Q-codes in Morse code

As a question

QRA? — What is the name of your station?

As an answer

QRA — The name of my station is …

Asks for the station name. Rarely heard on amateur CW today; common in maritime traffic logs. Although Q-codes originated for ship and aero use, QRA is uncommon on amateur HF — call signs already serve the identity role. You'll most often see QRA on coastal-station logs or in older operating handbooks.

As a question

QRG? — What is my exact frequency?

As an answer

QRG — Your exact frequency is …

Asks for or states a precise transmit frequency, usually in kHz or MHz. Used during net checkins, contest spotting, and when a station is drifting. The answer is normally a numeric frequency; on CW it's often abbreviated (e.g. 14040 instead of 14.040 MHz).

As a question

QRK? — What is the readability of my signals (1–5)?

As an answer

QRK — Your readability is …

Asks the receiving station to rate how readable your signal is on the standard 1–5 scale. The ITU scale runs 1 (bad) to 5 (excellent). Amateur contacts usually give the same judgement as the R in an RST report instead, where R1 is unreadable and R5 perfectly readable.

As a question

QRL? — Are you busy / is this frequency in use?

As an answer

QRL — I am busy / this frequency is in use. Please do not interfere.

The standard 'is this frequency in use?' courtesy check before transmitting on a clear-sounding frequency. Always send QRL? before calling CQ on what you think is an empty frequency. A weak DX station you can't hear may be calling. Many regulars answer with just C (yes) or QRL.

As a question

QRM? — Is there man-made interference on my signal?

As an answer

QRM — There is man-made interference (QRM).

Specifically man-made interference: other stations, electrical noise from devices, switched-mode PSUs. Contrast with QRN (natural noise, static). The ITU scale is appended straight after the code, from QRM1 (nil) to QRM5 (extreme): QRM3 means moderate interference.

As a question

QRN? — Are you troubled by static (natural noise)?

As an answer

QRN — I am troubled by static (lightning, atmospheric noise).

Natural atmospheric noise — lightning crashes, summer static — as opposed to QRM (man-made). QRN is worst on low bands (160m, 80m) in summer thunderstorm season. Severity 1–5 is often appended (QRN3 = moderate). High QRN usually means slowing down (QRS) or moving to a higher band.

As a question

QRO? — Shall I increase transmit power?

As an answer

QRO — Increase your power.

Used as a verb on amateur CW: 'go QRO' means switch to a high-power amplifier; opposite of QRP. Often used to describe an operating style: a QRO station runs the legal limit. Polite during a difficult QSO ('UR WK QRO PSE' = your signal is weak, please increase power).

As a question

QRP? — Shall I decrease transmit power?

As an answer

QRP — Decrease your power. (Also: I am operating QRP.)

Decrease power, or — as a noun — low-power CW operating (≤ 5 W output). QRP is a whole subculture: dedicated awards (QRP-ARCI 1000 Miles per Watt), kit radios (Elecraft KX-series, QCX), and contests. As a request, it means 'reduce power'; as a label, it means the station is running 5 W or less.

As a question

QRQ? — Shall I send faster?

As an answer

QRQ — Send faster (… WPM).

Request to speed up. Sometimes followed by the target WPM. QRQ also names the high-speed CW community — stations who run 35 WPM and up. A 'QRQ contest' is anything above ordinary contest speed.

As a question

QRS? — Shall I send slower?

As an answer

QRS — Send slower (… WPM).

Request to slow down. The polite alternative when copy is failing. Slow-speed CW nets are often labelled 'QRS nets' and run 10–13 WPM specifically for learners. A bare 'QRS' without WPM means 'as slow as you can, please.'

As a question

QRT? — Shall I stop sending?

As an answer

QRT — I am closing down / stop sending.

Either a request to stop, or a self-announcement of shutting the station down. Often the last word of a session: 'TU QRT 73'. Also used to politely end a long conversation when conditions deteriorate.

As a question

QRU? — Have you anything for me?

As an answer

QRU — I have nothing for you.

Asks whether the other station has any traffic (messages, weather, news) to pass. Standard in formal NTS (National Traffic System) handling. A bare 'QRU' near the end of a QSO is the polite signal that you're ready to wrap up.

As a question

QRV? — Are you ready?

As an answer

QRV — I am ready.

Generic readiness check — ready to copy, ready to start the contest, ready to handle traffic. Net controllers use QRV during round-the-table checkins: 'QRV?' means 'ready when you are.' Also used after fixing an antenna or radio: 'QRV NW' = ready now.

As a question

QRX? — When will you call me again?

As an answer

QRX — Stand by / I will call you at …

Asks for a callback time, or asks the other operator to stand by. Bare 'QRX' = please wait. With a time, it sets the next sked. 'QRX 5' often means 'standby 5 minutes', not '5 seconds'.

As a question

QRZ? — Who is calling me?

As an answer

QRZ — You are being called by …

The classic 'who's calling?' query, sent when a partial call comes through the noise. QRZ is also the name of the largest amateur callbook (qrz.com). On the air, a bare 'QRZ?' after CQing means 'I missed your call, please send again'.

As a question

QSB? — Are my signals fading?

As an answer

QSB — Your signals are fading.

Reports fading on HF — the natural ionospheric signal-strength variation. QSB is the QRS's cousin: not noise, just slow strength variation. Common on 20m/40m DX paths. Severity 1–5 is sometimes appended (QSB3 = moderate fading).

As a question

QSL? — Can you acknowledge receipt?

As an answer

QSL — I confirm receipt.

Confirms that a transmission has been received. Also names the postal/electronic QSL card tradition. On-air 'QSL' = 'roger, copied.' Off-air, a QSL card is the postcard-sized confirmation mailed (or uploaded to Logbook of the World / eQSL) after a contact, used for awards like DXCC.

As a question

QSO? — Can you communicate directly with …?

As an answer

QSO — I can communicate directly with …

Originally 'can you reach X?' — but today the noun 'QSO' just means 'a contact' / 'a conversation'. Modern usage is almost always the noun form: 'first QSO of the contest', 'long-rag-chew QSO'. The original interrogative is rarely sent.

As a question

QSY? — Shall I change frequency?

As an answer

QSY — Change to frequency …

Move to another frequency. Standard on busy bands and during net operations. 'QSY UP 5' means move 5 kHz up; 'QSY DN' means move down. DX operators frequently work 'split': listening on a different frequency than they transmit on.

As a question

QTH? — What is your location?

As an answer

QTH — My location is …

The classic 'where are you?' query. Often answered with city, state, country, or Maidenhead grid square. QTH is one of the most-used Q-codes in casual amateur QSOs. Granularity ranges from country-level ('QTH USA') to grid-square ('QTH FN31') to street address (rarely on-air).

As a question

QTR? — What is the correct time?

As an answer

QTR — The correct time is …

Asks for the time, usually UTC. Less used on ham bands now that smartphones exist, but still common in formal nets. Amateur radio time is UTC ('Zulu'). 'QTR 1430Z' = 14:30 UTC. NTS traffic-handling nets always log message times in UTC using QTR-style fields.