| Signal | Question | Answer, Advice, or Order |
|---|---|---|
| QRG | Will you indicate my exact frequency in kilocycles? | Your frequency is … kc. |
| QRH | Does my frequency vary? | Your frequency varies. |
| QRI | How is the tone of my transmission? | The tone of your transmission is … |
| QRJ | Are you receiving me badly? Are my signals weak? | I cannot receive you. Your signals are too weak. |
| QRK | What is the legibility of my signals (1 to 5)? | The legibility of your signals is … (1 to 5). |
| QRL | Are you busy? | I am busy (or busy with….). Please do not interfere. |
| QRM | Are you being interfered with? | I am being interfered with. |
| QRN | Are you troubled by static? | I am troubled by static. |
| QRO | Must I increase power? | Increase power. |
| QRP | Must I decrease power? | Decrease power. |
| QRQ | Must I send faster? | Send faster … (words per min.). |
| QRRR | Official A.R.R.L. “land SOS.” A distress call for emergency use only. | |
| QRS | Must I send more slowly? | Transmit more slowly … (w.p.m.). |
| QRT | Must I stop transmission? | Stop transmission. |
| QRU | Have you anything for me? | I have nothing for you. |
| QRV | Are you ready? | I am ready. |
| QRW | Must I advise … that you are calling him on … kc? | Please advise … that I am calling him on … kc. |
| QRX | When will you call again? | I will call you again at … hours (on … kc.). |
| QRZ | By whom am I being called? | You are being called by … |
| QSA | What is the strength of my signals (1 to 5)? | The strength of your signals is … (1 to 5). |
| QSB | Does the strength of my signals vary? | The strength of your signals varies. |
| QSD | Is my keying correct? Are my signals distinct? | Your keying is incorrect; your signals are bad. |
| QSG | Must I transmit … telegrams (or one telegram) at a time? | Transmit … telegrams (or one telegram) at a time. |
| QSG | Must I transmit … telegrams (or one telegram) at a time? | Transmit … telegrams (or one telegram) at a time. |
| QSK | Shall I continue the transmission of all my traffic? | I can hear you between my signals. Continue: I shall interrupt you if necessary. |
| QSL | Can you acknowledge receipt? | I am acknowledging receipt. |
| QSM | hall I repeat the last telegram I sent you? | Repeat the last telegram you sent me. |
| QSO | Can you communicate with … directly (or through…)? | I can communicate with … direct (or through…). |
| QSP | Will you relay to …? | I will relay to … free of charge. |
| QST | General call preceeding a message address to all amateurs and A.R.R.L. Members. This is in effect “CQ ARRL”. | |
| QSV | Shall I send a series of VVV….? | Send a series of VVV. |
| QSX | Will you listen for … (call sign) on … kcs? | I am listening for … on … kcs. |
| QSY | Shall I change to … kilocycles without changing the type of wave? | Change to … kc. without changing type of wave. |
| QSZ | Shall I send each word or group twice? | Send each word or group twice. |
| QTA | Shall I cancel nr … as if it had not been sent? | Cancel nr … as if it had not been sent. |
| QTB | Do you agree with my word count? | I do not agree with your word count; I shall repeat the first letter of each word and the first figure of each number. |
| QTC | How many telegrams have you to send? | I have … telegrams for you or for …. |
| QTH | What is your position (location)? | My position (location) is …. |
| QTR | What is the exact time? | The exact time is …. |
| QLE | What is your expected signal? | The expected signal is low… |
| QNI | May I join the net? | You may check in… |
| QRA | What is the name (or call sign) of your station? | The name (or call sign) of my station is … |
| QRG | Will you tell me my exact frequency (or that of …)? | Your exact frequency (or that of … ) is … kHz (or MHz). |
| QRH | Does my frequency vary? | Your frequency varies. |
| QRI | How is the tone of my transmission? | The tone of your transmission is (1. Good; 2. Variable; 3. Bad) |
| QRJ | How many voice contacts do you want to make? | I want to make … voice contacts. |
| QRK | What is the readability of my signals (or those of …)? | The readability of your signals (or those of …) is … (1 to 5). |
| QRL | Are you busy? | I am busy. (or I am busy with … ) Please do not interfere. |
| QRM | Do you have interference? [from other stations] I have interference. | |
| QRN | Are you troubled by static? | I am troubled by static. |
| QRO | Shall I increase power? | Increase power. |
| QRP | Shall I decrease power? | Decrease power. |
| QRQ | Shall I send faster? | Send faster (… wpm) |
| QRS | Shall I send more slowly? | Send more slowly (… wpm) |
| QRT | Shall I cease or suspend operation?/ shutoff the radio I am suspending operation. /shutting off the radio | |
| QRU | Have you anything for me? | I have nothing for you. |
| QRV | Are you ready? | I am ready. |
| QRW | Shall I inform … that you are calling him on … kHz (or MHz)? | Please inform … that I am calling him on … kHz (or MHz). |
| QRX | Shall I standby / When will you call me again? | Please standby / I will call you again at … (hours) on … kHz (or MHz) |
| QRZ | Who is calling me? | You are being called by … on … kHz (or MHz) |
| QSA | What is the strength of my signals (or those of … )? | The strength of your signals (or those of …) is … (1 to 5). |
| QSB | Are my signals fading? | Your signals are fading. |
| QSD | Is my keying defective? | Your keying is defective. |
| QSG | Shall I send … telegrams (messages) at a time? | Send … telegrams (messages) at a time. |
| QSK | Can you hear me between your signals? | I can hear you between my signals. |
| QSL | Can you acknowledge receipt? | I am acknowledging receipt. |
| QSM | Shall I repeat the last telegram (message) which I sent you | |
| QSN | Did you hear me (or … (call sign)) on .. kHz (or MHz)? | I did hear you (or … (call sign)) on … kHz (or MHz). |
| QSO | Can you communicate with … direct or by relay? | I can communicate with … direct (or by relay through …). |
| QSP | Will you relay a message to …? | I will relay a message to … . |
| QSR | Do you want me to repeat my call? | Please repeat your call; I did not hear you. |
| QSS | What working frequency will you use? | I will use the working frequency … kHz (or MHz). |
| QST | Here is a broadcast message to all amateurs. | |
| QSU | Shall I send or reply on this frequency (or on … kHz (or MHz))? | Send or reply on this frequency (or on … kHz (or MHz)). |
| QSW | Will you send on this frequency (or on … kHz (or MHz))? | I am going to send on this frequency (or on … kHz (or MHz)). |
| QSX | Will you listen to … (call sign(s) on … kHz (or MHz))? | I am listening to … (call sign(s) on … kHz (or MHz)) |
| QSY | Shall I change to transmission on another frequency? | Change to transmission on another frequency (or on … kHz (or MHz)). |
| QSZ | Shall I send each word or group more than once? | Send each word or group twice (or … times). |
| QTA | Shall I cancel telegram (message) No. … as if it had not been sent? | Cancel telegram (message) No. … as if it had not been sent. |
| QTC | How many telegrams (messages) have you to send? | I have … telegrams (messages) for you (or for …). |
| QTH | What is your position in latitude and longitude (or according to any other indication)? | My position is … latitude…longitude |
| QTR | What is the correct time? | The correct time is … hours |
| QTU | At what times are you operating? | I am operating from … to … hours. |
| QTX | Will you keep your station open for further communication with me until further notice (or until … hours)? | I will keep my station open for further communication with you until further notice (or until … hours). |
| QUA | Have you news of … (call sign)? | Here is news of … (call sign). |
| QUC | What is the number (or other indication) of the last message you received from me (or from … (call sign))? | The number (or other indication) of the last message I received from you (or from … (call sign)) is … |
| QUD | Have you received the urgency signal sent by … (call sign of mobile station)? | I have received the urgency signal sent by … (call sign of mobile station) at … hours. |
| QUE | Can you speak in … (language) – with interpreter if necessary; if so on what frequencies? | I can speak in … (language) on … kHz (or MHz). |
| QUF | Have you received the distress signal sent by … (call sign of mobile station)? | I have received the distress signal sent by … (call sign of mobile station) at … hours. |
| QAA | -unassigned- | |
| ZBM | Place…on watch on this frequency: 1) a qualified speed-key operator. 2) a competent operator. |
|
| QAC | -unassigned- | |
| QAD | -unassigned- | |
| QAE | -unassigned- |
Without quoting the introduction to the ACP131(B) it will be obvious that the meanings of these signals are much more formal than the abbreviated meanings of the same signals as adapted and used by amateurs.
My reason for “publishing” these meanings is partly nostalgic and partly for the unintentional humour some of them seem to engender, for me at least. Who can resist a smile at QAK, QAM, QAZ, QCS and QCY. QAU could also be employed quite effectively by amateurs without any modification in certain delicate situations. i.e. QRX5 QAU.
I doubt if any of the Aeronautical signals are used anywhere today, but I assume the meanings still stand. If anyone has available any meanings for those marked -unassigned- I would like to hear from them. Reports of errors or omissions will be not be resented.
I would also like to hear from anyone who has a full and authentic listing of the Cable & Wireless Z-code which had such gems as ZNN…End of Work; ZAN…Can hear absolutely nothing; ZMO…Wait a mo’ etc.
If I have time, I may compile a list of the Allied Z-code, although it would probably only be of passing interest. (Even though ZBM2 could perhaps be used to inflict some pain in certain circumstances).
The documents are all in plain ASCII text, each page being 65 lines in length and restricted to 75 columns maximum. Each page number is followed by a form-feed (ASCII decimal 12).
E&OE of course.
73 de Jim, G4RGA
Packet: GB7TJF.#45.GBR.EU
E-Mail: jayemd@cix.compulink.co.uk
10 September 1995
last modified at 2016-06-29 14:48