep-er (two stressed beats, then two quick ones).
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 Z breaks down like this:
| Element | Signal | Length (units) | At 20 WPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dash | − | 3 | 180 ms |
| Gap | (silence) | 1 | 60 ms |
| Dash | − | 3 | 180 ms |
| Gap | (silence) | 1 | 60 ms |
| Dot | · | 1 | 60 ms |
| Gap | (silence) | 1 | 60 ms |
| Dot | · | 1 | 60 ms |
| Total for Z | 11 | 660 ms | |
How to signal Z
- Tap it: two long, then two 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: two long, then two short. Use quick blinks for dots and slow, deliberate eye closes for dashes, keeping the rhythm steady.
- Flash it: two long, then two short. Short flashes for dots; for dashes, hold the light on about three times longer. Any flashlight or phone screen works.
How to remember Z
Say ZINC ZOO-keep-er (two stressed beats, then two quick ones) in rhythm with the code and the pattern sticks: "DAH-DAH-di-dit".
Words that start with Z: Zulu −−·· ··− ·−·· ··−, zebra −−·· · −··· ·−· ·−, zero −−·· · ·−· −−−, zigzag −−·· ·· −−· −−·· ·− −−·. The first is Z's NATO phonetic name, which operators use to spell aloud.
Z leads the Z-codes, a military and commercial cousin of the ham Q-codes that ran on telegraph and radioteletype networks.