CW “Q” signals

CW – Amateur Radio Morse Code

CW was there at the beginning of ham radio

Here some tables to help those who are new to the hobby

Q Signals

Q Signal

Used As a Question

Used As a Statement

QRG

What is my (his) frequency? Your (His) frequency is ——

QRH

Does my frequency vary? Your frequency varies

QRI

How is the tone of my transmission? Your tone is 1 (good) 2 (variable) 3 (bad)

QRJ

Are you receiving me badly? Are my signals weak? I cannot receive you. I receive you badly

QRK

What is the readability of my (his) signals? Your (His) readability is (1)unreadable to (5)perfect

QRL

Is this frequency busy? This frequency is in use

QRM

Are you being interfered with? I am interfered with

QRN

Are you troubled by static? I am being troubled with static

QRO

Must I increase power? I increase power

QRP

Can I decrease power? I decrease power

QRQ

Shall I send faster? Send faster ——- WPM

QRS

Shall I send slower? Send slower ——- WPM

QRT

Shall I stop sending? Stop sending

QRU

Have you anything for me? I have nothing for you

QRV

Are you ready? I am ready

QRX

When will you call me again? I will call you again at ——

QRZ

Who is calling me? You are being called by —-

QSA

What is the strength of my (his) signals? Your (His) strength is (1)barely perceptible – (5)very good

QSB

Are my signals fading? Your signals are fading

QSL

Can you acknowledge receipt? I acknowledge receipt

QSO

Can you communicate with ——-? I can communicate with ——-

QSP

Will you relay to ——-? I will relay to ——-

QST

Calling all radio amateurs

QSV

Shall I send a series of V’s? Send a series of V’s

QSX

Will you listen to ——- on ——— kHz? I am listening to ——- on ———–

QSY

Shall I change frequency? Change frequency to ———-

QSZ

Shall I send each word twice? Send each word twice

QTH

What is your location? My location is —–

QTR

What is the time? The time is ———

CW Abbreviations

Abbrev.

Word

Abbrev.

Word

ABT About OB Old boy
ADR Address OM Old man
AGN Again OP Operator
ANT Antenna OT Old timer; old top
B4 Before PSE Please
C Yes PWR Power
CFM Confirm RIG Station equipment
CUL See you later RPT Repeat; report
ES And RX; RCVR Receiver
FB Fine business SED Said
GA Go ahead SEZ Says
GA Good afternoon SIG Signal
GB Good bye SKED Schedule
GB God bless SRI Sorry
GE Good evening TMW Tomorrow
GG Going TNX Thanks
GM Good morning TT That
GN Good night TU Thank you
GND Ground TVI Television interference
GUD Good TX Transmitter
HI Laughter UR; URS Your; Yours
HI High VY Very
HR Here; hear WKD; WKG Worked; working
HV Have WL Will
HW How; how copy WUD Would
LID A poor operator WX Weather
MSG Message XMTR Transmitter
N No YF; XYL Wife
NIL Nothing YL Young lady
NR Number 73 Best regards
NW Now 88 Love and kisses

Procedure Signals

Signal

Meaning or Usage

Example

CQ

A general call that indicates you are inviting anyone who is hearing you to answer you. CQ CQ CQ DE ZL2AL ZL2AL K

R

I received your transmission perfectly. Do not send R if you didn’t copy everything. Don’t be redundant and say R, I COPIED YOU SOLID. ZL2ST DE ZL2AL R FB ES TX FOR RPT ………

AS

Wait. FONE IS RINGING PSE AS

BT

Break in text. Used as a separator between thoughts or a pause. Also something good to send when your mind goes blank or you are talking to someone in your shack, etc. WX IS CLDY BT AGE HR IS ….

AR

End of message. Use when you are through sending info, and turning it over to the station you are working. Also used when answering a CQ. blah, blah, blah, hw? AR ZL2ST DE ZL2AL K. – or – To answer ZL2ST’s CQ, ZL2ST DE ZL2AL AR

SK

Used like AR, but only for your very last transmission TNX NICE CHAT 73 CUL GE SK ZL2ST DE ZL2AL K

BK

An invitation for the other station to break in immediately with an answer or comment. The other station may answer immediately after the BK is sent – do not say BK KB3BFQ DE K3WWP K just BK, then KB3BFQ will answer your question or comment. (ZL2AL SAYS) WHAT IS UR RIG? BK – – – – (ZL2ST ANSWERS) RIG HR IS …….

K

Go ahead. Used to tell the station you are working you expect him to transmit now. Use after a CQ to invite someone to answer you. Do not use K after you answer someone’s CQ since you don’t know he is going to answer you, use AR. HW? AR ZL2ST DE ZL2AL K

KN

Go ahead, specific station only. No breakers are currently welcome. Used same as K when you only want to talk to one other station. Never use after a CQ unless you are not wanting anyone to answer you. HW? AR ZL2ST DE ZL2AL KN

CL

I am now shutting down my station completely. Use when you are completely done transmitting, and about to pull the big switch. This is a signal that you are not listening to any more calls. TNX NICE CHAT 73 CUL GE SK ZL2ST DE ZL2AL CL

RST

R

Readability

1 Unreadable
2 Barely readable, occasional words distinguishable
3 Readable with considerable difficulty
4 Readable with practically no difficulty
5 Perfectly readable

S

Signal Strength

1 Faint signals, barely perceptible
2 Very weak signals
3 Weak signals
4 Fair signals
5 Fairly good signals
6 Good signals
7 Moderately strong signals
8 Strong signals
9 Extremely strong signals

T

Tone

1 Sixty cycles or less, very rough and broad
2 Very rough ac, very harsh and broad
3 Rough ac tone, rectified but not filtered
4 Rough note, some trace of filtering
5 Filtered rectified ac, but strongly ripple-modulated
6 Filtered tone, definite trace of ripple modulation
7 Near pure tone, trace of ripple modulation
8 Near perfect tone, slight trace of modulation
9 Perfect tone, no trace of ripple, or modulation of any kind

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