CW abbreviation · Greetings & sign-off
GN in Morse code
Standard CW closing for late-night QSOs.
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 GN instead of spelling out “Good night” cuts 82% of the airtime — 76 dot-units of keying saved every time you send it.
| Speed | GN | “Good night” | Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 WPM | 1.6s | 8.6s | 7.0s |
| 20 WPM | 1.0s | 5.6s | 4.6s |
| 25 WPM | 0.8s | 4.5s | 3.6s |
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
GN — Good night
When this is used
Used as a goodbye when one or both operators are signing off for sleep. Often paired with '73' or 'SK' (end of contact).
Examples
| On the air | Plain English |
|---|---|
| GN 73 SK | Good night, best regards, signing off. |
| GN TU OM | Good night, thank you sir. |
Keep reading