# CQ in Morse code

**CQ in Morse code is "-.-. --.-". It is 2 characters made of 3 dots and 5 dashes, and takes about 1.6 seconds to send at 20 words per minute.**

*By Can Türk (https://iamcanturk.dev), MorseForge.*

*Source: https://morse.iamcanturk.dev/words/cq/*

---

## What it means

CQ is a general call to any station listening — the operator equivalent of "is anyone there?". It is usually said to come from the French "sécurité", and British telegraph practice used CQ as a prefix meaning "all stations". Often sent three times: CQ CQ CQ.

## Letter by letter

| Character | Code | Spoken |
| --- | --- | --- |
| C | `-.-.` | dah-di-dah-dit |
| Q | `--.-` | dah-dah-di-dah |

A space separates letters and a slash separates words.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is CQ in Morse code?

CQ in Morse code is "-.-. --.-". CQ is a general call to any station listening — the operator equivalent of "is anyone there?". It is usually said to come from the French "sécurité", and British telegraph practice used CQ as a prefix meaning "all stations". Often sent three times: CQ CQ CQ.

### How long does it take to send CQ in Morse code?

At 20 words per minute, CQ takes about 1.6 seconds to send. That counts its 3 dots and 5 dashes plus the silences between them, timed by the PARIS standard, in which one unit, the length of a dot, is 60 milliseconds at that speed.

## Related words: Radio

- [73](https://morse.iamcanturk.dev/words/73/)
- [88](https://morse.iamcanturk.dev/words/88/)
- [Roger](https://morse.iamcanturk.dev/words/roger/)
- [Over](https://morse.iamcanturk.dev/words/over/)
- [QTH](https://morse.iamcanturk.dev/words/qth/)

## More

- [Every word in Morse code](https://morse.iamcanturk.dev/words/)
- [The Morse code alphabet](https://morse.iamcanturk.dev/morse-code-alphabet/)
- [Translate your own text](https://morse.iamcanturk.dev/morse-code-translator/)