Question mark in Morse code
Written “?”, in the ITU standard
The question mark (?) in Morse code is ..--.., said di-di-dah-dah-di-dit. It goes at the end of a question, as in writing, and it also works alone: sent by the receiving station, it asks for a repeat of whatever was not copied. Placed after a Q code, it turns a statement into a question.
..--.. (dot dot dash dash dot dot)
“di-di-dah-dah-di-dit”dot dot dash dash dot dot
6 elements · 4 dots, 2 dashes · 15 units
Hear it at your speed (WPM)
1000 ms at 18 WPM
The question mark at a glance
- Morse code
- ..--..
- Said as
- di-di-dah-dah-di-dit
- Elements
- 6
- Length
- 15 units
- At 18 WPM
- 1000 ms
- Koch order
- 33 of 41Then 4
- ITU standard
- Yes
- Sounds like
- IMILetters run together
The longest name in the ITU list
ITU-R M.1677-1 calls it the question mark (note of interrogation or request for repetition of a transmission not understood). The second half of that name is its everyday job on the air.
When the station copying you sends the question mark on its own, it means "please say again". It may add AA, all after, or AB, all before, to ask for only part of the message.
QTH and QTH?: turning a Q code into a question
A Q code sent bare is a statement: QTH means "my location is", followed by the place. Add the question mark and QTH?, --.- - .... ..--.., asks the other station for its location. It works the same way for any Q code, and QTH? is the phrase in this page's practice box.
Hear it
- QTH?--.- - .... ..--..
IMI, UD and the comma
The question mark is symmetrical: I, .., then M, --, then I again, which is why many learners remember it as IMI. Wikipedia's table writes it UD, U flowing into D.
- Swap every element and you get
--..--, the comma. - Change the last dot to a dash and you get
..--.-, the unofficial underscore. - With a normal letter gap,
..- -..is two letters, U and D.
Hear it
- I..
- M--
- ,--..--
Characters to compare
Close to the question mark in sound, so the likeliest mix-ups.
- Question mark with dots and dashes swapped: Comma, dash dash dot dot dash dash
- Question mark with its 6th dot as a dash: Underscore, dot dot dash dash dot dash
- The first half: U, dot dot dash
Which one did you hear?
Listen, then pick or type the one you heard.
Try the question mark in a word
Tap the question mark yourself
Press for a dot, hold for a dash. Space works too.
- Send
- ..--..
- Yours
- Nothing yet
Questions about Question mark.
What is dot dot dash in Morse code?
Dot dot dash, ..-, is the letter U. The question mark opens with the same three sounds and then adds a D, so if the sound stops after the first dash, you heard U.
Did American Morse have a different question mark?
Yes. American (Railroad) Morse used a pattern that International Morse gives to the slash, while its period used the shape that is today's question mark.
How do you write something in Morse code?
Write each character's dots and dashes, a space between characters and a slash between words. ARE YOU OK? is .- .-. . / -.-- --- ..- / --- -.- ..--.., and the Morse code translator does the same for any text.
Is Morse code difficult to learn?
It takes regular practice. The guide to learning Morse code sets out a plan; the question mark is the 33rd character in the Koch method course.