Reference plate · Letter 2 of 26
B in Morse code
B in Morse code is "-...": one dash followed by three dots, spoken "dah-di-di-dit". It is one of the 12 four-element letters, so it sits four steps from the root of the Morse code tree, and it is the mirror image of J, which is dot-dash-dash-dash. The 7-day plan teaches B on day 6. At 20 words per minute it takes 540 milliseconds to send.
dah-di-di-dit
- Code
- −···
- At 20 WPM
- 540ms
- Plan day
- 6
B · dah-di-di-dit
dash dot dot dot
B at a glance
Where B sits in the Morse code tree
The path through the Morse code tree to B: from the root, a dash to T, a dot to N, a dot to D then a dot to B.
In the Morse code tree a dot branches left and a dash branches right, so every character sits exactly where its own code leads. B sits four steps from the root, directly below D. No letter hangs below B: it is a leaf of the tree.
See the whole Morse code treeCharacters confused with B
B is easiest to mistake for J, V, C, H, X or Z. Practise them back to back until the difference is a sound rather than a count.
How to learn B
7-day plan
The plan teaches B on day 6, together with X, C, Y, Z and Q. Learn it by its sound, "dah-di-di-dit", at full speed rather than by counting its elements.
In the Koch method it is character 28 of 36.
Practise
Practice brings B back just before you would forget it, in all three skills: copying it by ear, reading it, and sending it yourself.
Questions about B in Morse code
- What is B in Morse code?
- B in Morse code is "-...", spoken dah-di-di-dit. It is four elements long (dash dot dot dot) and takes 540 milliseconds to send at 20 words per minute. It sits four steps from the root of the Morse code tree.
- Which Morse code characters are confused with B?
- B (-...) is easy to confuse with J (.---), its mirror image with dots and dashes swapped, and with C (-.-.), H (....), X (-..-) and Z (--..), 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 B in Morse code?
- By its sound, not its shape: B is spoken dah-di-di-dit. Listen to it at full speed instead of counting its elements. MorseForge's 7-day plan teaches it on day 6, together with X, C, Y, Z and Q.