Q code

The Q-code is a standardized collection of three-letter codes that each start with the letter "Q". It is an operating signal initially developed for commercial radiotelegraph communication and later adopted by other radio services, especially amateur radio. To distinguish the use of a Q-code transmitted as a question from the same Q-code transmitted as a statement, it is suffixed with the standard Morse question mark UD (dit dit dah dah dit dit).

Although Q-codes were created when radio used Morse code exclusively, they continue to be employed after the introduction of voice transmissions and are commonly used on CW (Morse code), digital, and, to a lesser extent, phone modes in amateur radio. To avoid confusion, regulations are in place that prevent call signs containing Q codes from being issued.

Used in their formal question / answer sense, the meaning of a Q-code varies depending on whether the individual Q-code is sent as a question or an answer. For example, the message "QRP?" means "Shall I decrease transmitter power?", and a reply of "QRP" means "Yes, decrease your transmitter power", whereas an unprompted statement "QRP" means "Please decrease your transmitter power". It is more common, however, for them to be used informally; "QRP" is often used as an adjective meaning "low power," such as in the phrase "QRP transmitter." "QRM" literally means "Do you have interference?" or "I have interference," but is often used as a noun simply referring to interference itself, as in "I have QRM making it hard to hear you."

Codes

QRA

Question: What is the name (or call sign) of your station?

Statement: The name (or call sign) of my station is ____

QRG

Question: Will you tell me my exact frequency (or that of ____)?

Statement: Your exact frequency (or that of ____ ) is ____ kHz (or MHz).

QRH

Question: Does my frequency vary?

Statement: Your frequency varies.

QRI

Question: How is the tone of my transmission?

Statement: The tone of your transmission is (1. Good; 2. Variable; 3. Bad)

QRJ

Question: How many voice contacts do you want to make?

Statement: I want to make ____ voice contacts.

QRK

Question: What is the readability of my signals (or those of ____)?

Statement: The readability of your signals (or those of ____) is ____ (1 to 5).

QRL

Question: Are you busy?

Statement: I am busy (in contact with ____ ). Please do not interfere.

QRM

Question: Do you have interference?

Statement: I have interference.

Colloquial usage: noun interference, particularly human-caused

QRN

Question: Are you troubled by static?

Statement: I am troubled by static.

Colloquial usage: noun static; natural noise

QRO

Question: Shall I increase power?

Statement: Increase power.

Colloquial usage: adjective high-power

QRP

Question: Shall I decrease power?

Statement: Decrease power.

Colloquial usage: adjective low-power (usually less than 5 W)

QRQ

Question: Shall I send faster?

Statement: Send faster (____ WPM).

Colloquial usage: adjective fast (in Morse code)

QRS

Question: Shall I send more slowly?

Statement: Send more slowly (____ WPM).

Colloquial usage: adjective slow (in Morse code)

QRT

Question: Shall I cease or suspend operation? / shutoff the radio?

Statement: I am suspending operation / shutting off the radio.

QRU

Question: Have you anything for me?

Statement: I have ____ messages for you.

QRV

Question: Are you ready?

Statement: I am ready.

Colloquial usage: adjective on the air (e.g. of DXpeditions)

QRW

Question: Shall I inform ____ that you are calling (him) on ____ kHz (or MHz)?

Statement: Please inform ____ that I am calling (him) on ____ kHz (or MHz).

QRX

Question: Shall I standby? / When will you call me again?

Statement: Please standby / I will call you again at ____ (hours) on ____ kHz (or MHz)

QRZ

Question: Who is calling me?

Statement: You are being called by ____ on ____ kHz (or MHz)

Colloquial usage: noun QRZ.com, a popular online call sign database

QSA

Question: What is the strength of my signals (or those of ____ )?

Statement: The strength of your signals (or those of ____) is ____ (1 to 5).

QSB

Question: Are my signals fading?

Statement: Your signals are fading.

QSD

Question: Is my keying defective?

Statement: Your keying is defective.

QSG

Question: Shall I send ____ telegrams (messages) at a time?

Statement: Send ____ telegrams (messages) at a time.

QSK

Question: Can you hear me between your signals?

Statement: I can hear you between my signals.

Colloquial usage: noun full break-in, a feature of CW transceivers that allows a transmitting station to hear another station when the key is up by rapidly switching the receiver back on momentarily during breaks in transmission

QSL

Question: Can you acknowledge receipt?

Statement: I will acknowledge receipt.

Colloquial usage: QSL cards are named after this code.

QSM

Question: Shall I repeat the last telegram (message) which I sent you, or some previous telegram (message)?

Statement: Repeat the last telegram (message) which you sent me (or telegram(s) / message(s) numbers(s) ____ ).

QSN

Question: Did you hear me (or ____ (call sign)) on ____ kHz (or MHz)?

Statement: I did hear you (or ____ (call sign)) on ____ kHz (or MHz).

QSO

Question: Can you communicate with ____ direct or by relay?

Statement: I can communicate with ____ direct (or by relay through ____ ).

Colloquial usage: noun an amateur radio contact

QSP

Question: Will you relay a message to ____ ?

Statement: I will relay a message to ____ .

QSR

Question: Do you want me to repeat my call?

Statement: Please repeat your call; I did not hear you.

QSS

Question: What working frequency will you use?

Statement: I will use the working frequency ____ kHz (or MHz).

QST

Question: Should I repeat the prior message to all amateurs I contact?

Statement: Here follows a broadcast message to all amateurs.

Colloquial usage: The ARRL's magazine, QST, is named after this code.

QSU

Question: Shall I send or reply on this frequency (or on ____ kHz (or MHz))?

Statement: Send or reply on this frequency (or on ____ kHz (or MHz)).

QSW

Question: Will you send on this frequency (or on ____ kHz (or MHz))?

Statement: I am going to send on this frequency (or on ____ kHz (or MHz)).

QSX

Question: Will you listen to ____ (call sign(s) on ____ kHz (or MHz))?

Statement: I am listening to ____ (call sign(s) on ____ kHz (or MHz))

QSY

Question: Shall I change to transmission on another frequency?

Statement: Change to transmission on another frequency (or on ____ kHz (or MHz)).

Colloquial usage: verb to change frequency (or, sometimes, to move physically)

QSZ

Question: Shall I send each word or group more than once?

Statement: Send each word or group twice (or ____ times).

QTA

Question: Shall I cancel telegram (message) number ____ as if it had not been sent?

Statement: Cancel telegram (message) number ____ as if it had not been sent.

QTC

Question: How many telegrams (messages) have you to send?

Statement: I have ____ telegrams (messages) for you (or for ____ ).

QTH

Question: What is your position in latitude and longitude? (or according to any other indication)

Statement: My position is ____ latitude ____ longitude.

Colloquial usage: noun current location

QTR

Question: What is the correct time?

Statement: The correct time is ____ hours UTC.

QTU

Question: At what times are you operating?

Statement: I am operating from ____ to ____ hours.

QTX

Question: Will you keep your station open for further communication with me until further notice (or until ____ hours)?

Statement: I will keep my station open for further communication with you until further notice (or until ____ hours).

QUA

Question: Have you news of ____ (call sign)?

Statement: Here is news of ____ (call sign).

QUC

Question: What is the number (or other indication) of the last message you received from me (or from ____ (call sign))?

Statement: The number (or other indication) of the last message I received from you (or from ____ (call sign)) is ____.

QUD

Question: Have you received the urgency signal sent by ____ (call sign of mobile station)?

Statement: I have received the urgency signal sent by ____ (call sign of mobile station) at ____ hours.

QUE

Question: Can you speak in ____ (language) – with interpreter if necessary – if so, on what frequencies?

Statement: I can speak in ____ (language) on ____ kHz (or MHz).

QUF

Question: Have you received the distress signal sent by ____ (call sign of mobile station)?

Statement: I have received the distress signal sent by ____ (call sign of mobile station) at ____ hours.

Copyright

Copyright © 2002-2023 Wikipedia contributors. See the edit history of "Q code" on Wikipedia up to and including 19 January 2023.

Copyright © 2023 Pelican Bay Amateur Radio Club Wiki contributors. See the edit history of "Q_code" on the PBARC Wiki up to and including 1 March 2022.