Every dot and dash in Morse code has an exact length, measured relative to a single base unit — nothing about timing is arbitrary or left to feel. This page covers the actual unit ratios, how “words per minute” is calculated from them, why operators use the word PARIS to measure speed, and what Farnsworth timing is.
The Basic Timing Unit
Every element of Morse code is measured against one base unit of time — the length of a single dot. Everything else is defined relative to it, which is why Morse code can be sent at almost any speed and still be read correctly, as long as the ratios stay the same. For the letter-by-letter dot-dash patterns themselves, see the Morse Code Alphabet & Chart; for a broader introduction, see the Morse Code Guide.
1Dot (dit)
1 unit long — the shortest signal, and the base every other timing value is measured against.
3Dash (dah)
3 units long — exactly three times a dot, never a separate signal type of its own.
3Letter Gap
3 units of silence between two letters in the same word — the same length as a dash.
7Word Gap
7 units of silence between two words — written as a forward slash ( / ) in text form.
One more gap sits inside this system but is easy to overlook: the space between the individual dots and dashes that make up one letter is always exactly 1 unit — the same length as a dot. So a letter like R (dot-dash-dot) is really five timed pieces in a row: dot, gap, dash, gap, dot.
How Words Per Minute (WPM) Is Measured
Because every element’s length is a ratio, not a fixed duration, Morse code doesn’t have one single “speed” — it can be sent slowly or quickly as long as the 1:3:1:3:7 ratios above are kept intact. Speed is measured in words per minute (WPM), and to make that measurement consistent between operators, the international standard doesn’t use a random English word — it uses PARIS.
The word “PARIS,” sent in full with a trailing word space, works out to exactly 50 timing units. That fixed, agreed-on length is what “words per minute” is actually counting: sending PARIS once per second corresponds to 60 WPM, and in general, one dot at a given WPM lasts 1200 ÷ WPM milliseconds. At 20 WPM, for example, a single dot lasts 60 ms; at 5 WPM, it lasts 240 ms. This convention is formalized internationally in ITU-R Recommendation M.1677-1, which defines standard Morse code timing and usage.
Typical Morse Code Speeds
Actual operating speed varies enormously by experience and context. Beginners typically start around 5 WPM, just fast enough to recognize letters without consciously counting dots and dashes. Comfortable conversational CW (the term ham radio operators use for Morse code on the air — see our Morse Code for Ham Radio guide) is generally considered to start around 13 WPM, historically the speed required for the FCC’s old Amateur Extra class license test in the United States before the code requirement was dropped in 2007. Experienced operators regularly work at 20–30 WPM, and competitive high-speed CW operators and telegraphy contest participants can send and copy 40 WPM or more.
Farnsworth Timing: Learning at a Higher Character Speed
Most learners struggle when they first practice at a very slow overall speed, because stretching out every dot and dash changes the rhythm of each letter, forcing you to count elements instead of recognizing the pattern as a whole — the opposite of how experienced operators actually read code. Farnsworth timing solves this by keeping individual characters sent at a brisker “character speed” (commonly 15–20 WPM) while stretching only the gaps between letters and words, producing a slower effective overall speed. It’s the method used by most modern Morse code training tools and courses, including ARRL-affiliated resources and sites like LCWO (Learn CW Online), because it teaches the correct rhythm from the very first lesson instead of a rhythm you’ll have to unlearn later.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a dot in Morse code?
It depends on speed, not a fixed duration — a dot is always exactly 1 timing unit, and that unit’s actual length in milliseconds is 1200 divided by the speed in words per minute. At 20 WPM, a dot lasts 60 ms; at 5 WPM, it lasts 240 ms.
How long is a dash compared to a dot?
Exactly three times as long. If a dot is 1 unit, a dash is 3 units — the same length as the gap between two letters.
What is a “unit” in Morse code?
The unit is the base measurement every Morse code timing value is built from — the length of one dot. Dashes, gaps, and pauses are all defined as a multiple of it (3 units, 7 units, and so on), rather than as fixed lengths of their own.
Why is the word PARIS used to measure WPM?
Because a random English word can be almost any length in Morse code, “words per minute” would be meaningless without a fixed reference. PARIS, sent with its trailing word space, always works out to exactly 50 standard units, which gives every operator the same, consistent yardstick for speed.
What is Farnsworth timing?
A teaching method that sends individual letters at a normal, brisk speed but stretches out the gaps between letters and words, producing a slower overall (effective) speed without distorting how each letter actually sounds. It’s widely used because it teaches correct rhythm recognition from the start.
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