“Wabun” – The Japanese Morse Code

“WABUN” – THE JAPANESE MORSE CODE (QOD6), MAI, JH1JDI – FISTS #15123

I like to QSO using QOD6, the Japanese Morse codes, so-called “Wabun CW”. “Wabun” means “Japanese language” in Japanese generally and “CW communications in QOD6” especially among Japanese HAMs. The reason why I like Wabun CW QSO is that we can communicate with in Japanese language even in CW mode. According to “Directory of Wabun CW Stations”, published in August, 2013, by an amateur society of Wabun CW fans, there are around 3900 amateur radio stations operating Wabun CW in Japan. If remember Wabun morse code (QOD6) it is easier for Japanese CW men to send what they want to say and to hear what the other stations want to say because Wabun communications are done in their mother tongue.

In Japan, it seems that there are mainly three types of CW QSOs. The first type is “599 BK” style, the second one is chatting using QOD1 (in English) and the third one is chatting using QOD6. The Wabun CW QSOs are popular in 80mb and 40mb, plus 144MHz band, because of the characteristics of the propagation. Both 80 mb and 40mb are so suitable to contact with stations all over Japan, from Okinawa (JR6) to Hokkaido (JA8), and 144MHz band is for radius of within 150km. Many Japanese CW stations using Wabun are on the air especially between 3515k Hz and 3525 kHz, 7015 kHz and 7025 kHz and around 144.070 MHz.

A marker of Wabun is DO and SN. DO means “from here QOD6 starts” and SN means “QOD6 has ended”. The way to call CQ for Wabun CW is “CQ CQ CQ DO DE (callsign)”.

Example
JH1JDI: CQ CQ CQ DO DE JH1JDI JH1JDI K

JA1QRZ: JH1JDI DE JA1QRZ K

JH1JDI: JA1QRZ DE JH1JDI DO (sending Wabun) SN JA1QRZ DE JH1JDI K

JA1QRZ: JH1JDI DE JA1QRZ DO (sending Wabun) SN JH1JDI DE JA1QRZ K

Now the Wabun CW QSO is not so popular even in Japan because it is necessary to remember QOD6 newly. This makes Japanese HAMs to spend more time to remember more than 50 codes and they don’t have any connections with QOD1 English codes. That is, “A” of Wabun is “–.–” and “KA” is “.-..”, “SA” is “-.-.-“, they are not simple combination of codes of A, K, S and so on. These complexity and illogic come from characteristics of Japanese writing system but it is more efficient for CW communications done in Japanese language.
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In Wabun CW, between DO and SN, they use comparatively formal literary style of Japanese language and there are almost no abbreviations in QOD6 for amateur stations, although there were for professional stations.

Example
QOD1: BT GA UR 579 57N QTH HR TOKYO WX FINE ES TEMP 25C MI NAME MAI HW? AR

QOD6: (in Japanese) DO Good afternoon and thank you for your calling me. Your signal comes with 579 57N to Tokyo. Now regarding weather here, it is fine and temperature is 25 degrees. My name is MAI. SN

Most of stations chatting in Wabun are relaxing and having good time, without any dog piles or getting results in recording number of log entries of stations contacting with them.

Because of the direction of interest of general Wabun QSO, they usually take at least 10 minutes for one QSO. I also chat for about an hour with a station. So some stations don’t like Wabun QSO even if they can use Wabun codes. They say that they don’t like Wabun very much because it takes much more time for one QSO comparing with “599 BK style” short-short CW QSO.

And the other sometimes says that Wabun QSO should not be on the air since it is domestic codes, not international ones and it is a kind of “cryptogram” for non-JA stations and even for JA stations, if they can not use Wabun.

There are many opinions both for and against about QOD6 Wabun QSO in Japan, but I think Wabun is to be estimated correctly and not to be forgotten. Because QOD6 is one of precious properties especially for Japanese CW men. During 2014, I am writing a monthly article about Wabun

CW QSO course on monthly magazine “CQ Ham Radio” published in Japan. The target is from introduction, through the learning and training, to enjoying Wabun CW QSO for whom being interested in it but not having started it.

From ASIA FISTS Newsletter written by Mai, JH1JDI

NZART AGM 1929

These delightful images of the first ever NZART AGM program in 1929 are quite interesting. It was a far different world then in 1929. The stock market and the world financial system had collapsed and the beginnings of the great depression were probably being felt in New Zealand too. I wonder if that affected the attendance figures? They had no comparison as this was the first Convention.

Programme front cover from 1929

Programme front cover from 1929

The affair was a combined Convention at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club rooms in Auckland on Saturday the 28th and a Picnic excursion to Motuihi Island on Sunday the 29th. Hams and their families were being met at the station after arriving by train on Thursday the 26th. Friday appears to be a sightseeing trip around Auckland by bus and the highlight was a visit to 1YA, the Government’s flagship broadcasting station. No commercial radio in those days! It looks like a major sponsor was Spedding Ltd who appeared to have had the import agency for Mullard Valves and Burgess batteries. That would be a licence to print money in those days as everyone who had a radio needed batteries and valves and you couldn’t order them from an eBay seller.  I remember seeing the Spedding name in 1969 when I first arrived in New Zealand. But that was along time ago and perhaps I am imagining it.

Was a "Pentone" valve a pentode?  25/ for a valve seems reasonable!

Was a “Pentone” valve a pentode? 25/ for a valve seems reasonable!

The Saturday Night dinner must have been a grand affair for those particularly fond of Grid Leak Soup and Spaghetti tubing. Nice that they opened the dinner with a toast to the King. Those were the days when the King was held in awe. At the beginning of any screening at a picture theatre, all would stand and sing “God save The King” and all were dressed to the “nines” That era in the movies was the beginning of the “talkies” as it was silent films up until then.

What a grand Affair this was!

What a grand Affair this was!

Interesting that NZART was discussing matters of vital importance relevant to the welfare of radio amateurs throughout New Zealand. 85 years later and NZART is still looking after our best interests. I wonder if there was much debate at that meeting and if any got heated?

And there was the picnic to look forward to!

And there was the picnic to look forward to!

The Picnic must have been an energetic occasion. You wouldn’t get away with running an “Old Woman’s Race” in this politically correct world we live in 85 years later!

The Water Melon eating contest kinda appeals to me!

The Water Melon eating contest kinda appeals to me!

Since then our association has survived hard times, wars, good times, tragedies and the massive changes in technology we are privileged to use today. NZART has grown, changed and serves us well some 85 years later. I wonder what the Programme will look like for the upcoming 2099 NZART Conference?

73, Lee ZL2AL