[CW] Morse Code Timing (LONG)

[David J. Ring, Jr.]

The basic element of Morse code is the dot, all other code elements are
defined in relationship to the length of the dot.

A DASH is equal to THREE dots  in length -- but it is NOT equal to the
length of three dots sent as an S because there are "interelement spaces"
inbetween the dots.  They are equal to the length of one dot.

Dot                                = The element on which everything else is
based = 1 unit
Dash                             = 3 dots in length.
Inter-element space:   1 dot length.  (The space between the dots or dashes
in a character).
inter-character space:  3 dot lengths
Word space:                 7 dot lengths.

The word "PARIS" was chosen for the international standard for timing
English (and most other) languages.
This word has 50 elements - or it is equal to 50 "dots" in length.

Here is how it is timed:

The figure 1 represents a dot, the figure 3 represents a dash, the figure
(1) indicates an inter-element space, the figure (3) represents a
character-space, and the figure (7) represents a word-space.

P
1 (1) 3 (1) 3 (1) 1              11
Inter-character space (3)         3

A
1 (1) 3                           5
Inter-character space (3)         3

R
1(1)3(1)1                         7
Inter-character space (3)         3

I
1(1)1                             3
Inter-character space (3)         3

S
1(1)1(1)1                         5
Word space (7)                    7

Total "units" EQUALS             50

NOTICE that the final WORD space lengthens the "normal" inter-character
space to 2-1/3 times its length.  You will hear MANY people just using the
short 3 unit long inter-character space.  They should learn to "at least"
double it - so that you can know where the word breaks are.

Many operators (I do) prefer to double the word space at speeds above 30
wpm.  I personally find it very much easier to copy speeds above 50 wpm with
double word space.  It was common in commercial radiotelegraphy to double
word space at speeds above 25 wpm.

CIPHER groups are timed by the "word" CODEX or CODEZ (they both have the
same value.)

C
3(1)1(1)3(1)1                    11
Inter-character space (3)         3

O
3(1)3(1)3                        11
Inter-character space (3)         3

D
3(1)1(1)1                         7
Inter-character space (3)         3 38

E
1(1)                              2
Inter-character space (3)         3 43

X
3(1)1(1)1(1)3                    11
Word space (7)                    7


Total UNIT COUNT =                61



Total "units" EQUALS             50


This means that for a given speed at which PARIS produces a certain Word Per
Minute (WPM) the code speed for Code Groups will only be 50/61 of that
speed - or 83%

If we are sending 20 wpm of English, and then start sending code groups of
random letters, we will be sending at 16.39 wpm.

73

David Ring,  N1EA