K in Morse Code
K is -.- - dah-di-dah, 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 - K is already in it.
How long K takes
K is 1 dot and 2 dashes. With the gaps that comes to 9 units, number 15 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 K gets confused with
6 characters sit one element away from K, more than most letters manage:
- C
-.-.- one more dot on the end - D
-..- a dot in third place instead of a dash - N
-.- the last dash missing - O
---- a dash in second place instead of a dot - U
..-- a dot in first place instead of a dash - Y
-.--- one more dash on the end
K in the tree
- Built from:
-= T and-.= N, then-.- - Carries on into: C and Y (2 of the 26)
- Backwards:
-.-= itself, a palindrome - Koch position: 1 of 26
The tree shows the whole shape, the trainer teaches it by ear.
Why K has this code
K makes up about 0.77 per cent of English text, which is number 22 of 26 by frequency, against number 15 by length. That is a mismatch in the harmless direction: K 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 K
K is the prosign for "over" - the invitation to the other station to transmit. It is also the first character in the Koch method, paired with M because the two sound as unlike each other as any pair in the alphabet.
Frequently asked questions
-
What is K in Morse code?
-.-- 1 dot and 2 dashes, spoken dah-di-dah. -
How long does K take to send?
9 units: 540 milliseconds at 20 words per minute, 2,160 at 5.
-
Which letters sound like K?
C, D, N, O, U and Y - each one element away from
-.-.