Morse code stopped being the maritime distress standard in 1999, and it is never coming back as a primary commercial mode. Yet in 2026 it is still in daily use in at least five places. Here is where it lives, and what the sources say about each.
1) Amateur radio (the biggest user)
Radio amateurs call it CW (continuous wave), and it survives for one practical reason: it gets through. A CW signal needs a bandwidth on the order of 100 Hz, against roughly 2.4–3 kHz for a voice (SSB) signal, so the receiver can filter out far more noise. That is why low-power (QRP) operators, transmitting 5 watts or less, make long-distance contacts in CW that would be too weak to understand on voice.
Operators keep messages short with Q-codes and CW abbreviations, and clubs such as CWops, SKCC and FISTS exist specifically for Morse operating. The Straight Key Century Club alone had 31,424 members in September 2026.
2) Aviation navaid identifiers
Radio navigation beacons identify themselves in Morse. A VOR transmits its identifier at about 7 words per minute; the VOR at John F. Kennedy International Airport, for example, is JFK: .--- ..-. -.-. NDBs use one-, two- or three-letter identifiers.
It is not optional reading for pilots. The FAA's Aeronautical Information Manual states that the only positive way to identify a VOR is by its Morse code identification or its recorded voice identification, and that pilots using an NDB should continuously monitor its identification. On FAA VFR charts, each beacon's box shows its frequency, identifier and Morse code. More in Morse code in aviation.
3) Military training
Military use has shrunk but not disappeared. In 2015 the US Army's Fort Huachuca ended its classroom Morse course, and US military Morse training moved to an 81-day self-paced course; the US Air Force was still training about ten people a year. At the end of 2025 the Australian Defence Force was still teaching Morse, as ABC News reported. The appeal is the same as for amateurs: a Morse signal can be read through noise and at very low power, with simple equipment.
4) Emergency signalling
SOS, ... --- ..., sent by light, sound or tapping, is the best-known distress signal there is, and it needs nothing but a flashlight or a hard surface. See the emergency Morse cheat sheet for the short list anyone can learn in an afternoon, and the story behind SOS for why that pattern was chosen.
5) Accessibility
For some people with limited movement, Morse is a practical way to type: one or two switches are enough, because the length of a press or the choice of switch makes a dot or a dash. Google's Gboard keyboard includes a Morse typing mode on Android and, since July 2018, on iOS.
Where it's not used any more
- Maritime distress: ships had to carry the satellite-based Global Maritime Distress and Safety System by 1 February 1999, which replaced the Morse-based distress system.
- Amateur licence exams in most countries: the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference made the Morse requirement optional, and the US dropped its last code test on 23 February 2007.
Why it doesn't die
Morse is one of very few codes a person can both send and read in their head, with nothing more than a light, a buzzer or a knock. As long as that matters, in low-power radio, in aviation identifiers, in emergencies and for people who type with a switch, Morse stays in use.
Frequently asked questions
Is Morse code still used by the military?
In training and as a fallback, yes, though far less than it was. The US military moved Morse training to an 81-day self-paced course in 2015, and the Australian Defence Force was still teaching it at the end of 2025.
Do pilots still need to know Morse code?
They need to recognise it. The FAA's Aeronautical Information Manual says a VOR is positively identified only by its Morse or recorded voice identification, so pilots check the identifier by ear against the chart. See Morse code in aviation.
Is Morse code still taught today?
Yes. It is no longer required for an amateur licence in most countries, but it is taught by clubs such as CWops, whose CW Academy runs free classes three times a year, and by a large community of self-learners. The Koch trainer on this site is one place to start.
Will Morse code ever come back as a main mode?
For commercial use, no: faster digital modes won that race. But its niche (readable by a person, very narrow bandwidth, needs almost no equipment) is permanent, so it persists rather than returns.
Want to learn it? Start with the 30-day plan, open the Koch trainer, check your speed on the speed test, or keep a streak with the daily challenge.