CW abbreviation · People
DE in Morse code
The 'this is' separator in a CW call. Always sent between the called station and the calling station.
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 DE instead of spelling out “From / this is” cuts 90% of the airtime — 104 dot-units of keying saved every time you send it.
| Speed | DE | “From / this is” | Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 WPM | 1.0s | 10.6s | 9.6s |
| 20 WPM | 0.7s | 6.9s | 6.2s |
| 25 WPM | 0.5s | 5.5s | 5.0s |
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
DE — From / this is
When this is used
Structure of a CQ: CQ CQ CQ DE [your call] [your call] K. The DE is mandatory because CW has no audible 'this is now me speaking' — DE plays that role.
Examples
| On the air | Plain English |
|---|---|
| CQ DE W1AW | Calling any station, this is W1AW. |
| K1ABC DE W1AW | K1ABC, this is W1AW calling you. |
Keep reading