Here's my alternative take. It's in the form of a filter (reads from standard input).

#! /usr/bin/perl -p

@T{"temnaiogkdwrusXöqzycxbjpälüfvh"=~/./g}=grep!/[^12]/,1..2x4;
s/./$T{lc$&} /g;y/12/-./
[download]

Update. A transformed (y/12/21/) mapping moves the X to the string end where it can be dropped; one char saved.

#! /usr/bin/perl -p

@T{"etianmsurwdkgohvfüläpjbxcyzqö"=~/./g}=grep!/[^12]/,1..2x4;
s/./$T{lc$&} /g;y/12/.-/
[download]

Update3. Super Search found me this: Morse Code as binary. (And this, this). Here's another variant.

#! /usr/bin/perl -p

s!.!sprintf("%b ",2+index"etianmsurwdkgohvfüläpjbxcyzqö",lc$&)=~s/.//r
+=~y/01/.-/r!ge
[download]

As for golfing tricks and links, take a look at the eyepopslikeamosquito user page. There there's a full section of golfing articles.