CW abbreviation · Operating
HW? in Morse code
Asks how well the other station is receiving you. Equivalent to 'how do you read?' on voice.
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 HW? instead of spelling out “How copy?” cuts 83% of the airtime — 94 dot-units of keying saved every time you send it.
| Speed | HW? | “How copy?” | Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 WPM | 1.8s | 10.4s | 8.7s |
| 20 WPM | 1.1s | 6.8s | 5.6s |
| 25 WPM | 0.9s | 5.4s | 4.5s |
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
HW? — How copy?
When this is used
Often answered with an RST and a comment: 'HW?' → 'UR RST 579 SOLID CPY'. A polite check during a borderline-condition QSO.
Examples
| On the air | Plain English |
|---|---|
| HW? | How is your copy? |
| HW CPY? | Same, longer form. |
| UR HW? | How is your reception of me? |
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