Morse code prosigns

Meaning

New line / line break

Notation

Written AA or as the conjoined letters A+A.

Marks the end of a line of plain text inside a longer message. Same code as the comma in some references. Used in formal message handling (NTS traffic) to indicate a line break inside the message body. Rare in casual rag-chews; the operator simply pauses instead.

Meaning

End of message (+)

Notation

Written AR (joined) or + when typed.

Closes the current message. Shares the Morse pattern of the plus sign and is sometimes written +. AR is the 'I have nothing more to add to this message' signal. Often followed by your call sign and then K (go ahead) or SK (end of contact).

Meaning

Wait / standby

Notation

Written AS (joined) or sometimes &.

Asks the other operator to standby — typically while you tune a radio, take a phone call, or check a reference. Often sent solo and followed by a duration: 'AS 5' = wait 5 minutes (the unit is informal). A bare AS means a brief pause of a few seconds.

Meaning

Break

Notation

Written BK (joined).

'Break' — invites the receiving station to transmit, often mid-sentence to hand over quickly. Common in fast QSOs where the operators want to alternate rapidly. Heard between back-and-forth exchanges of a few sentences at a time.

Meaning

New paragraph (=)

Notation

Written BT (joined) or = when typed.

Marks a paragraph break inside a longer transmission. Shares the Morse pattern of the equals sign and is often typed as =. Used to separate logical sections of a transmission: identification, then BT, then signal report, then BT, then closing. Pacing tool for the listener.

Meaning

Going off the air

Notation

Written CL (joined).

Signals that the operator is closing the station and clearing the frequency. Final word before going QRT. Heard at the end of a long operating session. Stronger than SK (which only ends one contact); CL means the station itself is going off the air.

Meaning

Start of transmission (KA)

Notation

Written CT or KA (the older form).

'Attention — beginning a new transmission.' Also written KA in older references. Used at the start of a formal message or net call to capture the attention of listeners. Less common in modern casual amateur use; net controllers still use it.

Meaning

Error / disregard

Notation

Written HH; just eight consecutive dits.

Eight dots, sent fast — 'disregard the previous group, here it is again.' The CW equivalent of crossing something out. Used the moment you make a sending error: send HH, pause, then send the corrected word. Listening operators erase the previous word mentally.

Meaning

Go ahead, named station only

Notation

Written KN (joined). Same code as the open paren character.

Invites only the explicitly-named station to reply. Excludes any third stations from breaking in. After working a station and wanting to continue with just them, send their call followed by KN. Other stations should not call you until you send K (any station) or sign off.

Meaning

Go ahead (any station)

Notation

Written K. Technically a single character, not a joined pair.

'Over' — invites any listening station to reply. Standard end-of-transmission invite. After your call sign at the end of a CQ ('CQ DE W1AW K'), any station can answer. K alone after a QSO turn means 'your turn'.

Meaning

Received / roger

Notation

Written R.

Confirms that the previous transmission was received correctly. The Morse equivalent of 'roger' on voice. Quick acknowledgement after a critical exchange — signal report, name, QTH. 'R FB' = received, fine. Don't send R if you didn't actually copy everything; ask for AGN instead.

Meaning

End of contact

Notation

Written SK (joined). Sometimes called 'VA' in older European references.

Closes the QSO. The most-sent prosign on amateur CW. Sent right before 73 or as 73 SK. Indicates the contact itself is over, though the station may stay on the air for more QSOs. CL is stronger (station closing).

Meaning

Understood (VE)

Notation

Written SN or VE (older form).

'Understood.' Confirms that you got the message and grasped its content. Also written VE in older books. Stronger acknowledgement than R: R = 'received'; SN = 'received and understood.' Use for instructions, frequencies, schedules.

Meaning

International distress

Notation

Written SOS but sent as one shape (no inter-letter gap).

The universal distress signal: three dits, three dahs, three dits — sent as one continuous shape with no inter-letter gaps. Reserved for actual emergency. The pattern was chosen at the 1906 Berlin Convention specifically because the rhythm is unambiguous under poor signal. NEVER send SOS for practice without making it clear it's a drill.