J

The letter J is one of those Morse patterns that looks a bit dramatic: it starts with a single dot and then stretches out with three dashes in a row. Once you know it, though, it becomes super easy to pick up inside words and callsigns.

People often search for things like:

• What is the letter J in Morse code?
• How do you write J in Morse code?
• What letter is .— in Morse?
• How long is each letter in Morse code?
• How do you know when a letter ends in Morse code?

This page is your focused guide for the letter J: the exact pattern, the timing rules behind it, how it compares to similar letters, and a few practical drills to make it automatic.

J in Morse Code: Quick Answer

The fast answer first:

The letter J in Morse code is:
J = .—

That means:
dot – dash – dash – dash

In sound form, you can think of it as:

dit – daaah – daaah – daaah

A short “blip” at the start, followed by three long, strong dashes. Once that rhythm is in your head, J is very hard to miss.

How to Write the Letter J in Morse Code

Even though it is just one dot and three dashes, J still follows the full Morse timing system.

Standard Morse timing rules:

• Dot = 1 time unit
• Dash = 3 time units
• Gap between dots and dashes inside the same letter = 1 unit
• Gap between letters = 3 units
• Gap between words = 7 units

For J = .— this looks like:

1. Dot (1 unit)
2. Short internal gap (1 unit)
3. Dash (3 units)
4. Short internal gap (1 unit)
5. Dash (3 units)
6. Short internal gap (1 unit)
7. Dash (3 units)
8. Then a 3-unit pause before the next letter

This timing also answers a few classic rule questions:

• How long is each letter in Morse code?
  Each letter’s length depends on how many dots and dashes it has, plus the 1-unit internal gaps. J is relatively long because it contains three dashes.
• How do you know when a letter ends in Morse code?
  Inside a letter, the gaps are short (1 unit). When you feel a longer pause of about 3 units, that marks the end of the letter and the start of the next one.
• How do you separate letters in Morse code?
  You separate letters by leaving that 3-unit gap after the last signal of the letter.

Why J Is an Interesting Morse Letter

J is important for a few reasons:

• It begins with a dot and then “rides” three dashes — that shape makes it very distinctive.
• It appears in names and callsigns, and in standard NATO spelling as “Juliett”, so you will see and hear it in real practice.
• It trains you to handle a pattern where the “weight” of the letter is at the end (the three dashes).

It also sits in a small family of dot-then-dash letters:

• A = .-
• W = .–
• J = .—

You can think of J as the “longest” one in that sequence: A (one dash), W (two dashes), J (three dashes).

How J Compares to Similar Morse Patterns

Most confusion around J comes from other symbols that also contain consecutive dashes.

Important comparisons:

• J = .— (dot – dash – dash – dash)
• W = .– (dot – dash – dash)
• A = .- (dot – dash)
• 1 = .—- (dot – dash – dash – dash – dash, a number, not a letter)

So if you are hearing patterns that start with a single dot and then go into dashes, ask:

• Dot + dash only → A
• Dot + dash + dash → W
• Dot + dash + dash + dash → J
• Dot + four dashes → 1

If someone asks:

What letter is .— in Morse code?

The answer is: J.

You can think of it as “W extended with one extra dash at the end”.

Practical Examples Using the Letter J

Putting J inside real words helps your brain link the pattern to meaning.

Examples:

• J alone: .—
• JO:
  • J = .—
  • O = —
    JO = .— —
• JOB:
  • J = .—
  • O = —
  • B = -…
    JOB = .— — -…
• JULIETT (NATO phonetic word for J):
  • J = .—
  • U = ..-
  • L = .-..
  • I = ..
  • E = .
  • T = –
  • T = –

Even if you are not sending full words yet, just recognising that any letter starting with a dot and flowing into three dashes is J will help your decoding speed.

Mini Training: Learn to Feel J ( .— )

Here are some quick drills to make J feel natural and automatic.

1. Decode the pattern

Look at or listen to:

.—

Ask yourself:

What letter is this in Morse code?

Correct answer: J.

Repeat the association a few times:

• See .— and say “J”.
• Hear “dit – daaah – daaah – daaah” and link it immediately to the letter J.

2. Encode the letter

Now reverse it.

Think of the letter J and produce:

dot – dash – dash – dash

You can tap it on a desk:

short tap, tiny gap, long tap, tiny gap, long tap, tiny gap, long tap.

This connects your hand, ear, and visual memory together.

3. Contrast J with A, W, and 1

To avoid mixing J with its neighbours, train them as a set:

• .- → A
• .– → W
• .— → J
• .—- → 1

For each pattern, ask:

How many dashes did I hear after the dot?

If the answer is “three dashes”, that is J.