Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Morse code prosigns, abbreviations, Q-codes and slang

 We use a few codes, abbreviations and prosigns to speed up the Morse code exchange and avoid sending frequently used lengthy words. The complete lists are huge and only a few of them are still in use today. Here is what I usually hear and use:


 PROSIGNS (these are sent together without spacing between the letters)

[AS] - "Wait please, I will be back shortly"

[AR] - "End of the current message"

[BK] - "Break. I have finished sending, now it is your turn." In a long conversation, people use K instead because it is shorter.

[BT] - just a separator between logical parts of the message

[CQ]  - originates from the French C'est qui? which means "Who is there?".

DE - another french word, means "From"

K - "Any station please reply."

[KN] - the opposite of K. "I expect an answer from the above mentioned station. If it is not you, stay down and wait your turn."

[SK] - "That was my last message for you, end of the conversation"


ABBREVIATIONS

ABT - "About"

AGN? - "Again, please", "Please repeat"

BTU - "Back to you"  I have finished sending, now it is your turn."

FB - "Fine business"  Your code is clean and I was able to understand it easily.

FER - "For"

GD, GM, GA or GE - "Good day", "Good morning", "Good afternoon", "Good evening".

HPE - "I hope to" 

IOTA - Islands on the Air

CUL - "See you later"

CUAGN - "See you again"

MNI - "Many"

OM - "Old man". Used for all male ham radio operators, regardless of their age. 

POTA - Parks on the Air

RR - "Roger, roger" I was able to decode it correctly.

RX - receiving radio signal

SOTA - Summits on the air

SK - "Straight key"

SK - it could also mean "Silent key" - a deceased morse code operator. 

SKCC - Straight key Century Club

SRI - "Sorry" 

TNX - "Thanks"

TU - "Thank you"

TX - sending radio signal

VY - "Very"

YL - "Young lady". Used for all female ham radio operators, regardless of their age.

XYL - "Ex young lady". The wife of a radio opeator.

WX - "The weather"

73 - Equivalent to "Best regards", "My best wishes", "I wish you all the best", "Cheers"

88 - "Love and kisses". Typically, a male operator sends 73 to all male operators and 88 to all female operators.

44 - used by World Wide Flora and Fauna activators and hunters instead of 73 or 88


 Q-CODES

QTH - "The locations of my station" 

QRL? - "Is the frequency in use?"

QRP - "Low power". Typically 5W for CW and 10W for SSB.

QRO - "High power station". Typically 100W or above.

QRS? - "Would you like me to send slower?"

QRS - "Could you please send slower?", "Slow speed Morse code" 

QRQ - "High speed Morse code"

QRZ? - "Who is calling me?" or "Who is the next station that wants to contact me?" 

QRT - "I am turning off the station". If it comes from a portable operator, it means he is done for the day, he will pack up his gear and head back home or enjoy the rest of his outdoor time with his family :) 

QRM - man-made interference that generates radio-frequency noise and makes it harder or impossible to hear the other stations.

QRN - natural atmosferic radio-frequency noise that interferes with the signal

QSO - a radio contact


HAM SLANG

DX - a remote station or contact with a remote station. The other side of the ocean or the other side of the continent is far enough to be considered a DX

FIELD DAY - the special day of the year when the typically indoor operators operate outdoor

FIST - when someone is sending with a straight key and his rhythm is "unique" or difficult to decode

HAM RADIO - amateur radio

HAM - a radio amateur

HAMFEST - a convention of amateur radio enthusiasts, often combining a trade show, flea market, and various other activities of interest to amateur radio operators

LID - a poor operator.

PILEUP - when many stations try to call one staton at the same time, Their signals overlap and it is hard to distinguish what they say. Imagine a group of people yelling at you their names simultaneously. Or a pack of reporters trying desperately to get the attention of a VIP.

RIG - radio transmitter

TO WORK - to have a radio exchange with. Exemple: I have worked Australia with this antenna.


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