Q-Codes and Abbreviations
for Amateur Radio

Q-Codes

1. Certain Q code abbreviations may be given an affirmative or negative sense by sending YES or NO respectively, immediately following the abbreviation.

2. The meanings assigned to Q code abbreviations may be amplified or completed by the addition of other appropriate groups, call signs, place names, figures, numbers, etc. It is optional to fill in the blanks shown in parentheses. Any data which are filled in where blanks appear shall be sent in the same order as shown in the text of the following tables.

3. Q code abbreviations are given the form of a question when followed by a question mark. When an abbreviation is used as a question and is followed by additional or complementary information, the question mark should follow this information.

4. Q code abbreviations with numbered alternative significations shall be followed by the appropriate figure to indicate the exact meaning intended. This figure shall be sent immediately following the abbreviation.

5. All times shall be given in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) unless otherwise indicated in the question or reply.

 

  Question ? Answer or Advice
QRA What is the name of your station? The name of my station is ...
QRB How far approximately are you from my station? The approximate distance between our stations is ... nautical miles (or km).
QRC By what private enterprise (or state administration) are the accounts for charges for your station settled? The accounts for charges of my station are settled by the private enterprise ... (or state administration).
QRD Where are you bound for and where are you from? I am bound for ... from ...
QRE What is your estimated time of arrival at ... (or over ...) (place)? My estimated time of arrival at ... (or over ...) (place) is ... hours.
QRF Are you returning to ... (place)? I am returning to ... (place).
or
Return to ... (place).
QRG Will you tell me my exact frequency (or that of ...)? Your exact frequency (or that of ...) is ... kHz (or MHz).
QRH Does my frequency vary? Your frequency varies.
QRI How is the tone of my transmission? The tone of your transmission is ...
1. good
2. variable
3. bad.
QRJ How many radiotelephone calls have you to book? I have ... radiotelephone calls to book.
QRK What is the intelligibility of my signals (or those of ...)? The intelligibility of your signals (or those of ...) is ...
1. bad
2. poor
3. fair
4. good
5. excellent.
QRL Are you busy? I am busy (or I am busy with ...). Please do not interfere.
QRM Are you being interfered with? I am being interfered with.
QRN Are you troubled by static? I am troubled by static
(1. nil
2. slightly
3. moderately
4. severely
5. extremely).
QRO Shall I increase transmitter power? Increase transmitter power.
QRP Shall I decrease transmitter power? Decrease transmitter power.
QRQ Shall I send faster? Send faster (... words per minute).
QRR Are you ready for automatic operation? I am ready for automatic operation. Send at ... words per minute.
QRS Shall I send more slowly? Send more slowly (... words per minute).
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.
QRW Shall I inform ... that you are calling him on ... kHz (or MHz)? Please inform ... that I am calling him on ... kHz (or MHz).
QRX When will you call me again? I will call you again at ... hours (on ... kHz (or MHz)).
QRY What is my turn?
(Relates to communication).
Your turn is Number ... (or according to any other indication).
(Relates to communication).
QRZ Who is calling me? You are being called by ... (on ... kHz (or MHz)).
QSA What is the strength of my signals (or those of ...)? The strength of your signals (or those of ...) is
1. scarcely perceptible
2. weak
3. fairly good
4. good
5. very good.
QSB Are my signals fading? Your signals are fading.
QSD Is my keying defective? Your keying is defective. [AP13]
QSH Are you able to home on your direction-finding equipment? I am able to home on my D/F equipment (on station ...).
QSI Are you able to break in on my transmission? I have been unable to break in on your transmission.
or
Will you inform ... (call sign) that I have been unable to break in on his transmission (on ... kHz (or MHz)).
QSK Can you hear me between your signals and if so can I break in on your transmission? I can hear you between my signals; break in on my transmission.
QSL Can you acknowledge receipt? I am acknowledging receipt.
QSM Shall I repeat the last transmission? Repeat the last transmission.
QSN Did you hear me (or ... (call sign)) on ... kHz (or MHz)? I did hear you (or ... (call sign)) on ... kHz (or MHz).
QSO Can you communicate with ... direct (or by relay)? I can communicate with ... direct (or by relay through ...).
QSP Will you relay to ... ? I will relay to ... .
QSR Shall I repeat the call on the calling frequency? Repeat your call on the calling frequency; did not hear you (or have interference).
QSS What working frequency will you use? I will use the working frequency ... kHz (or MHz) (in the HF bands normally only the last three figures of the frequency need be given).
QSU Shall I send or reply on this frequency (or on ... kHz (or MHz)) (with emissions of class ...)? Send or reply on this frequency (or on ... kHz (or MHz)) (with emissions of class ...).
QSV Shall I send a series of Vs on this frequency (or on ... kHz (or MHz))? Send a series of Vs on this frequency (or on ... kHz (or MHz)).
QSW Will you send on this frequency (or on ... kHz (or MHz)) (with emissions of class ...)? I am going to send on this frequency (or on ... kHz (or MHz)) (with emissions of class ...).
QSX Will you listen to ... (call sign(s)) on ... kHz (or MHz)? I am listening to ... (call sign(s)) on ... kHz (or MHz). [AP13]
QSY Shall I change to transmission on another frequency? Change to transmission on another frequency (or on ... kHz (or MHz)).
QSZ Shall I send each word or group more than once? Send each word or group twice (or ... times).
QTH What is your location? My position is ... latitude, ... longitude (or according to any other indication).

 

Abbreviations

These are of much more use to CW operators. They save time by reducing the number of characters to send to get a message over.

The more commonly used abbreviations have been highlighted.

ABT About
AGN Again
ANT Antenna
BK Break
CPI Copy
CPY Copy
CQ General Call
CUL See You Later
CW Continuous Wave
DE From
DR Dear
EL Element
ES And
FB Fine Business
FER For
FM From
GA Good Afternoon
GD Good Day
GE Good Evening
GM Good Morning
HPE Hope
HVE Have
HW How
K Invitation to Transmit
MNI Many
MSG Message
NW Now
OC Old Chap
OM Old Man
OP Operator
PSE Please
PWR Power
R Receive, Copied All
RPRT Report
RST Readability
RX Receiver
SIG Signal
SRI Sorry
TEMP Temperature
TKS Thanks
TNX Thanks
TU Thank You
TX Transmitter
TXR Transceiver
UR Your
VERT Vertical
VY Very
WID With
WX Weather
XYL Wife (ex Young Lady)
YL Young Lady
 
73 Best Wishes
88 Love and Kisses

 

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