Q-codes
Q-codes are three-letter abbreviations beginning with Q that stand for common phrases and questions in radio operating. They date from about 1909, when the British government drew up a list for ships and coast stations so that operators who didn't share a language could still exchange routine information in Morse code. Hams adopted them wholesale, and today they are used on CW, where they save keystrokes, and in voice, where they have become everyday vocabulary. "What's your QTH?" is simply how hams ask where you are.
Strictly, a Q-code followed by a question mark asks a question and the same code without one is the answer: "QRM?" asks "Are you being interfered with?" and "QRM" replies "I am being interfered with." On voice the distinction is loose.
The ones you'll hear every day
| Code | Meaning | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| QTH | Location | "My QTH is Glasgow." |
| QSO | A contact | "Nice QSO, thanks." |
| QSL | I acknowledge / received | "QSL on all that." Also a QSL card. |
| QRZ | Who is calling me? | "QRZ, this is W6XYZ." |
| QRM | Interference from other stations | "You're under some QRM." |
| QRN | Static or noise | "QRN is bad tonight, thunderstorms." |
| QSB | Fading | "You're coming and going, lots of QSB." |
| QSY | Change frequency | "Let's QSY up five." |
| QRP | Low power | "I'm running QRP, five watts." |
| QRO | High power | "He's running QRO, a full kilowatt." |
| QRT | Stop transmitting; go off the air | "Time for dinner, going QRT." |
| QRX | Stand by, wait | "QRX one minute." |
| QRL | Is the frequency in use? | Sent before calling CQ on CW: "QRL?" |
| QRV | Ready to operate | "QRV on 40 meters." |
| QSP | Relay a message | "Can you QSP to W1ABC?" |
| QTR | The correct time | "QTR 1430 UTC." |
| QSK | Full break-in on CW | "I can hear between my dits, QSK." |
Other shorthand
Hams mix Q-codes with abbreviations inherited from telegraphers. The most common are 73 (best regards, said at the end of a contact and never pluralized as "73s"), 88 (love and kisses, used between spouses on the air), CQ (a general call to anyone listening), DE (from), K (go ahead), R (received), HI (laughter, from the sound of "hi hi" in Morse), OM (old man, any male ham regardless of age), YL (young lady) and XYL (wife). RST is a signal report of readability, strength and tone, such as "59" on voice or "599" on CW.
See also
References
- Q code, Wikipedia.