Q-Codes
Q-codes originated in commercial maritime radio and are still used in ham radio today. They can be questions (with a question mark) or statements.
Most Common Q-Codes
QRZ
- Question: "Who is calling me?"
- Statement: "You are being called by..."
- Usage: "QRZ?" when you hear someone calling but can't catch the callsign
QTH
- Question: "What is your location?"
- Statement: "My location is..."
- Usage: "My QTH is Chicago"
QSL
- Question: "Can you acknowledge receipt?"
- Statement: "I acknowledge receipt"
- Usage: Confirming you copied information, also refers to QSL cards
QSO
- A radio contact
- Usage: "Nice QSO!" or "We had a QSO last week"
QRM
- Man-made interference
- Usage: "Heavy QRM on this frequency"
QRN
- Natural interference (static, noise)
- Usage: "QRN from thunderstorms"
QSY
- Question: "Shall I change frequency?"
- Statement: "Change frequency to..."
- Usage: "Let's QSY to 14.250"
QRP
- Low power operation (typically 5 watts or less)
- Usage: "I'm running QRP today"
QRO
- High power operation
- Usage: "Going QRO to punch through"
QRT
- Stop transmitting / closing station
- Usage: "Time to QRT for dinner"
QRX
- Stand by / wait
- Usage: "QRX one minute"
QSB
- Signal fading
- Usage: "Your signal has QSB"
QRS
- Send slower
- Usage: Used in CW when you can't copy the speed
QRQ
- Send faster
- Usage: Used in CW when you want more speed
Common Abbreviations
Signal Reports
- RST: Readability, Strength, Tone (for CW)
- RS: Readability, Strength (for voice)
- Readability: 1-5 (5 = perfectly readable)
- Strength: 1-9 (9 = extremely strong)
- Tone: 1-9 (9 = perfect tone, CW only)
Greeting/Closing
- 73: Best regards (NOT "73s" - 73 is already plural)
- 88: Love and kisses (between close friends)
- 99: Go away (rude, rarely used)
- OM: Old Man (any male ham)
- YL: Young Lady (any female ham)
- XYL: Ex-Young Lady (wife)
Operation
- CQ: Calling any station
- DE: From (as in "W1ABC de KD9XYZ")
- DX: Distant station / long distance
- FB: Fine business (good!)
- HI: Laughter (like "ha ha")
- RIG: Radio equipment
- WX: Weather
- ANT: Antenna
Modes
- SSB: Single Sideband
- USB: Upper Sideband
- LSB: Lower Sideband
- CW: Continuous Wave (Morse code)
- AM: Amplitude Modulation
- FM: Frequency Modulation
Common CW Abbreviations
- R: Received / Roger
- K: Go ahead (invitation to transmit)
- KN: Go ahead, specific station only
- SK: End of contact
- CL: Closing station
- BK: Break (quick back-and-forth)
- AGN: Again
- UR: Your
- ES: And
- TNX/TKS: Thanks
- PSE: Please
- HPE: Hope
- CUAGN: See you again
Using Abbreviations
On voice modes, you'll mostly hear Q-codes and simple abbreviations. On CW and digital modes, more abbreviations are common to save time.
Don't overdo it! New hams sometimes try to use too many abbreviations. Clear communication is always the priority.