Y in Morse code
The twenty-fifth letter of the alphabet
Y in Morse code is -.--, a dash, a dot and two dashes, spoken dah-di-dah-dah. At 13 units it ties with J and Q as the longest letter, about 867 milliseconds at 18 WPM. If you know K, Y is K with one more dash. Q is the same four elements in reverse, so listen for where the dot falls: second in Y, third in Q.
-.-- (dash dot dash dash)
“dah-di-dah-dah”dash dot dash dash
4 elements · 1 dot, 3 dashes · 13 units
Hear it at your speed (WPM)
867 ms at 18 WPM
Y at a glance
- Morse code
- -.--
- Said as
- dah-di-dah-dah
- Elements
- 4
- Length
- 13 units
- At 18 WPM
- 867 ms
- Koch order
- 20 of 41Then comma (,)
- NATO word
- Yankee
- Frequency in English
- 2.0%18th of 26
- American Morse
- .. ..two dots, a short space, then two dots
Remembering Y: YOU'RE a COOL DUDE
Read YOU'RE a COOL DUDE with the stress on the capitals: three heavy words for the dashes and the light "a", second in line, for the dot. YELL-ow YO-YO has the same shape if you prefer it.
With the gaps counted Y is 13 units, which ties it with J and Q as the longest letters in the alphabet. At the site's 18 WPM that is about 867 milliseconds, more than four times as long as T.
On a key or a light, keep the single dot short and the three dashes three times as long, with one-unit gaps between them. Written, Y is a hyphen, a period and two hyphens.
Telling Y from K, Q, L and X
K, -.-, is Y without its last dash, so dah-di-dah only becomes K once the letter gap arrives. Q, --.-, is Y reversed; the dot comes second in Y and third in Q.
Swap the dots and dashes and you get L, .-.., the same rhythm turned inside out. Change the third element to a dot and you get X, -..-, another letter that opens and closes on a dash.
Y, K, C and X share a set in the sound-alike drill, which plays them one after another until the endings stick. The full alphabet chart lays them out side by side.
Hear it
- K-.-
- Q--.-
- L.-..
Y in YYZ and on the air
Rush's instrumental YYZ, from the 1981 album Moving Pictures, opens by playing Y, Y and Z in Morse code. YYZ is the airport code of Toronto Pearson International Airport, near the band's hometown. YYZ in Morse code plays the three letters at standard spacing.
Among radio amateurs Y begins YL, young lady, a term for any female operator whatever her age, and appears in XYL, former young lady, for an operator's wife.
Characters to compare
Close to Y in sound, so the likeliest mix-ups.
- Y in reverse: Q, dash dash dot dash
- Y minus its last dash: K, dash dot dash
- Y plus a dot: Open bracket, dash dot dash dash dot
- Y with dots and dashes swapped: L, dot dash dot dot
- Y with its 3rd dash as a dot: X, dash dot dot dash
- Y with its 4th dash as a dot: C, dash dot dash dot
Which one did you hear?
Listen, then pick or type the one you heard.
Try Y in a word
Tap Y yourself
Press for a dot, hold for a dash. Space works too.
- Send
- -.--
- Yours
- Nothing yet
Questions about Y.
How is SOS in Morse code?
SOS is ...---..., three dots, three dashes and three dots sent as one signal without letter gaps. SOS in Morse code shows how it is timed and when it may be used.
What does K mean in Morse code?
K, -.-, is the invitation to transmit, sent to tell the other station it is their turn. Y is K with one more dash on the end, so the difference is that final long tone.
What is V in Morse?
V is ...-, three dots and a dash. It has nothing in common with Y's opening: V starts with dots, while Y starts with a dash.
How do you say Y in Morse code?
Say dah-di-dah-dah: long, short, long, long. On voice radio the spelling word for Y is Yankee.