Special Vocabulary
and Abbreviations
Often used in Ham Radio
73
Best Regards
CQ
Calling Any Station – Is there anybody out there?
CW
Continues Wave – Morse Code Telegraphy
DE
(Morse Code) – “From” or “This Is”
DX
Distance, esp. Foreign Countries
HF
High Frequency – “Shortwave” Band that travels around the world.
HT
Handheld Transceiver – Walkie-Talkie
SK
Silent Key, Euphemism for a deceased Ham
ITU Phonetic Alphabet
| ITU Phonetic Alphabet | ||
|---|---|---|
| Letter | Word | Pronunciation |
| A | Alfa | AL FAH |
| B | Bravo, | BRAH VOH |
| C | Charlie | CHAR LEE |
| D | Delta | DELL TAH |
| E | Echo | ECK OH |
| F | Foxtrot | FOKS TROT |
| G | Golf | GOLF |
| H | Hotel | HOH 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 | ECKS RAY |
| Y | Yankee | YANG KEY |
| Z | Zulu | ZOO LOO |
| Note: The boldfaced syllables are emphasized. | ||
Q-Signals
| Q-Signals | ||
|---|---|---|
| Abbr. | Statement / Question / Description | |
| QRG | Your exact frequency (or that of ______) is _________kHz. | |
| Will you tell me my exact frequency (or that of ________)? | ||
| QRL | I am busy (or I am busy with ______). Are you busy? | |
| Usually used to see if a frequency is busy. | ||
| QRM | Noise – Your transmission is being interfered with ______ | |
| (1. Nil; 2. Slight; 3. Moderate; 4. Severe; 5. Extreme.) | ||
| Is my transmission being interfered with? | ||
| QRN | I am troubled by static ______. (1 to 5 as under QRM.) | |
| Are you troubled by static? | ||
| QRO | Increase power. Shall I increase power? | |
| QRP | Low Power – Decrease power. Shall I decrease power? | |
| QRQ | Send faster (____wpm). Shall I send faster? | |
| QRS | Send more slowly (___wpm). Shall I send more slowly? | |
| QRT | Stop sending. Shall I stop sending? | |
| QRU | I have nothing for you. Have you anything for me? | |
| QRV | I am ready. Are you ready? | |
| QRX | I will call you again at ______hours (on ______kHz). | |
| When will you call me again? Minutes rather than hours. | ||
| QRZ | Who is calling me? or referring to QRZ.com website | |
| You are being called by ______(on ______kHz). | ||
| QSB | Your signals are fading. Are my signals fading? | |
| QSK | I can hear you between signals; and you can: | |
| Break in on my transmission. | ||
| Can you hear me between your signals and: | ||
| If so then can I break in on your transmission? | ||
| QSL | I am acknowledging receipt. or a Post Card sent by mail | |
| Can you acknowledge receipt? | ||
| (of a message or transmission) | ||
| QSO | I can communicate with ______ direct | |
| Contact or Conversation. ( or relay through ______) | ||
| Can you communicate with ______ direct or by relay? | ||
| QSP | I will relay to ______. Will you relay to ______? | |
| QST | General call preceding a message addressed to all | |
| amateur radio operators. This is in effect “CQ ARRL.” | ||
| QSX | I am listening to ______ on ______kHz. | |
| Will you listen to ______ on ______kHz? | ||
| QSY | Change to transmission on another frequency | |
| (or ______ is on ______kHz). | ||
| Shall I change to transmission on another frequency? | ||
| QTC | I have ______ messages for you (or for ______). | |
| How many messages have you to send? | ||
| QTH | My location is ______. What is your location? | |
| QTR | The time is ______. What is the correct time? | |