[KB6NU] CW Geeks Guide to Having Fun With Morse Code: Q-Signals
 

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CW Geeks Guide to Having Fun With Morse Code: Q-Signals

Posted: 30 Oct 2014 01:00 PM PDT
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Below, are the most commonly used Q-signals in amateur radio. There are
many more, and you can find many sites on the Internet that list them all.
Many of them are no longer in use in amateur radio, or are only used when
formal message traffic is being passed, or are for other purposes, notably
aviation. Ive left those off this list because you rarely, if ever, hear
them being used on the air.Â*

Youll note that in many cases, we no longer use a Q-signal exactly as
intended. When this is the case, Ive tried to explain the current usage. I
think that this is something thats missing from most of the Q-signal lists,
even those published by amateur radio operators.

As with the abbreviation list, if Ive left off your favorite Q-signal, let
me know.

QRG ____ / QRG?
Your frequency is ____. / Whats my exact frequency?
QRL / QRL?
I am busy. / Are you busy?

The most common usage for this Q-signal is to ask if a frequency is in use
before beginning to call CQ or another station. The station wishing to use
the frequency sends QRL? If the frequency is in use, the station using the
frequency, should send QRL or simply C.
QRM / QRM?
You are being interfered with. / Is my transmission being interfered with?

QRM is often used (incorrectly) as a noun. For example, someone might send,
LOTS OF QRM TONITE.
QRN / QRN?
You are being troubled by static or atmospheric noise. / Are you troubled
by static or atmospheric noise?

Like QRM, QRN is often misused as a noun. For example, someone might send,
LOTS OF QRN ON THE BAND TONITE.
QRO / QRO?
I will increase power. / Shall I increase transmitter power?

Often, QRO is used as an adjective. For example, someone might send, I AM
QRO NW, meaning that his transmitter is running a significant amount of
power, usually more than the 100 W, typical of todays transceivers.
QRP / QRP?
I will decrease power. / Shall I decrease transmitter power?

QRP is most often used as an adjective. If someone says, RIG HR IS QRP,
what they mean is that the power output of the transmitter is 5 W or less.
To qualify for the QRP category of most contests your transmitter output
power must be 5 W or less.
QRQ / QRQ?
Send faster. / Shall I send faster?
QRS / QRS?
Send slower. / Shall I send slower?

Feel free to use this Q-signal should you get into a contact with someone
who is sending faster than you can receive. The courteous thing to do is
for the faster operator to slow down when requested to do so.
QRT / QRT?
Stop sending. / Shall I stop sending?

Common amateur usage is a little different than the original meaning. When
someone sends MUST QRT or WILL QRT ON NXT XMSN they mean that they are
going to go off the air.
QRU / QRU?
I have nothingÂ*for you. / Do you have anything for me?

Sometimes youll hear stations say, I AM QRU. What this means is that unless
you have something further, they wish to end the contact. They probably
also mean this if they send QRU?
QRV / QRV?
I am ready. / Are you ready?

Originally, this meant that a station was ready to copy a message.
Nowadays, it means that they are ready to get on the air.
QRZ ____ / QRZ?
____ is calling you. / Who is calling me?

In contests or DX operation, a station will often send QRZ? to denote that
hes finished with one contact and will begin listening for other stations.
This is a little different than the original meaning.
QSB / QSB?
Your signals are fading. / Are my signals fading?

Like QRM and QRN, QSB is often used as a noun (instead of the word fading)
even sometimes as an adjective. For example, someone might say, THE BAND IS
VY QSB TONITE.
QSK / QSK?
I can work break-in. / Can you work break-in?

Stations that have break-in capability switch rapidly from transmit to
receive even between individual dits and dahs. That allows the receiving
station to break in in the middle of a transmission. When this happens, the
transmitting station should stop sending to allow the receiving station to
make a comment. In practice, few operators actually do this, though.
QSL / QSL?
I acknowledge receipt. / Can you acknowledge receipt?

QSL was originally meant to be used to acknowledge receipt of a formal
message. Now, it is often used to denote that a transmission was received,
whether or not it contained a formal message. We also use it as an
adjective, as in QSL card. A QSL card acknowledges that we had a contact
with the station to whom we sent the card.
QSO___ / QSO___?
I can communicate with ___ directly. / Can you communicate with ___
directly?

QSO was often used in the early days of amateur radio when the range of a
station was limited and stations relayed messages from one to another.
Nowadays, we mostly use QSO as a noun, meaning a contact with another
station.
QSY / QSY?
I will change frequency. / Shall I change frequency?
QTH / QTH?
My location is. / What is your location?

You often hear QTH used as a noun. People often send QTH IS XXXX. While not
an egregious use of this Q-signal, it is incorrect.


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