CW abbreviation · People
YL in Morse code
Generic term for any female amateur operator. Age-neutral, like OM.
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 YL instead of spelling out “Young lady” cuts 77% of the airtime — 82 dot-units of keying saved every time you send it.
| Speed | YL | “Young lady” | Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 WPM | 2.3s | 9.9s | 7.6s |
| 20 WPM | 1.5s | 6.4s | 4.9s |
| 25 WPM | 1.2s | 5.1s | 3.9s |
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
YL — Young lady (female op)
When this is used
Some YLs prefer first-name address on the air rather than the YL/XYL distinction; pay attention to how they sign and reciprocate.
Examples
| On the air | Plain English |
|---|---|
| YL OP HR SARAH | The operator here is a YL, Sarah. |
| 73 YL | Best regards to you. |
Sending YL
| Letter | Morse | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Y | -.-- | 13 |
| L | .-.. | 9 |
With the normal three-unit gaps between letters, YL is 25 units long. It is sent as ordinary letters, not joined like a prosign.
| Speed | 5 WPM | 13 WPM | 20 WPM | 25 WPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time to send | 6.00 s | 2.31 s | 1.50 s | 1.20 s |
What the references say
In the CWops abbreviation list, published by the CW Operators' Club, YL is young lady — originally an unmarried female operator, now used for any female operator.
It is amateur usage only and does not appear in the ITU lists.
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