Q codes, phonetics and signal reports
The dozen Q codes that actually get used, the ITU phonetic alphabet, and how to read an RST report.
7 minute read
Operating language exists because radio is noisy. Every convention here is a solution to a real problem of being misheard.
The ITU phonetic alphabet
Learn it as a block. It is examinable, and you will use it every time you give your callsign.
| A Alfa | B Bravo | C Charlie | D Delta |
| E Echo | F Foxtrot | G Golf | H Hotel |
| I India | J Juliett | K Kilo | L Lima |
| M Mike | N November | O Oscar | P Papa |
| Q Quebec | R Romeo | S Sierra | T Tango |
| U Uniform | V Victor | W Whiskey | X X-ray |
| Y Yankee | Z Zulu |
The classic exam trap: R is Romeo, not Roger. "Roger" is a procedural word meaning "received" — it is not a phonetic letter.
Q codes worth knowing
Q codes started as telegraph shorthand and survive because they are unambiguous. Each can be a question or a statement — "QTH?" asks where you are, "QTH Chennai" tells me.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| QTH | My location is… |
| QRM | Interference from other stations (man-made) |
| QRN | Atmospheric noise, static (natural) |
| QSB | Your signal is fading |
| QSY | Change frequency |
| QSL | I acknowledge receipt / confirmation of contact |
| QSO | A two-way contact |
| QRZ | Who is calling me? |
| QRS | Send more slowly |
| QRQ | Send faster |
| QRT | Stop sending / I am closing down |
| QRV | I am ready |
| QRP | Low power |
| QRO | High power |
The pair most often confused: QRM is other stations, QRN is nature. M for man-made is a workable mnemonic.
RST reports
A signal report has two or three digits.
R — Readability, 1 to 5 1 unreadable · 2 barely readable · 3 readable with difficulty · 4 readable · 5 perfectly readable
S — Strength, 1 to 9 1 barely perceptible · 5 fairly good · 9 extremely strong
T — Tone, 1 to 9 — only for CW, describing the purity of the note.
So "5-9" on voice means perfectly readable and extremely strong. On CW you would give three digits: "5-9-9".
Prosigns
On CW, some characters run together into a single symbol:
- AR (
.-.-.) — end of message - AS (
.-...) — wait - BT (
-...-) — break, new paragraph - SK (
...-.-) — end of contact - KN (
-.--.) — go ahead, named station only - SOS (
...---...) — distress
And two abbreviations you will meet constantly: 73 means best regards (never "73s"), and CQ is a general call to any station.