Morse Code Quiz
Pick a mode and start. The round ramps up automatically from easy letters to harder words and numbers. Test your skills with audio playback, multiple choice, and timed challenges.
Translate Morse Code Instantly — Text, Audio and Image in One Tool
Most people learn morse code by staring at a chart. That is the slowest way to do it.
The fastest way is testing yourself. Every time you get a question right, your brain locks that pattern in. Every time you get one wrong, it flags that character for extra practice. Repeat that process daily and you build real recognition speed in weeks instead of months.
This quiz does exactly that. Pick a mode and start. The system handles everything else.
How This Quiz Works
The quiz runs three practice modes. Each one builds a different skill. Use all three for the fastest progress.
Decode Mode
You see a morse code pattern on screen. You type the letter or number it represents. This is the core skill for anyone who wants to read morse code by sight or by ear. The quiz shows the pattern as animated dots and dashes using the correct ITU-R M.1677-1 timing ratios. You can also hit Play to hear the audio tone before you answer.
Encode Mode
You see a letter or number on screen. You type the correct morse code pattern using dots and dashes. This is the reverse skill — converting text into morse code from memory. Encode mode is essential for anyone practicing HAM radio operation or learning to send morse code with a telegraph key or electronic keyer.
Mixed Mode
The quiz alternates randomly between decode and encode questions. This is the most effective mode for building real retention. When your brain has to switch directions on every question, it stops relying on short-term memory and starts building genuine pattern recognition. Mixed mode is what experienced CW operators use to stay sharp.
Quiz Features Explained
Feature | What It Does |
Auto-Ramp Difficulty | Starts with easy letters, moves to full alphabet, then adds numbers automatically |
Audio Playback | Plays the correct morse tone for every question using Web Audio API |
Streak and Combo Tracking | Counts consecutive correct answers and rewards consistency |
Weak Spots Panel | Tracks which characters you miss most and prioritizes them in future rounds |
Review Misses Mode | Lets you practice only the characters you got wrong in the last round |
Hints System | Shows the answer with a 5 point penalty — useful when you are completely stuck |
Timed Mode | 15 seconds per question — builds the speed needed for real CW operation |
Round Summary | Shows your score, accuracy, and every missed character after each round |
Multiple Choice and Type Answer | Switch between selecting from options or typing the answer freehand |
Question Count | Choose 10, 15, 20, or 30 questions per round |
How to Score Well — What Each Score Range Means
Your score at the end of each round tells you exactly where you are in the learning process. Here is how to read it and what to do next.
Score Range | What It Means | What to Do Next |
0 to 50% | Still mapping patterns visually | Slow down and drill 6 letters only using the reference chart below |
51 to 69% | Recognizing some patterns but inconsistent | Stay on letters only, add 2 new characters per session |
70 to 84% | Solid learner level | Switch to mixed mode and start adding numbers |
85 to 94% | Strong recognition building | Begin timed mode at 15 WPM, focus on weak spots panel |
95 to 100% | Ready for speed work | Practice at 20 to 25 WPM, use Review Misses daily |
How to Score Well — What Each Score Range Means
Morse code is not just dots and dashes. The spacing between them is part of the language. Getting the timing wrong changes the meaning of a message entirely.
These are the standard ITU timing ratios every operator follows:
Element | Duration |
Dit (dot) | 1 unit |
Dah (dash) | 3 units |
Gap between symbols in one letter | 1 unit |
Gap between letters in one word | 3 units |
Gap between words | 7 units |
The dot duration in milliseconds at any speed follows one formula: 1,200 divided by your WPM.
WPM | Dot (ms) |
5 | 240 |
10 | 120 |
15 | 80 |
20 | 60 |
25 | 48 |
The audio playback in this quiz uses these exact timing ratios. Listening to the tone on every question trains your ear to recognize these intervals automatically — which is how CW operators decode morse code at 25 to 30 WPM without writing anything down.
Which Characters to Learn First
Not all letters are equal. Some appear in almost every English word. Others appear rarely. Learning the high-frequency letters first means every practice session gives your brain more repetitions per minute.
Priority | Characters | Why |
Learn first | E, T, A, O, I, N | Appear in roughly 50% of all English text |
Learn second | S, H, R, D, L | Very common in everyday words |
Learn third | U, C, M, F, W, Y | Moderate frequency, good for building words |
Learn last | G, P, B, V, K, X, J, Q, Z | Low frequency, add gradually to avoid overload |
0 to 9 | Add only after you reach 85% accuracy on letters |
A practical approach that works well is to add two new characters per day and review everything learned in the previous session before moving forward. This is the core principle behind the Koch method, one of the most proven techniques for learning morse code by ear.
The Best Daily Practice Routine for This Quiz
Ten minutes a day is all it takes to build real morse code recognition speed. Here is a structured routine that produces results.
Time | Activity |
Minutes 1 to 2 | Open decode mode, letters only, review your current set without pressure |
Minutes 3 to 7 | Run a full decode or mixed round at your current level |
Minutes 8 to 9 | Open Review Misses mode and drill only the characters you got wrong |
Minute 10 | Check your weak spots panel and note your two most-missed characters |
Repeat this every day. Do not skip days. Consistent short sessions build pattern recognition faster than long infrequent ones. This is well established in skill acquisition research and applies directly to morse code learning.
Once you reach 85% accuracy on letters, add numbers and switch to mixed mode as your default. Once you reach 85% accuracy on mixed mode, turn on timed mode and start building speed.
Full Morse Code Reference Chart
Use this as your answer key while practicing. Click any character in the quiz reference panel to hear its audio tone.
Letters A to Z
Letter | Morse | Letter | Morse |
A | . — | N | — . |
B | — . . . | O | — — — |
C | — . — . | P | . — — . |
D | — . . | Q | — — . — |
E | . | R | . — . |
F | . . — . | S | . . . |
G | — — . | T | — |
H | . . . . | U | . . — |
I | . . | V | . . . — |
J | . — — — | W | . — — |
K | — . — | X | — . . — |
L | . — . . | Y | — . — — |
M | — — | Z | — — . . |
Numbers 0 to 9
Number | Morse | Number | Morse |
0 | — — — — — | 5 | . . . . . |
1 | . — — — — | 6 | — . . . . |
2 | . . — — — | 7 | — — . . . |
3 | . . . — — | 8 | — — — . . |
4 | . . . . — | 9 | — — — — . |
Common Mistakes That Slow Your Progress
These are the four mistakes that hold most learners back. Avoiding them from the start saves weeks of wasted practice.