. - - Dot-Dash-Dash | Also known as Whiskey in the NATO phonetic alphabet
W in Morse code is .-- (dot-dash-dash).
W in Morse code is .-- (dot-dash-dash). One dot followed by two dashes.
Hear full words containing W on our free Morse code translator
or browse the alphabet chart.
"Whis-key" (world war).
W = . - -
WAR = . - - . - . - .
WIN = . - - . . - .
International Morse treats timing as part of the character. A dot lasts one time unit, a dash lasts three, the space between elements inside W is one unit, and the gap before the next letter is three units. When you hear .-- in a word, you are hearing one rhythm — not counting individual beeps. The official character set and ratios are defined in ITU-R M.1677-1 and summarized for beginners on Wikipedia’s Morse code article.
Copy these into the Morse code translator to compare what you hear with what you read. Letters are separated by spaces; words use a slash.
W → . - -
WAR → . - - . - . - .
WIN → . - - . . - .
W (. - -) is often mixed up with letters that share dots, dashes, or rhythm. On the air, context and prosigns disambiguate, but learners should drill look-alikes side by side:
#, you usually have an extra space inside a letter or a symbol that is not ITU Morse.
Pattern: dot-dash-dash. Memory hook: "Whis-key" (world war). Say the rhythm out loud while you tap it on a desk — muscle memory beats staring at a chart. Amateur operators often recommend hearing each letter at full speed with longer gaps (Farnsworth spacing); try the Learn preset on the translator, then move to Koch lessons or a shareable Koch practice session. The ARRL learning hub links licensing paths if you want on-air copy practice after the alphabet.
Accessible SVG for W: dot-dash-dash (.--) as one short and two long marks, labeled W.
W is dot-dash-dash in International Morse according to ITU-R M.1677-1 ITU-R M.1677-1. It permutes G (--.) by moving the dot forward. Wikipedia Wikipedia: Morse code places W among three-element letters with two dashes.
Maintain one unit between elements; collapsing dashes sounds like extended T fragments.
Maritime and aviation voice use Whiskey for W per NATO phonetics Wikipedia: NATO phonetic alphabet. Morse W appears in war and win during historical CW ragchews.
Whiskey phonetic does not imply alcohol service; it strictly denotes W.
ARRL trainers ARRL: Learning Morse Code group W with G and D for dash-placement exercises. Copy W within contest exchange snippets at realistic spacing.
If decoding splits W into A (. ) plus M (--), increase inter-element spacing on send practice.
International news wires used W in Western names; operators logged rhythm slips when fatigued. ITU kept W’s pattern stable across recommendation revisions.
Wireless club certificates listed W among required characters for proficiency endorsements.
Compare W (.-- ) with G (--.) noting dot position. If a closing dot appears, you may be hearing P (.--.) instead of W. Drill W-G-P random order.
Receiving OM for W suggests missing initial dot—listen for short lead-in.
Whiskey phonetic clarifies W on maritime voice when spelling container codes containing W, separate from .-- keyed in CW. W permutes G’s elements; draw both patterns nightly until recall becomes automatic without referencing charts. P confusion arises when closing dot appears; confirm four elements for P versus three for W. ARRL slow nets welcome W in participant names; listen for Farnsworth spacing before answering. Wikipedia historical articles on wireless clubs document W on proficiency certificates alongside other late-alphabet characters.
Sending W with rigid wrist tension shortens the second dash; relax grip to maintain even long elements. Receive practice with foreign call signs containing W builds recognition beyond English-centric word lists.
Whiskey phonetic on maritime channels stays separate from dot-dash-dash keyed during English war and win copied on HF CW nets. Draw W and G patterns before each session until dot placement permutations no longer require chart glances. Foreign call sign listening builds W recognition beyond English-centric word lists alone.
OM mis-decodes indicate absent lead dot; focus on first short element before writing double dashes.
Whiskey phonetic maritime spelling differs from CW dot-dash-dash inside English fragments copied on HF nets operating within authorized band segments for telegraphy. Nightly W-G sketch drills cement permuted dash-dot relationships until chart lookups become unnecessary during pileups. Listening to foreign call signs containing W expands recognition beyond English-centric vocabulary lists bundled with consumer trainer applications.
Listen to international beacon lists containing W in suffix positions during commute playback, repeating contour aloud without writing until recognition stabilizes, then add pencil copy.
Allocate extra minutes to W listening on foreign beacon lists, then sketch dot-dash-dash beside G and P patterns before increasing keyer speed beyond your last stable Farnsworth gap.
After Whiskey phonetic drills on simulated maritime voice, send dot-dash-dash ten times into a decoder, confirming two full-length dashes per ITU-R M.1677-1 before raising Farnsworth speed.
Independent Morse tools · ITU-R M.1677-1 · No fabricated operator identity
These pages document a free browser translator and trainer. Timing follows International Morse (ITU-R M.1677-1). We do not claim an FCC callsign or Extra Class license for the site operator. Use the tools for practice; licensed instruction still matters for on-air work.
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