Equals Sign (=) in Morse Code
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Five symbols, a dash at each end with three dots between them: — · · · — . That shape isn't unique to punctuation — the same code does double duty as BT, a procedural break within a longer formal message.
Double Duty as a Prosign
This exact code carries a second, procedural meaning: sent as the prosign BT, it marks a paragraph break within a formal message — the Morse equivalent of starting a new line or section. Written transcriptions of Morse traffic often represent that procedural break with the equals sign itself, which is why the two share one identical code rather than being coincidentally similar.
Related Codes
- B (dash-dot-dot-dot) is the equals sign with the final dash removed.
- T (a single dash) and =/BT both begin and end on the same symbol, just separated by three additional dots in between.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the equals sign and the prosign BT share one code, how does a listener know which meaning is intended?
Context does the work — a lone punctuation mark inside a written transcription reads as the equals sign, while the same pattern sent mid-message during formal traffic is understood as the procedural paragraph break instead.
Why does the equals sign share a code with the prosign BT?
BT is the procedural signal for a paragraph break in formal Morse traffic, and written transcriptions conventionally represent it with the equals sign — so the two share one identical five-symbol code rather than being a coincidence.