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 |