Phonetic Alphabet

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 Alpha AL FAH B Bravo BRAH VOH C Charlie CHAR LEE D Delta DELL TAH E Echo ECK OH F Foxtrot FOKS TROT G Golf GAHLF H Hotel HO TELL I India IN DEE AH J Juliet 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

Morse Code

Morse code is a way to encode text through the generation of a carrier wave (CW). It is used to communicate over long distances or with low power (QRP).

You do not need to learn morse code to obtain a radio license or operate an amateur radio station anymore.

The code is composed of 5 elements:

short mark, dot or ‘dit’ (·) — one unit long longer mark, dash or ‘dah’ (–) — three units long intra-character gap (between the dots and dashes within a character) — one unit long short gap (between letters) — three units long medium gap (between words) — seven units long

If you want a morse code Decoder, click here.

Q-Code

These codes were originally developed to shorten transmission times when using CW, but are frequently used in voice transmissions. (eg. I am going to go QRT, thanks for the QSO.)

The QRA…QUZ code range includes phrases applicable to all services and is allocated to the International Telecommunications Union. NATO’s ACP 131(E), COMMUNICATIONS INSTRUCTIONS – OPERATING SIGNALS, March 1997, chapter 2 contains a full list of ‘Q’ codes. Other ‘Q’ code ranges are allocated specifically to aviation or maritime services; many of those codes have fallen into disuse as voice displaces CW in commercial operation.

The Q-code was originally instituted at the Radiotelegraph Convention held in London, 1912 and was intended for marine radiotelegraph use. The codes were based on an earlier list published by the British postmaster general’s office in 1908.[1] More information about the history and usage of Q-codes can be found here.

Code Meaning Sample use Q Codes Commonly Used by Radio Amateurs 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 as a question (QRL? – is this frequency busy?) 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 (As a mode of operation, a QRP station is five watts or less, a QRPp station one watt or less) QRQ Send more quickly TIME SHORT PSE QRQ QRR Temporarily unavailable/away, please wait WILL BE QRR 30 MIN = THAT STN IS QRR NW QRRR Land distress A non-standard call proposed by ARRL for land-based or railroad emergency traffic in situations where response from ships at sea (which listened for SOS) was neither needed nor desired.[2][3] Now deprecated. QRS Send more slowly PSE QRS NEW TO CW (QRS operation – a slower dot rate – is useful during weak-signal conditions; a QRSS mode uses an extremely low code rate on a channel less than 1Hz wide to allow reception under extreme QRP conditions) 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

The RST code, in its original form, is intended for CW operation. On SSB, the final digit (tone) is normally omitted.

Number R – Readability S – Strength T – Tone RST Code Commonly Used by Radio Amateurs 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 filtering frequency 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

In CW operation, individual digits may be abbreviated by substituting as follows: 1 = A, 2 = U, 3 = V, 4 = 4, 5 = E, 6 = 6, 7 = B, 8 = D, 9 = N, 0 = T (for instance, RST 599 could be sent as 5NN – a shorter message in CW). These are referred to as “cut numbers” and are obtained by replacing all of the dashes in a CW digit with a single dash. Cut numbers are not suitable for transmitting data which already contains mixed alphanumerics, such as callsigns.[4]

RSQ code

Often used to describe reception and quality of digital modes such as PSK31

Number R – Readability S – Strength V – Quality RSQ Code Commonly Used by Radio Amateurs 1 0% copy – undecipherable barely perceptible trace splatter over much of the spectrum 2 20% copy -occasional words distinguishable not used not used 3 40% copy – readable with difficulty, many missed characters Weak trace multiple visible pairs 4 80% copy – Readable with no difficulty not used not used 5 95%+ copy – Perfectly readable Moderate trace One easily visible pair 6 not used not used not used 7 not used Strong Trace One barely visible pair 8 not used not used not used 9 not used Very strong trace Clean signal – no visible unwanted sidebars

RSV code for SSTV transmissions

Number R – Readability S – Strength V – Video RSV Code Commonly Used by Radio Amateurs 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

In fast-scan amateur television (ATV), the signal-to-noise ratio is reported as one of:

P0 – all image detail lost P1 – 3-8dB, barely legible P2 – 8-20dB, definitely noisy P3 – 20-35dB, somewhat noisy P4 – 35-45dB, slightly noisy P5 – 45dB+, no discernible noise[5]

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. As a general rule, most operators do not abbreviate unnecessarily, especially when communicating with an operator that they do not know or whose experience is unknown. In contest conditions, abbreviations are common as operators try to gain as many contacts as possible over the competition period.

Abbreviation Meaning Abbreviation Meaning CW Abbreviations AA All After OB Old Boy AB All Before OC Old Chap ABT About OM Old Man ADEE Addressee OP Operator ADR Address OPR Operator 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 Receiver 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 DN Down SVC Service DR Delivered T Zero DX Distance TFC Traffic EL Element TMW Tomorrow ES And TKS & TNX Thanks FB Fine business TR & TX Transmit FER For T/R Transmit/Receive FM Frequency Modulation, From TRIX Tricks GA Go ahead, Good afternoon TT That GB Goodbye, God Bless TTS That is GD Good TU Thank you GE Good Evening TVI Television interference GESS Guess TX Transmitter, Transmit GG Going TXT text GM Good Morning U You GN Good Night UR You’re Your GND Ground URS Yours GUD Good VFB Very Fine Business GV Give VFO Variable Frequency Oscillator HH Error sending VY Very HI HI Laughter W Watts HR Hear WA Word After HV Have WD Word HW How, Copy? WDS Words IMI Repeat, say again WKD Worked LNG long WKG Working LTR Later WPM Words per minute LVG Leaving WRD Word MA & MILLS Milliamperes WX Weather MSG Message TXVR Transceiver N No, Nine XMTR Transmitter NCS Net Control Station XTL Crystal ND Nothing Doing XYL, YF Wife NM No More YL Young Lady NR Number YR Year NW Now, Resume transmission 73 Best Regards

In 1859, Western Union standardized on the “92 code”, a series of telegraphic abbreviations in which numbers (originally 1 to 92) were assigned meanings.[6] (dead link, archive) These were later included as part of the “Philips Code”, a series of abbreviations first published in 1879 by Walter Phillips of the Associated Press for use in the telegraphic transmission of press dispatches.[7]

While most of the codes have fallen into disuse, the form 19 and 31 train orders remained in railroad use long beyond the end of landline telegraphy, the use of ’30’ at the end of a news wire story was continued through the teletypewriter era and the ’73’ and ’88’ greetings remain in use in amateur radiotelegraphy.

Abbreviation Meaning Abbreviation Meaning Western Union codes 1 Wait a minute. 25 Busy on another wire. 2 Very Important. 26 Put on ground wire. 3 What time is it? 27 Priority, very important. 4 Where shall I go ahead? 28 Do you get my writing?. 5 Have you business for me? 29 Private, deliver in sealed envelope. 6 I am ready. 30 No more – the end. 7 Are you ready? 31 Form 31 (permissive) train order. 8 Close your key, stop breaking. 32 I understand that I am to …. 9 Priority business. Wire Chief’s call. 33 The answer is paid. 10 Keep this circuit closed. 34 Message for all officers. 12 Do you understand? 35 You may use my signal to answer this. 13 I understand. 37 Inform all interested. 14 What is the weather? 39 Important, with priority on through wire. 15 For you and others to copy. 44 Answer promptly by wire. 17 Lightning here. 55 Important. 18 What’s the trouble? 73 Best Regards. 19 Form 19 (absolute) train order. 77 I have a message for you. 21 Stop for meal. 88 Love and kisses. 22 Wire test. 91 Superintendent’s signal. 23 All stations copy. 92 Deliver Promptly. 24 Repeat this back. 134 Who is at the key?

Two non-standard codes, rarely-used, were coined within the amateur radiotelegraph service. The Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL) organized in 1939 and quickly coined ’33’ as “Love sealed with mutual respect and friendship between one YL and another YL”.[8] More recently, ’72’ has been used in QRP operation to signify a ’73’ sent with reduced transmitter power.