Reference plate · Letter 1 of 26
A in Morse code
A in Morse code is ".-": one dot followed by one dash, spoken "di-dah". It is one of the 4 two-element letters, so it sits two steps from the root of the Morse code tree, and it is the mirror image of N, which is dash-dot. The 7-day plan teaches A on day 2. At 20 words per minute it takes 300 milliseconds to send.
di-dah
A at a glance
Where A sits in the Morse code tree
The path through the Morse code tree to A: from the root, a dot to E then a dash to A.
In the Morse code tree a dot branches left and a dash branches right, so every character sits exactly where its own code leads. A sits two steps from the root, directly below E. From A, a dot leads to R and a dash leads to W.
See the whole Morse code treeCharacters confused with A
A is easiest to mistake for N, I or M. Practise them back to back until the difference is a sound rather than a count.
How to learn A
7-day plan
The plan teaches A on day 2, together with I, N and M. Learn it by its sound, "di-dah", at full speed rather than by counting its elements.
In the Koch method it is character 6 of 36.
Practise
Practice brings A back just before you would forget it, in all three skills: copying it by ear, reading it, and sending it yourself.
Words with A in them
Questions about A in Morse code
- What is A in Morse code?
- A in Morse code is ".-", spoken di-dah. It is two elements long (dot dash) and takes 300 milliseconds to send at 20 words per minute. It sits two steps from the root of the Morse code tree.
- Which Morse code characters are confused with A?
- A (.-) is easy to confuse with N (-.), its mirror image with dots and dashes swapped, and with I (..) and M (--), each of which differs from it by a single element. Practise them back to back until the difference is a sound rather than a count.
- How do you learn A in Morse code?
- By its sound, not its shape: A is spoken di-dah. Listen to it at full speed instead of counting its elements. MorseForge's 7-day plan teaches it on day 2, together with I, N and M.