CW reference · for licensed amateurs
CW operating: where to go, what to send, who to talk to
The bit that almost every introductory site skips. Where CW lives on each band, how to find a slow-speed QSO, the shape of a real on-air contact, and which clubs to join the day after you pass your licence exam.
Where CW lives on each band
CW is technically permitted across the whole exclusive CW/data sub-band on every amateur HF band, but activity actually clusters in the ranges below. QRP is the de-facto worldwide low-power calling frequency — newcomers and slow-speed operators gather there.
| Band | CW activity (MHz) | QRP calling | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160m | 1.800 – 1.840 MHz | 1.810 | Best at night. Antennas are huge — most operators use loops or end-feds. |
| 80m | 3.500 – 3.600 MHz | 3.560 | Regional ragchew band. Heavy QRN in summer. |
| 60m | Channelised (5 channels US) | — | Channelised in most countries; very little CW. Skip for normal CW operating. |
| 40m | 7.000 – 7.125 MHz (US Extra) | 7.030 | The all-rounder. Day local, night DX. Where most new ops first get on the air. |
| 30m | 10.100 – 10.150 MHz | 10.106 | CW + digital only. Reliable propagation; no SSB voice interference. |
| 20m | 14.000 – 14.150 MHz | 14.060 | The DX band. Open across daylight hours. Where the contest action lives. |
| 17m | 18.068 – 18.110 MHz | 18.086 | Quieter than 20m. Excellent for DX without the crowd. |
| 15m | 21.000 – 21.200 MHz | 21.060 | DX band, sun-cycle dependent. |
| 12m | 24.890 – 24.930 MHz | 24.906 | Narrow band. Sometimes spectacular when open. |
| 10m | 28.000 – 28.300 MHz | 28.060 | Pure-magic when the sun cycle is up. Often dead between cycles. |
| 6m | 50.000 – 50.100 MHz | 50.096 | The 'magic band'. Mostly sporadic-E and meteor scatter for CW. |
Frequencies follow the ARRL US band plan and IARU Region 1/2/3 conventions. Always check your country's regulations before transmitting — UK Extras have different sub-band edges than US Extras; some countries restrict the lower edges to higher licence classes.
How to find a slow QSO
Calling CQ at 15 WPM as a brand-new operator into an empty band is demoralising. Better to park on a known slow-speed gathering spot and answer someone else first.
Slow-speed nets and gathering spots
- SKCC Sked Page — the Straight Key Century Club runs the largest slow-speed community on HF. The sked page (visible to members) lets you flag your call as "QRS sked wanted" and find a partner without calling cold. Activity clusters around 1.820, 3.550, 7.055, 14.050, 21.050, 28.050 MHz.
- FISTS CW Club — the original CW friendliness society. Watering-hole frequencies sit ~5 kHz above SKCC: 7.058, 14.058, 21.058, 28.058 MHz. FISTS runs scheduled slow-speed nets on most continents — check their site for current times.
- CWops CW Academy (CWA) — eight-week structured online course (free; multiple sessions a year). Pairs each student with a cohort plus an advisor who runs real on-air practice sessions. The single highest-leverage thing a new operator can do.
- ARRL CW Slow Speed Net — the W1AW slow-speed code practice runs at the ARRL HQ station at scheduled times daily. Listening practice with predictable content; not interactive but excellent for calibrating ear copy.
Net times and exact frequencies shift; treat the values above as starting points and cross-check with each club's current schedule before sitting down.
The shape of a real CW QSO
Almost every contact follows the same skeleton. Once you've heard it twice it stops being mysterious. Memorise this template before you tune up.
1. Calling CQ (or answering one)
CQ CQ CQ DE W1AW W1AW W1AW KThree CQs, the prosign DE (= "from"), your call sent three times, then K (= "any station, go ahead"). KN at the end means "only the station I'm working may reply".
2. The first turn — call signs + signal report
W1AW DE K1ABC K1ABC = UR RST 599 5NN = BT
NAME JIM JIM = QTH MA MA = HW? BKTheir call, DE, your call (twice for clarity), the prosign BT (= paragraph break, often written =), a 599 signal report (the "5NN" is the contest-friendly short form), name, location, HW? (= "how is your copy?"), BK (= over).
3. The reply
K1ABC DE W1AW = TNX FB RPT JIM = UR RST 579 = BT
NAME HIRAM HIRAM = QTH CT CT = HW? BK4. Wrap-up
W1AW DE K1ABC = TNX FB QSO HIRAM = 73 ES GL = SK
W1AW DE K1ABC73 (= best regards), ES (= and), GL (= good luck), SK (= end of contact). Then a final ID with both call signs so anyone listening knows the QSO closed cleanly.
Look up the unfamiliar shorthand on the CW abbreviations reference and the Q-codes reference. The prosigns reference covers AR / BT / SK / KN / K.
On-air etiquette in five lines
- Always send QRL? before calling CQ on a clear-sounding frequency. A faint DX station you can't hear may be working someone there. Wait at least three seconds; absence of "C" or "QRL" is your green light.
- Match the speed of the station you're answering. If they call at 15 WPM, reply at 15 WPM. If you can only copy at 12, send "QRS PSE" (please slow down) on your first transmission.
- Don't tune up on top of an active QSO. Tune into a dummy load, or at least move 1–2 kHz off any signal you hear.
- End with both call signs. A clean "W1AW DE K1ABC SK" tells anyone who tuned in mid-QSO that the frequency just freed up.
- Log every contact. Even on paper. Future-you will want the QSL data; future-them might want it for an award.
Contesting in one paragraph
CW contests are the same shape as a normal QSO compressed to its bones. The exchange is fixed (usually just 5NN + a serial number or state/province), the QSO lasts 8–15 seconds, and operators stay on a single frequency calling CQ or run-and-pounce tuning across the band. New operators do well to listen to a contest weekend first, then jump in for the second half with a goal of ten QSOs. ARRL Sweepstakes (November), CQ WW CW (late November), and the ARRL DX CW contest (February) are the three big international ones.
Find a club
- SKCC (Straight Key Century Club) — straight key + bug + sideswiper community. Free, ~30 000 members. Friendly to slow-speed operators.
- FISTS CW Club — original CW-friendliness society. Modest annual dues; runs a strong mentor program.
- CWops — slightly higher speed bar; runs the free CW Academy beginner classes.
- ARRL Club Locator — find a physical amateur radio club in your area. Many sponsor CW nets, Field Day operations, and informal mentorship.
- RAC, RSGB, DARC, JARL — your national amateur radio society. Most run a CW interest group or sponsor a CW net.
After your first QSO
- Log it. Paper, ADIF, LoTW — any format. You'll want this data.
- Send a QSL card (electronic or paper). Many operators set "first CW QSO" as a treasured exchange.
- Aim for ten contacts at the same speed before pushing speed up. Comfort matters more than WPM in the first month on the air.
- Add 1 WPM every two weeks. The timing calculator shows what your character + effective speed actually translate to in milliseconds.
- Sign up for CW Academy. The single biggest accelerator.
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