K in Morse code

K is dash dot dash in International Morse code, said “dah-di-dah”. It has 3 elements and lasts 9 units, which is 540 ms at 20 WPM.

K on a timing ruler

Dots last one unit, dashes three, and the gaps inside the letter one unit each. The numbers under the ruler are the length of each part.

How to remember K

K is N with one more dash on the end.
Add a dot and you get C or a dash and you get Y.
-.- reads the same forwards and backwards.
Say it out loud as “dah-di-dah”. Learning the rhythm, not counting dots and dashes, is what lets you recognise it at speed.
K is character 1 of 41 in the Koch learning order, followed by M. Practise it in the Koch trainer.

Letters that sound like K

These are the letters most often copied by mistake for K, and why.

Can you hear the difference?

Listen, then pick the one you heard.

K on the air

K on its own means “over, go ahead”. The ITU calls it the invitation to transmit.
KN (-.--.) means “go ahead, only the station I am working”. The ITU uses the same signal for the open bracket.

K at a glance

Morse code: -.-
Sounds like: dah-di-dah
Length: 9 units
At 20 WPM: 540 ms
NATO word: Kilo
Frequency in English: 0.77% (22nd of 26)

Sources: codes from ITU-R M.1677-1, the International Morse code standard; English letter frequencies from Robert Lewand’s analysis; American Morse from the historical US telegraph code.

Hear K at your speed