Serious question. What does "73" mean?

I have a stack of "73"mags. I'm not a ham however.
If I was, I of course would know.

Anybody? I know it's a stupid question, but I don't know.

TIA,

Dennis

On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 13:51:26 -0600, Dennis Howdy
wrote:

Serious question. What does "73" mean?

I have a stack of "73"mags. I'm not a ham however.
If I was, I of course would know.

"Best wishes" or something of that nature.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

In article ,
says...


On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 13:51:26 -0600, Dennis Howdy
wrote:

Serious question. What does "73" mean?

I have a stack of "73"mags. I'm not a ham however.
If I was, I of course would know.

"Best wishes" or something of that nature.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.


Yes, but why "73", why not "74", or even "69".


-Dennis

Dennis Howdy wrote:
In article ,
says...


On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 13:51:26 -0600, Dennis Howdy
wrote:

Serious question. What does "73" mean?

I have a stack of "73"mags. I'm not a ham however.
If I was, I of course would know.

"Best wishes" or something of that nature.

Yes, but why "73", why not "74", or even "69".

The American Radio Relay League published, some years back, a list
of frequently-used expressions. These were numbered, so that "Best
Regards; Love and Kisses" could be encoded as "73;88".

"Best Regards" (or whatever it is) just happened to be number 73
in the list.

--
VBScript is designed to be a secure programming environment. It
lacks various commands that can be potentially damaging if used in
a malicious manner. This added security is critical in enterprise
solutions. -- support.microsoft.com

On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 15:29:35 -0600, Dennis Howdy
wrote:


Yes, but why "73", why not "74", or even "69".

When keyed in Morse code it has a certain characterstic 'ring' to it
that few other two-number combinations do. Another one is "VA"
(message ends). Keen CWers will no doubt be able to think of a few
more that fall into that category...
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 23:42:03 +0000, Paul Burridge hath writ:
On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 15:29:35 -0600, Dennis Howdy
wrote:

Yes, but why "73", why not "74", or even "69".

When keyed in Morse code it has a certain characterstic 'ring' to it
that few other two-number combinations do. Another one is "VA"
(message ends). Keen CWers will no doubt be able to think of a few
more that fall into that category...

"HI" comes to mind...."it has a certain characterstic 'ring' to it."

It does not mean 'Hello'. It is the telegrapher's _laugh_.

Jonesy
--
| Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | OS/2
| Gunnison, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | linux __
| 7,703' -- 2,345m | config.com | DM68mn SK

On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 23:42:03 +0000, Paul Burridge hath writ:
On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 15:29:35 -0600, Dennis Howdy
wrote:

Yes, but why "73", why not "74", or even "69".

When keyed in Morse code it has a certain characterstic 'ring' to it
that few other two-number combinations do. Another one is "VA"
(message ends). Keen CWers will no doubt be able to think of a few
more that fall into that category...

"HI" comes to mind...."it has a certain characterstic 'ring' to it."

It does not mean 'Hello'. It is the telegrapher's _laugh_.

Jonesy
--
| Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | OS/2
| Gunnison, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | linux __
| 7,703' -- 2,345m | config.com | DM68mn SK

We sign with SK at the end of a CW QSO. Not VA.

SK: ... _._

VA: ..._ ._

They sound very similar.

73 is used because of the way it sounds....

dah dah di di dit di di dit dah dah

dit dit

"Paul Burridge" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 15:29:35 -0600, Dennis Howdy
wrote:


Yes, but why "73", why not "74", or even "69".

When keyed in Morse code it has a certain characterstic 'ring' to it
that few other two-number combinations do. Another one is "VA"
(message ends). Keen CWers will no doubt be able to think of a few
more that fall into that category...
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

In article k.net, "Brian"
writes:

We sign with SK at the end of a CW QSO. Not VA.



SK: ... _._

VA: ..._ ._

They sound very similar.

Actually, the letters in prosigns are run together:

....-.-

didididahdidah

That's why you see the SK or VA written with a bar overline in books on the
subject.

It's actually a contracted version of the American Morse "30" meaning "end of
work, no more to follow".

73 is used because of the way it sounds....

dah dah di di dit di di dit dah dah


Except it doesn't sound that way in American Morse, where its use originated.
That rhythm is one reason it stayed popular among radio operators but the true
origin is the old land wire number code lists.

73 de Jim, N2EY

In article k.net, "Brian"
writes:

We sign with SK at the end of a CW QSO. Not VA.



SK: ... _._

VA: ..._ ._

They sound very similar.

Actually, the letters in prosigns are run together:

....-.-

didididahdidah

That's why you see the SK or VA written with a bar overline in books on the
subject.

It's actually a contracted version of the American Morse "30" meaning "end of
work, no more to follow".

73 is used because of the way it sounds....

dah dah di di dit di di dit dah dah


Except it doesn't sound that way in American Morse, where its use originated.
That rhythm is one reason it stayed popular among radio operators but the true
origin is the old land wire number code lists.

73 de Jim, N2EY