Morse code mnemonics
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Morse code mnemonics are systems to represent the sound of Morse characters in a way intended to be easy to remember. Since every one of these mnemonics requires a two-step mental translation between sound and character, none of these systems are useful for using manual Morse at practical speeds. Amateur radio clubs can provide resources to learn Morse code.
Cross-linguistic[]
Visual mnemonic[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/69/Morse_Code_Mnemonic_chart_from_Girl_Guides_handbook_1916.jpg/220px-Morse_Code_Mnemonic_chart_from_Girl_Guides_handbook_1916.jpg)
Visual mnemonic charts have been devised over the ages. Baden-Powell included one in the Girl Guides handbook[1] in 1918.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8f/Morse_Crib_Sheet.png/220px-Morse_Crib_Sheet.png)
Here is a more up-to-date version, ca. 1988:
Other visual mnemonic systems have been created for Morse code, mapping the elements of the Morse code characters onto pictures for easy memorization. For instance, "R" ( ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ) might be represented as a "racecar" seen in a profile view, with the two wheels of the racecar being the dits and the body being the dah.
English[]
Syllabic mnemonics[]
Syllabic mnemonics are based on the principle of associating a word or phrase to each Morse code letter, with stressed syllables standing for a dah and unstressed ones for a dit. There is no well-known complete set of syllabic mnemonics for English, but various mnemonics do exist for individual letters.
Letter | Morse Code | Mnemonic |
---|---|---|
A | ▄ ▄▄▄ | al-FA, al-THOUGH, a-GAIN, a-JAR, or a-PART |
B | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ | BE a good boy, BOB is the man, or BOOT to the head |
C | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | CO-ca CO-la, COC-a COL-a, CHAR-lie's AN-gels, COOK-ie CLICK-er, or CHAR-lie CHAR-lie |
D | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | DOG (dad) did it, DOCK work-er, DAN-ger-ous, or DRAC-u-la |
E | ▄ | eh?, or hey! |
F | ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | Freddie FOX-trot, fetch a FIRE man, fe-ne-STRA-tion, Fi-tti-PAL-di, did you FIND it? did I FAIL it? or for the FAIR-est |
G | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | GREAT GATS-by, GOO-GLE ad, GOO-GOL-plex, GOOD GRAV-y, or GOD LOVES it |
H | ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ | hip-pi-ty hop, hitting the hip, or Hol-i-day Inn |
I | ▄ ▄ | did it, dig-it, Bom-bay (India), Keke, or i-bid. |
J | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | in JAWS JAWS JAWS, the JU-LIE JAY, he's J JONAH JAMESON, where-FORE ART THOU?, or I WANT YOU, JONES |
K | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | KAN-dy KID (candy kid), KICK the CAN, POUND for POUND, or KAN-ga-ROO |
L | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | a LIGHT is lit, to 'ELL with it!, he LOST his lid, Li-MA Pe-ru, li-BRA-ri-an, li-NO-le-um, a LA-dy bug, or Los AN-ge-les |
M | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | MMMM-MMMM, MA-MA, LIKE MIKE, or MORE MILK! |
N | ▄▄▄ ▄ | NI-gel, NA-vy, NA-zi, NOO-gie, AU-tumn, or NU-dist |
O | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | O-RE-O, ONE OF US, HO HO HO, SUN-NY DAY, or OH! MY! GOD! |
P | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | a PIZ-ZA pie, pa-RADE PA-nel, of DOC-TOR good, did POP POP it, or a POO-PY smell |
Q | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | PAY-DAY to-DAY, QUEUE OV-er HERE, HERE COMES the BRIDE (queen), QUEEN’s WED-ding DAY GOD SAVE the QUEEN, or QUEEN NEEDS a STEED |
R | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | ro-TA-tion, re-FLEC-tor, ro-MER-o, a RABB-it, or Br'er RABB-it |
S | ▄ ▄ ▄ | sí-sí-sí, sk-sk-sk, or Ne-va-da |
T | ▄▄▄ | THRUST or TALL |
U | ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | gid-dy UP, u-ni-FORM, un-der-NEATH un-der WHERE?!, or kiss a EWE jing-le-BELLS |
V | ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | Beet-ho-ven's FIFTH (V'th) vic-tor-y VEE, or vee-vee-vee VA |
W | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | the WORLD WAR, with WHITE WHALE, jack AND COKE (whiskey), or mo WA WA |
X | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | X marks the SPOT, CROSS at the DOOR, ON-ly the BONES, or EX-tra ex-PENSE |
Y | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | WHY did I DIE?, ON a PO-NY, YEL-low YO-YO, or YOU'RE a COOL DUDE |
Z | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | ZSA ZSA did it, SHA-KA Zu-lu, or ZINC ZOO-keep-er |
Character | Morse Code | Syllabic | Mnemonic |
---|---|---|---|
. | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | a STOP a STOP a STOP | Periods are also known as "full stops". |
, | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | COM-MA, it's a COM-MA | Self-explanatory. |
? | ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | it's a QUES-TION, is it? | Self-explanatory. |
: | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ | HA-WA-II stan-dard time | The clocks in Hawaii are always on standard time, and don't turn an hour ahead in the summer. Colons are used in displaying time (like in "10:23"). |
/ | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | SHAVE and a HAIR-cut | The rhythm from the musical routine. see Shave and a Haircut. (NOTE: also Fraction Bar and Division Sign) |
" | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | six-TY-six nine-TY-nine | Quotation marks resemble a 66 at the beginning of a quote, and a 99 at the end of a quote. |
' | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | and THIS STUFF GOES TO me! | An apostrophe may be used to denote ownership of property. |
; | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | A-list, B-list, C-list | A semicolon may be used to group ordered lists in the same sentence. |
Slavic languages[]
In Czech, the mnemonic device to remember Morse codes lies in remembering words that begin with each appropriate letter and has so called long vowel (i.e. á é í ó ú ý) for every dash and short vowel (a e i o u y) for every dot. Additionally, some other theme-related sets of words have been thought out as Czech folklore.
Letter | Morse Code | Czech word | Translation | Alternative (folklore) | Translation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | ▄ ▄▄▄ | akát | acacia | absťák | abstinence symptoms |
B | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ | blýskavice | lightning storm | blít až doma | vomit until at home |
C | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | cílovníci | aiming sights | cíl je výčep | the target is the taproom |
D | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | dálnice | highway | dám jedno | I'll have one (beer) |
E | ▄ | erb | coat of arms | ex | one-sip-drinking |
F | ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | Filipíny | Philippines | Fernet píše | the Fernet's pungent |
G | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | Grónská zem | the land of Greenland | grónský rum | rum of Greenland |
H | ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ | holubice | dove (female) | hruškovice | Pear brandy |
Ch | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | chléb nám dává | (he) gives us bread | chvátám k pípám | I rush to the faucets |
I | ▄ ▄ | ibis | Ibis | Iron | Iron (window cleaning agent with alcohol content) |
J | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | jasmín bílý | white Jasmine | Jabčák bílý | White Apple brandy |
K | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | království | kingdom | kýbl vín | pot of wines |
L | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | lední hokej | ice hockey | likéreček | little liquor |
M | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | mává | waving | mží z píp | it's sprinkling out of faucets |
N | ▄▄▄ ▄ | národ | nation | návyk | habit |
O | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | ó náš pán | oh, our lord | ó můj líh | oh, my alcohol |
P | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | papírníci | paper-makers | pivní tácek | beer coaster |
Q | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | kvílí orkán | wailing hurricane | kvílím ožrán | I wail drunked |
R | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | rarášek | imp | rumíček | little rum |
S | ▄ ▄ ▄ | sekera | axe | sud je tu | the barrel's here |
T | ▄▄▄ | tón | tone | té | tea |
U | ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | učený | erudite | uchlastán | fully loaded |
V | ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | vyvolený | the chosen one | vodka finská | Finnish vodka |
W | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | waltrův vůz | Walter's carriage | whiskou plout | to float through Whiskey |
X | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | Xénokratés | Xenocrates | k sýru burčák | new half-fermented wine with cheese |
Y | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | Ýgar mává | Ygar is waving | ý, jsem zlámán | ee, I'm a mess |
Z | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | Zrádná žena | perfidious woman | zlískám se hned | I get stoned quickly |
In Polish, which does not distinguish long and short vowels, Morse mnemonics are also words or short phrases that begin with each appropriate letter, but dash is coded as a syllable containing an "o" (or "ó"), while a syllable containing another vowel codes for dot. For some letters, multiple mnemonics are in use; the table shows one example.
Letter | Morse Code | Polish word | Translation |
---|---|---|---|
A | ▄ ▄▄▄ | azot | nitrogen |
B | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ | botanika | botany |
C | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | co mi zrobisz | what will you do to me |
D | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | dolina | valley |
E | ▄ | Ełk | Ełk |
F | ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | filantropia | philanthropy |
G | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | gospoda | inn/tavern |
H | ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ | halabarda | halberd |
Ch | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | chlorowodór | hydrogen chloride |
I | ▄ ▄ | igła | needle |
J | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | jednokonno | on/with one horse |
K | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | kolano | knee |
L | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | Leonidas | Leonidas |
Ł | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | no mnemonic | |
M | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | motor | motor |
N | ▄▄▄ ▄ | noga | leg |
O | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | Opoczno | Opoczno |
P | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | Peloponez | Peloponnese |
R | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | retorta | retort |
S | ▄ ▄ ▄ | Sahara | Sahara |
T | ▄▄▄ | tor | track/rail line |
U | ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | Ursynów | Ursynów |
W | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | winorośl | grapevine (plant) |
Y | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | York, Hull, Oxford | three British university towns |
Z | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | Złotoryja | Złotoryja |
Hebrew[]
Invented in 1922 by Zalman Cohen, a communication soldier in the Haganah organization.
אות | קוד | קיצור | אות | קוד | קיצור |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
א | · − | אִמָּא | ל | · − · · | לִבַּבְתִּנִי |
ב | − · · · | בַּשְּׁלִי לִי מִיץ | מ | − − | מַפָּ"ם |
ג | − − · | גַּנָּבִים | נ | − · | נָעִים |
ד | − · · | דָלִיתִי | ס | − · − · | סָבִי אָבִי |
ה | − − − | הֲגָנָה | ע | · − − − | עִיר הַנַּמָּל |
ו | · | וִי | פ | · − − · | פִּיל קַנָּדִי |
ז | − − · · | זַמָּר לִירִי | צ | · − − | צִיטָטָה |
ח | · · · · | חִכִּיתִי לִי | ק | − − · − | קַטָּרִינָה |
ט | · · − | טִיףּ טִפָּה | ר | · − · | רִנָתִי |
י | · · | יִידִישׁ | ש | · · · | שִׁירִי לִי |
כ | − · − | כַּבִּירָה | ת | − | תָּו |
Indonesia[]
In Indonesia, one mnemonic commonly taught in scouting method to remember Morse codes lies in remembering words that begin with each appropriate letter and substituting the o vowel for every dash and other vowels (a, i, u, and e) for every dot.
Letter | Morse Code | Word |
---|---|---|
A | ▄ ▄▄▄ | alok |
B | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ | bocah kecil |
C | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | coca-cola |
D | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | doremi |
E | ▄ | eh |
F | ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | fanta loe |
G | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | gotongin |
H | ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ | hayamwuruk |
I | ▄ ▄ | ipin |
J | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | jago loro |
K | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | komando |
L | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | lego dia |
M | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | motor |
N | ▄▄▄ ▄ | nomer |
O | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | om toto |
P | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | pertolongan |
Q | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | qomokaro |
R | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ | rasome |
S | ▄ ▄ ▄ | samlekum |
T | ▄▄▄ | tol |
U | ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | upin-o |
V | ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | versi gayo |
W | ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | wahyoo |
X | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ | xosendero |
Y | ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ | yosimono |
Z | ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ | zoro-aster |
References[]
- ^ "Girl Guiding by Lord Baden-Powell" (PDF). Pearson. 1938. Retrieved 2015-09-06.
Some people find it easier to remember the does [sic] and dashes by picturing them as forming the letters— thus:— (p61)
- Morse code