What is space in Morse code?
Space in Morse code is simply silence. This silence is very important because it separates the different parts of the code. Without spaces, Morse code would be impossible to read.
There are three main lengths of silence (space) used:
- A short space separates the dots and dashes *within* a single letter.
- A medium space separates the individual letters *within* a word.
- A long space separates different words *within* a message.
Why Morse Code use dot and dashes?
Morse code uses dots (.) and dashes (-) as its two basic building blocks. These represent short signals (dots) and long signals (dashes).
This system started with the telegraph. Operators sent electrical pulses. A quick pulse made a short click (a dot). A longer pulse made a longer sound (a dash). This simple two signal system was easy to send and reliable over long distances. You can also use sound (short beep, long beep) or light (short flash, long flash) to send Morse code.
Why Are Morse Code Letters Different Lengths?
You might notice that letters in Morse code use different numbers of dots and dashes. This is different from computer binary code, where each character usually takes up the same amount of space (like 8 bits).
Morse code was designed for efficiency. The most common letters in the English language have the shortest codes. For example:
- 'E' is just one dot:
. - 'T' is just one dash:
-
Letters used less often, like 'Q' (--.-) or 'Z' (--..), have longer codes. This design helps people send messages faster because they use the short codes most frequently.
What the timing and spacing?
Correct timing is key to making Morse code understandable. Everything is based on the length of one dot.
Here are the basic timing rules:
- A dash is three times as long as a dot.
- The space between dots and dashes *within* a letter is the length of one dot.
- The space between letters *within* a word is the length of three dots.
- The space between words is the length of seven dots.
Following these rules helps the person receiving the message tell the difference between letters and words correctly.