CW abbreviation · Connectors
BTW in Morse code
Casual rag-chew interjection. Same meaning as the texting abbreviation.
Morse rendering
-... - .--
Sent letter-by-letter with standard inter-letter gaps.
What it saves you on the air
This is the whole reason CW abbreviations exist. Sending BTW instead of spelling out “By the way” cuts 70% of the airtime — 62 dot-units of keying saved every time you send it.
| Speed | BTW | “By the way” | Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 WPM | 2.5s | 8.2s | 5.7s |
| 20 WPM | 1.6s | 5.3s | 3.7s |
| 25 WPM | 1.3s | 4.3s | 3.0s |
Timed with standard spacing: dit 1 unit, dah 3, letter gap 3, word gap 7. Work out any other speed on the timing calculator.
Meaning
BTW — By the way
When this is used
Predates the texting era — has been used on CW since the 1950s. Rare in contests, common in casual rag-chews.
Examples
| On the air | Plain English |
|---|---|
| BTW UR FB OP | By the way, you're a fine operator. |
| BTW MY 2ND QSO TDY | By the way, this is my second QSO today. |
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