·−· ·− −
"Rat" in Morse code is ·−· ·− −.
Leave a short gap between letters. In writing, the letters are separated by a space. At standard timing a dot lasts one unit, a dash three units, the gap inside a letter one unit, the gap between letters three units and the gap between words seven. "Rat" takes 21 units, about 1.3 seconds at a speed of 20 words per minute.
Meaning: Morse code for "Rat" (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
Letter by letter: R is ·−·, A is ·− and T is −.
How do you pronounce it?
di-dah-dit di-dah dah
What mistakes should you avoid?
Keep the gaps between letters. Without them, R ·−· can be read as E and N · −·, which changes the message.
Did you know?
- Alfred Vail, who worked with Samuel Morse, gave the shortest signals to the most common letters. That is why E, the most frequent letter in English, is a single dot.
- In the United States, amateur radio licences stopped requiring a Morse code test in 2007, yet many operators still use it on the air.
