Morse Code Translator (Pro)
1) Translate
Tip: For learning, keep character speed fast (e.g., 20–25 WPM) and widen spacing with Farnsworth.
2) Microphone Decode (Beta)
Bandpass around your tone and detect pulse lengths to rebuild dots/dashes and spacing.
Full alphabet & punctuation live in the companion article: Morse Code: History, Alphabet & Modern Uses.
A technical, hands-on guide to encoding/decoding, spacing rules, adaptive audio decoding, multilingual input via transliteration, and practical UX/SEO touches for your on-page tool. No overlap with the history article
Looking for the full alphabet table, background, and beginner learning path? See the companion article: Morse Code: History, Alphabet & Modern Uses.
This page is about the translator itself — how to get accurate conversions both ways, how to set speeds that train the ear, and how to decode microphone audio under realistic noise. If you want the full history, cultural impact, and a comprehensive alphabet table, see our companion article: Morse Code: History, Alphabet & Modern Uses.
Inside the Engine: Mapping → Tokenizing → Rendering
Mapping. International Morse maps A–Z/0–9/punctuation to ·/- patterns. Keep your source of truth as an immutable dictionary.
Tokenizing. Respect spacing rules: 1 unit inside a letter, 3 between letters, 7 between words. Your text UI approximates this with spaces; your audio UI uses silence durations.
Rendering. Output channels: text, sine tone, flashlight/LED blink, haptics. All share the same timing model.
Robust Pseudocode
Core map (partial); keep a full copy in your codebase
const MAP =Timing Controls for Tools (WPM & Farnsworth)For training-friendly output, keep characters fast (≈20–25 WPM) and widen gaps (Farnsworth) so beginners don’t count dots/dashes. A tone of 500–700 Hz is comfortable for most listeners.
Audio I/O: Synthesis, Mic Decoding, Noise Thresholds
Playback (Synthesis)
Generate a sine wave; dot=1 unit, dash=3, intra-symbol gap=1, inter-letter=3. Avoid click pops by gating with a short (3–5ms) ramp.
Microphone Decoding
- Band-limit around the user-selectable tone (e.g., 600 Hz ± 150 Hz).
- Use an adaptive amplitude threshold to ignore background noise.
- Estimate unit length via a moving average of short pulses; classify long = ≥2.5× short.
Multilingual Input via Transliteration
International Morse targets Latin A–Z. To support other languages, transliterate the input to ASCII first, then apply the map (e.g., “mañana” → “MANANA”). Document this behavior so readers understand why accented letters are normalized.
- Uppercase + diacritic stripping before mapping.
- Keep punctuation conservative and documented.
UX Details: Validation, Copy Buttons, Accessibility
- For Morse → Text: warn when non-./-/space characters appear.
- Provide a clear “Copy” button and a short success message.
- Offer alternative outputs: audio, blink, and haptics — great for learning and accessibility.
Privacy, Rate Limits & Performance
Prefer in-browser translation (no server logs). If you use an API, disclose data handling and rate limits. Debounce input to avoid unnecessary CPU usage while typing.
Quick Reference (collapsible) — Alphabet
Show A–Z & 0–9 (compact)
For the full, nicely formatted alphabet table plus punctuation and learning guidance, visit the companion article: Morse Code: History, Alphabet & Modern Uses.
A ·- B -··· C -·-· D -·· E · F ··-· G --· H ···· I ·· J ·--- K -·- L ·-·· M -- N -· O --- P ·--· Q --·- R ·-· S ··· T - U ··- V ···- W ·-- X -··- Y -·-- Z --·· 0 ----- 1 ·---- 2 ··--- 3 ···-- 4 ····- 5 ····· 6 -···· 7 --··· 8 ---·· 9 ----·
Tool-Specific FAQ
Why does decode fail on pasted content?
Smart quotes/dashes and tabs break spacing. Paste into a plain-text box first; replace long dashes with -.
How do I set a comfortable speed?
Use ~20 WPM character speed with wider gaps (Farnsworth). Lower tone if headphones emphasize highs.
Can it decode microphone audio?
Yes if your environment is quiet and tone is stable. Use the threshold meter and “Calibrate” before decode.
Final Notes
This page avoids repeating history and focuses on how a translator works and how to tune it. Pair it with the history/learning article for a complete experience and stronger internal linking for SEO: Morse Code: History, Alphabet & Modern Uses.