Codes and Alphabets
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CW Abbreviations
These abbreviations are commonly used in CW transmissions to shorten transmission times. Not all CW operators use all of them - most will use very few.
Abbreviation | Meaning | Abbreviation | Meaning | |
---|---|---|---|---|
AA | All After | OB | Old Boy | |
AB | All Before | OC | Old Chap | |
ABT | About | OM | Old Man | |
ADEE | Adressee | OP | Operator | |
ADR | Adress | OPR | Operstor | |
AGN | Again | OT | Old Timer | |
AM | Amplitude Modulation | PBL | Preamble | |
ANT | Antenna | PKG | Package | |
BCI | Broadcast Interference | PSE | Please | |
BCL | Broadcast listener | PT | Point | |
BCNU | Be seeing you | PWR | Power | |
BK | Break in | PX | Press | |
BN | Between, Been | R | Received, Are | |
BT | Separation | RC | Ragchew | |
BTR | Better | RCD | Received | |
Bug | Semi automatic key | RCVR | Reveiver | |
C | Yes, Correct | REF | Refer to | |
CFM | Confirm, I confirm | RFI | Radio Frequency Interference | |
CK | Check | RIG | Station Equipment | |
CKT | Circuit | RPT | Repeat, Report | |
CL | Closing Station, Call | RTTY | Radioteletype | |
CLBK | Callbook | RST | Readability Strength Tone | |
CLD | Called | RX | Receive, receiver | |
CLG | Calling | SASE | Self addressed stamped envelope | |
CNT | Cant | SED | Said | |
CONDX | Conditions | SEZ | Says | |
CQ | Calling any station | SGD | Signed | |
CU | See you | SIG | Signature, Signal | |
CUL | See you later | SINE | Personal initials or nickname | |
CUM | Come | SKED | Schedule | |
CW | Continuous Wave | SRI | Sorry | |
DA | day | SS | Sweepstakes | |
DE | From, From this | SSB | Single Sideband | |
DIFF | Difference | STN | Station | |
DLD DLVD | Delivered | SUM | Some | |
Morse Code
Symbol | International | American | |
---|---|---|---|
A | .- | .- | |
B | -... | -... | |
C | -.-. | ..-. | |
D | -.. | -.. | |
E | . | . | |
F | ..-. | .-. | |
G | --. | --. | |
H | .... | .... | |
I | .. | .. | |
J | .--- | -.-. | |
K | -.- | -.- | |
L | .-.. | ---- | |
M | -- | -- | |
N | -. | -. | |
O | --- | .-. | |
P | .--. | ..... | |
Q | --.- | ..-. | |
R | .-. | .-.. | |
S | ... | ... | |
T | - | - | |
U | ..- | ..- | |
V | ...- | ...- | |
W | .-- | .-- | |
X | -..- | .-.. | |
Y | .-.- | ..-.. | |
Z | --.. | .... | |
1 | .---- | .--. | |
2 | ..--- | ..-.. | |
3 | ...-- | ...-. | |
4 | ....- | ....- | |
5 | ..... | --- | |
6 | -.... | ..... | |
7 | --... | --.. | |
8 | ---.. | -.... | |
9 | ----. | -..- | |
0 | ----- | ----- |
Phonetic Alphabet - Nato
A number of phonetic alphabets exist. the nato version is most common and can be considered to be the "international" phonetic alphabet.
Letter | Code word | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
A | Alfa | AL FAH |
B | Bravo | BRAH VOH |
C | Charlie | CHAR LEE |
D | Delta | DELL TAH |
E | Echo | ECK OH |
F | Foxtrot | FOKS TROT |
G | Golf | GOLF |
H | Hotel | HO TELL |
I | India | IN DEE AH |
J | Juliett | JEW LEE ETT |
K | Kilo | KEY LOH |
L | Lima | LEE MAH |
M | Mike | MIKE |
N | November | NO VEM BER |
O | Oscar | OSS CAH |
P | Papa | PAH PAH |
Q | Quebec | KEH BECK |
R | Romeo | ROW ME OH |
S | Sierra | SEE AIR RAH |
T | Tango | TANG GO |
U | Uniform | YOU NEE FORM |
V | Victor | VIK TAH |
W | Whiskey | WISS KEY |
X | X-ray or Xray |
ECKS RAY |
Y | Yankee | YANG KEY |
Z | Zulu | ZOO LOO |
Number | Code word | Pronunciation |
0 | Zero | ZE RO |
1 | One | WUN |
2 | Two | TOO |
3 | Three | TREE |
4 | Four | FOW ER |
5 | Five | FIFE |
6 | Six | SIX |
7 | Seven | SEV EN |
8 | Eight | AIT |
9 | Nine | NIN ER |
Q-Code
These codes were oringinally developed to shorten transmission times when using CW, but are frequently used in voice transmissions eg. I and going to go QRT, thanks for the QSO.
More information abut the history and usage of Q-codes can be found here.
Code | Meaning | Sample use |
---|---|---|
QRG | Exact frequency | HE TX ON QRG 14205 kHz |
QRI | Tone (T in the RST code) | UR QRI IS 9 |
QRK | Intelligibility (R in the RST code) | UR QRK IS 5 |
QRL | This frequency is busy. | Used almost exclusively with morse code, usually before transmitting on a new frequency |
QRM | Man-made interference | ANOTHER QSO UP 2 kHz CAUSING LOT OF QRM |
QRN | Natural interference, e.g. static crashes | BAND NOISY TODAY LOT OF QRN |
QRO | Increase power | NEED QRO WHEN PROP POOR |
QRP | decrease power | QRP TO 5 W |
QRQ | Send faster | TIME SHORT PSE QRQ |
QRR | temporarily unavailable/away, please wait | WILL BE QRR 30 MIN = THAT STN IS QRR NW |
QRRR | Distress | Distress call recommended by ARRL |
QRS | Send slower | PSE QRS NEW TO CW |
QRT | Stop sending | ENJOYED TALKING 2 U = MUST QRT FER DINNER NW |
QRU | Have you anything for me? | QRU? ABOUT TO QRT |
QRV | I am ready | WL U BE QRV IN UPCOMING CONTEST? |
QRX | will call you again | QRX @ 1500H |
QRZ | You are being called by ________. | QRZ? UR VY WEAK (Only someone who has previously called should reply) |
QSA | Signal strength | UR QSA IS 5 |
QSB | Fading of signal | THERE IS QSB ON UR SIG |
QSD | Your keying is defective | QSD CK YR TX |
QSK | Break-in | I CAN HR U DURING MY SIGS PSE QSK |
QSL | I Acknowledge receipt | QSL UR LAST TX = PSE QSL VIA BURO (i.e. please send me a card confirming this contact). |
QSM | Repeat last message | QRM DROWNED UR LAST MSG OUT = PSE QSM |
QSN | I heard you | QSN YESTERDAY ON 7005 kHz |
QSO | A conversation | TNX QSO 73 |
QSP | Relay | PSE QSP THIS MSG TO MY FRIEND |
QST | General call to all stations | QST: QRG ALLOCS HV CHGD |
QSX | I am listening on ... frequency | QSX 14200 TO 14210 kHz |
QSY | Shift to transmit on ... | LETS QSY UP 5 kHz |
QTA | Disregard last message | QTA, DID NOT MEAN THAT |
QTC | Traffic | STN WID EMRG QTC PSE GA |
QTH | Location | QTH IS SOUTH PARK CO |
QTR | Exact time | QTR IS 2000 Z |
RST code
Number | R - Readability | S - Strength | T - Tone | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Unreadable | Faint signal, barely perceptible | Sixty cycle a.c or less, very rough and broad | |
2 | Barely readable, occasional words distinguishable | Very Weak | Very rough a.c., very harsh and broad | |
3 | Readable with considerable difficulty | Weak | Rough a.c. tone, rectified but not filtered | |
4 | Readable with practically no difficulty | Fair | Rough note, some trace of filteringfrequency | |
5 | Perfectly readable | Fairly Good | Filtered rectified a.c. but strongly ripple-modulated | |
6 | not used | Good | Filtered tone, definite trace of ripple modulation | |
7 | not used | Moderately Strong | Near pure tone, trace of ripple modulation | |
8 | not used | Strong | Near perfect tone, slight trace of modulation | |
9 | not used | Very strong signals | Perfect tone, no trace of ripple or modulation of any kind |
RSV code for SSTV transmissions
Number | R - Readability | S - Strength | V - Video | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Unreadable | Faint signal, barely perceptible | Picture unreadable | |
2 | Barely readable | Very Weak | picture barely visible | |
3 | Readable with difficulty | Weak | Readable with flaws | |
4 | Readable with no difficulty | Fair | Very good picture some flaws | |
5 | Perfectly readable | Fairly Good | Perfect picture no flaws | |
6 | not used | Good | not used | |
7 | not used | Moderately Strong | not used | |
8 | not used | Strong | not used | |
9 | not used | Very strong signals | not used |