B in Morse Code
B is -... - dah-di-di-dit, 9 units, 540 milliseconds at 20 words per minute.
At this speed the screen flashes more than three times per second. If you are sensitive to flashing light, set the speed to 7 WPM or lower.
Advanced settings
-...
Press play in the box above - B is already in it.
How long B takes
B is 3 dots and 1 dash. With the gaps that comes to 9 units, number 12 of 26 by length.
- 5 WPM: 2,160 ms
- 13 WPM: 831 ms
- 20 WPM: 540 ms
The arithmetic behind them is on the timing page.
What B gets confused with
5 characters sit one element away from B, more than most letters manage:
- C
-.-.- a dash in third place instead of a dot - D
-..- the last dot missing - H
....- a dot in first place instead of a dash - X
-..-- a dash in fourth place instead of a dot - Z
--..- a dash in second place instead of a dot
B in the tree
- Built from:
-= T,-.= N and-..= D, then-... - Carries on into: no other letter - a leaf of the tree
- Backwards:
...-= V - Koch position: 25 of 26
The tree shows the whole shape, the trainer teaches it by ear.
Why B has this code
B makes up about 1.5 per cent of English text, which is number 20 of 26 by frequency, against number 12 by length. That is a mismatch in the harmless direction: B gets a shorter code than its rarity earns. Nothing is lost by it, only an opportunity wasted.
The lengths were set by counting, not by theory - the alphabet page has that story.
Worth knowing about B
Add one more dot and B becomes the digit 6. On a hand that runs on at the end of a character, that is exactly what happens.
Frequently asked questions
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What is B in Morse code?
-...- 3 dots and 1 dash, spoken dah-di-di-dit. -
How long does B take to send?
9 units: 540 milliseconds at 20 words per minute, 2,160 at 5.
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Which letters sound like B?
C, D, H, X and Z - each one element away from
-....