SOS in Morse Code

"SOS" in Morse code is ... --- ....

SOS is the internationally recognized Morse code distress signal: three dots, three dashes, three dots — sent as one unbroken string with no letter spacing, so it stays recognizable even through static or a shaky hand on the key.

SOS was adopted as the standard distress call at the 1906 Berlin International Radiotelegraphic Convention (effective 1908) because its pattern is simple, symmetrical, and hard to mistake for anything else. Despite the popular myth, it was chosen for how it sounds, not as an abbreviation for "Save Our Souls" or "Save Our Ship."

Frequently Asked Questions

What does SOS stand for?

SOS doesn't actually stand for anything. It was chosen as the international distress signal because its Morse pattern — three dots, three dashes, three dots — is simple and unmistakable, not as an acronym.

How do you send SOS in Morse code?

SOS is sent as ... --- ... (dot-dot-dot, dash-dash-dash, dot-dot-dot), typically run together as a single continuous signal rather than three separately spaced letters.

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