E in Morse Code
E is . - dit, 1 units, 60 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 - E is already in it.
How long E takes
E is 1 dot and 0 dashes. With the gaps that comes to 1 units, number 1 of 26 by length.
- 5 WPM: 240 ms
- 13 WPM: 92 ms
- 20 WPM: 60 ms
The arithmetic behind them is on the timing page.
What E gets confused with
3 characters sit one element away from E:
- A
.-- one more dash on the end - I
..- one more dot on the end - T
-- a dash in first place instead of a dot
E in the tree
- Carries on into: A, F, H, I, J, L, P, R, S, U, V and W (12 of the 26)
- Backwards:
.= itself, a palindrome - Koch position: 15 of 26
The tree shows the whole shape, the trainer teaches it by ear.
Why E has this code
E makes up about 12.7 per cent of English text, which is number 1 of 26 by frequency, against number 1 by length. The two ranks are identical - as good a fit as the code manages for any letter.
The lengths were set by counting, not by theory - the alphabet page has that story.
Worth knowing about E
A single dot is also what a stray click sounds like. Garbled copy sprouts Es for that reason, and an operator who sees a line of them suspects the receiver before the sender.
Frequently asked questions
-
What is E in Morse code?
.- 1 dot and 0 dashes, spoken dit. -
How long does E take to send?
1 units: 60 milliseconds at 20 words per minute, 240 at 5.
-
Which letters sound like E?
A, I and T - each one element away from
..