E. Tiggemann: language of radio operators

radio abbreviations

Beside the radio alphabet to prevent misunderstanding in spelling there is an international arrangement for Q keys, number codes and other abbreviations in ham radio.
These abbreviations shortened the morse telegraph broadcasts.
Well, some of these keys are fine for voice radio, too. In CB radio these keys are used also. But some of them get another meaning, like some words of native language get another meaning in relation to CB radio.

**radio alphabet**
letter	international	german	letter	international	german
A	Alfa	Anton	B	Bravo	Berta
C	Charly	Cäsar	D	Delta	Dora
E	Echo	Emil	F	Foxtrott	Friedrich
G	Golf	Gustav	H	Hotel	Heinrich
I	India	Ida	J	Juliett	Julius
K	Kilo	Kaufmann	L	Lima	Ludwig
M	Mike	Marta	N	November	Nordpol
O	Oskar	Otto	P	Papa	Paula
Q	Quebeck	Quelle	R	Romeo	Richard
S	Sierra	Siegfried	T	Tango	Theodor
U	Uniform	Ulrich	V	Victor	Viktor
W	Whiskey	Wilhelm	X	X-Ray	Xanthippe
Y	Yankee	Ypsilon	Z	Zulu	Zeppelin

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The following Q keys are used in ham radio:

(Source: Fragen und Antworten zur fachlichen Prüfung für Funkamateure,
Fernmeldetechnisches Zentralamt der Deutschen Bundespost,
1988, Druck 11.93)
key	as answer:	as question:
QRA	The name of my radio station is...	What's the name of your radio station?
QRB	The distance between our radio stations is approx. ... nautical miles (or kilometres)	What's the approx. distance between our radio stations?
QRG	Your exact frequency (or the exact frequency of ...) is ... kHz (or MHz)	Would you tell me my exact frequency (or the exact frequency of ...), please?
QRH	Your frequency is oscillating.	Is my frequency oscillating?
QRI	The tone of your broadcast is ... fine oscillating bad	How is the tone of my broadcast?
QRK	The readability of your signals (or the signals of ...) is ... bad poor sufficient fine excellent	How is the readability of my signals (or the sings of ...) ?
QRL	I'm occupied (with ...). Do not disturb, please.	Are you occupied?
QRM	There are ... no little some hard very hard interferences.	Are there interferences?
QRN	There are ... no little some hard very hard atmospherics.	Are there atmospherics?
QRO	Raise your output power, please.	Should I raise my output power?
QRP	Reduce your output power, please.	Should I reduce my output power?
QRQ	Accelerate your signals (... words per minute).	Should I accelerate my signals?
QRS	Give your signals slower (... words per minute).	Should I give my signals slower?
QRT	Stop your broadcast, please.	Should I stop my broadcast?
QRU	I've got nothing for you.	Have you got anything for me?
QRV	I'm ready.	Are you ready?
QRX	I'll call you once again at ... o'clock (at ... kHz (or MHZ)).	When will you call me again?
QRZ	... is calling you (at ... kHZ (or MHz)).	Who is calling me?
QSA	I can copy your signals (or the signals of ...) ... hardly weakly quite well well very well .	Tell me my signal strength (or the signal strength of ...), please?
QSB	Your signal strength is oscillating.	Is my signal strength oscillating?
QSD	Your signals are shortened.	Are my signals shortened?
QSK	I can hear you, while I'm broadcasting. You are allowed to break my broadcast.	Can you hear me, while you're broadcasting? If yes: would you allow me to break your broadcast?
QSL	I'll send you a receipt.	Would you send me a receipt?
QSO	I can work ... directly (or via ...).	Are you able to work ... directly (or via ...)?
QSP	I'll connect you with ... .	Would you connect me with ... ?
QSV	Send a row of V at this frequency (or at ... kHz (or MHz)).	Should I send a row of V at this frequency (or at ... kHz (or MHz))?
QSY	Change your broadcasting frequency (to ... kHz (or MHz)).	Should I change my broadcasting frequency?
QTH	My location is ... degree of latitude, ... degree of logitude (or other description).	Where is your location in latitude and longitude (or other description)?
QTR	It's exactly ... o'clock.	What exactly time is it?

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In addition to this keys there are number codes. CB radio operators are using this codes, too.

code meaning

55 be very successful, many QSOs

73 many greetings

88 love and kisses

99 make yourself scarce!

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The following list of Q keys and terms at 11m radio band is not complete.
Besides there are regional differences in the meaning of this terms.
For the easter part of the Ruhrgebiet (Bochum, Dortmund, Hattingen, Recklinghausen, Sprockhövel, and so on) in Germany the following terms are used:

abbreviation means

QRG frequency, channel

QRL 'L' stands for the german word 'lästig' which means 'annoying'. In this case it's a description for job.

QRM interferences

QRT
(QR Tango, Tango) End of broadcasting

QRV ready, receiver turned on.

QRX
(X, XXX, break) Would you let me talk with you, please?
Somewhere QRX can mean 'please wait'. Then for breaking the QSO to join in you would only use 'break'.

QRZ would you answer, please?

QSL receipt of QSO
This means post cards radio operators mail each other in memory of the QSO.

QSO radio link, radio communication
special case: a face-to-face QSO distracts the one or other operator while having a radio communication. Cause he's talking directly with someone in the same room.

QSP relay broadcasting station
A QSO with three radio stations. Two of them cannot copy each other. The third station connects the 1st and 2nd station.

QTH location

600
(600 Ohm) phone

Alpha wife, girl friend

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E. Tiggemann