Learn International Morse timing: dit/dah ratios, letter and word spacing, WPM, and Farnsworth practice tips.
Direct answer: International Morse uses a 1:3 dit/dah ratio, 1-unit gaps inside a character, 3-unit letter gaps, and 7-unit word gaps. WPM scales the unit length.
Play Morse Timing Examples
Hear the same letters at different speeds and spacing.
Core Timing Units
Dit = 1
Short element. Everything else is measured in dit lengths.
Dah = 3
Long element — three times a dit. Shrinking dahs causes decode errors.
Letter Gap = 3
Pause equal to one dah between letters. Written as a space.
Word Gap = 7
Longer pause between words. Written as / on this site.
WPM and Morse Speed
Words per minute is a convenience scale: it sets how long one timing unit lasts. Doubling WPM halves every dit, dah, and gap. Beginners often raise WPM too early — wrong gaps then sound “fast” but unreadable.
Farnsworth Note
Farnsworth practice sends characters at a higher effective character speed while stretching letter and word spacing. You learn crisp character rhythms without needing full conversational copy speed yet. Use the practice trainer’s slower overall WPM with deliberate pauses, or keep character playback clear and leave longer gaps by hand.
Common Timing Mistakes
Counting dots on paper instead of learning rhythm
Making dahs only slightly longer than dits
Omitting letter spaces so H and S blur into digits
Using American Morse timing charts with International characters
Frequently Asked Questions
A dit (dot) is one timing unit. A dah (dash) is three units — the standard 1:3 ratio in International Morse.
Leave three units between letters (shown as a space in written Morse). Inside a letter, element gaps are one unit.
Leave seven units between words. In written Morse on this site, word gaps are shown as a slash (/).
Words per minute. Higher WPM shortens every unit. Character speed and overall speed can differ when using Farnsworth spacing.
Farnsworth keeps character elements at a higher speed while stretching gaps between letters and words, so beginners hear clear character rhythms without overwhelming copy speed.
Start around 10–15 WPM for whole messages, or use Farnsworth-style wide gaps while keeping character rhythm crisp. Accuracy first.
