Ethics
-A license amateur radio operator are expected to observe the simple guidelines below
-Advice your call sign before the start of any conversations and again every 5 mins.(10 mins. is max).
-You are expected to be polite and avoid rude abusive language at all times to avoid conflicts.
-All amateur radio operator on air are all equal regardless of status, ethnic, culture, age, race or gender.
-Refrain using words like mister. miss, sir, ma’am, your majesty, uncle ,auntie, ( po and opo ,kuya, ate, tito ,tita ),etc.
-Avoid conversations regarding politics ,religion and sexual nature.
-You are expected to give assistance to any person in an emergency.
-Practice the Golden Rule and enjoy the hobby.
Please read ethical guidelines below or review amateur radio basic knowledge exam for reference.
Letter Code word Pronunciation
A Alpha AL FAH
B Bravo BRAH VOH
C Charlie CHAR LEE
D Delta DELL TAH
E Echo ECK OH
F Foxtrot FOKS TROT
G Golf GAHLF
H Hotel HO TELL
I India IN DEE AH
J Juliet JEW LEE ETT
K Kilo KEY LOH
L Lima LEE MAH
M Mike MIKE
N November NO VEM BER
O Oscar OSS CAH
P Papa PAH PAH
Q Quebec KEH BECK
R Romeo ROW ME OH
S Sierra SEE AIR RAH
T Tango TANG GO
U Uniform YOU NEE FORM
V Victor VIK TAH
W Whiskey WISS KEY
X X-ray or
Xray ECKS RAY
Y Yankee YANG KEY
Z Zulu ZOO LOO
Number Code word Pronunciation
0 Zero ZE RO
1 One WUN
2 Two TOO
3 Three TREE
4 Four FOW ER
5 Five FIFE
6 Six SIX
7 Seven SEV EN
8 Eight AIT
9 Nine NIN ER
Q Codes Commonly Used by Radio Amateurs
QRG Exact frequency HE TX ON QRG 14205 kHz
QRI Tone (T in the RST code) UR QRI IS 9
QRK Intelligibility (R in the RST code) UR QRK IS 5
QRL This frequency is busy. Used almost exclusively with morse code, usually as a question (QRL? – is this frequency busy?) before transmitting on a new frequency
QRM Man-made interference ANOTHER QSO UP 2 kHz CAUSING LOT OF QRM
QRN Natural interference, e.g. static crashes BAND NOISY TODAY LOT OF QRN
QRO Increase power NEED QRO WHEN PROP POOR
QRP Decrease power QRP TO 5 W (As a mode of operation, a QRP station is five watts or less, a QRPp station one watt or less)
QRQ Send more quickly TIME SHORT PSE QRQ
QRR Temporarily unavailable/away, please wait WILL BE QRR 30 MIN = THAT STN IS QRR NW
QRRR Land distress A non-standard call proposed by ARRL for land-based or railroad emergency traffic in situations where response from ships at sea (which listened for SOS) was neither needed nor desired.[2][3] Now deprecated.
QRS Send more slowly PSE QRS NEW TO CW (QRS operation – a slower dot rate – is useful during weak-signal conditions; a QRSS mode uses an extremely low code rate on a channel less than 1Hz wide to allow reception under extreme QRP conditions)
QRT Stop sending ENJOYED TALKING 2 U = MUST QRT FER DINNER NW
QRU Have you anything for me? QRU? ABOUT TO QRT
QRV I am ready WL U BE QRV IN UPCOMING CONTEST?
QRX Will call you again QRX @ 1500H
QRZ You are being called by ________. QRZ? UR VY WEAK (Only someone who has previously called should reply)
QSA Signal strength UR QSA IS 5
QSB Fading of signal THERE IS QSB ON UR SIG
QSD Your keying is defective QSD CK YR TX
QSK Break-in I CAN HR U DURING MY SIGS PSE QSK
QSL I Acknowledge receipt QSL UR LAST TX = PSE QSL VIA BURO (i.e. please send me a card confirming this contact).
QSM Repeat last message QRM DROWNED UR LAST MSG OUT = PSE QSM
QSN I heard you QSN YESTERDAY ON 7005 kHz
QSO A conversation TNX QSO 73
QSP Relay PSE QSP THIS MSG TO MY FRIEND
QST General call to all stations QST: QRG ALLOCS HV CHGD
QSX I am listening on … frequency QSX 14200 TO 14210 kHz
QSY Shift to transmit on … LETS QSY UP 5 kHz
QTA Disregard last message QTA, DID NOT MEAN THAT
QTC Traffic STN WID EMRG QTC PSE GA
QTH Location QTH IS SOUTH PARK CO
QTR Exact time QTR IS 2000 Z
RST code
The RST code, in its original form, is intended for CW operation. On SSB, the final digit (tone) is normally omitted.
Number R – Readability S – Strength T – Tone
RST Code Commonly Used by Radio Amateurs
1 Unreadable Faint signal, barely perceptible Sixty cycle a.c or less, very rough and broad
2 Barely readable, occasional words distinguishable Very Weak Very rough a.c., very harsh and broad
3 Readable with considerable difficulty Weak Rough a.c. tone, rectified but not filtered
4 Readable with practically no difficulty Fair Rough note, some trace of filteringfrequency
5 Perfectly readable Fairly Good Filtered rectified a.c. but strongly ripple-modulated
6 not used Good Filtered tone, definite trace of ripple modulation
7 not used Moderately Strong Near pure tone, trace of ripple modulation
8 not used Strong Near perfect tone, slight trace of modulation
9 not used Very strong signals Perfect tone, no trace of ripple or modulation of any kind
In CW operation, individual digits may be abbreviated by substituting as follows: 1 = A, 2 = U, 3 = V, 4 = 4, 5 = E, 6 = 6, 7 = B, 8 = D, 9 = N, 0 = T (for instance, RST 599 could be sent as 5NN – a shorter message in CW). These are referred to as “cut numbers” and are obtained by replacing all of the dashes in a CW digit with a single dash. Cut numbers are not suitable for transmitting data which already contains mixed alphanumerics, such as callsigns.[4]
RSQ code
Often used to describe reception and quality of digital modes such as PSK31
Number R – Readability S – Strength V – Quality
RSQ Code Commonly Used by Radio Amateurs
1 0% copy – undecipherable barely perceptible trace splatter over much of the spectrum
2 20% copy -occasional words distinguishable not used not used
3 40% copy – readable with difficulty, many missed characters Weak trace multiple visible pairs
4 80% copy – Readable with no difficulty not used not used
5 95%+ copy – Perfectly readable Moderate trace One easily visible pair
6 not used not used not used
7 not used Strong Trace One barely visible pair
8 not used not used not used
9 not used Very strong trace Clean signal – no visible unwanted sidebar
RSV code for SSTV transmissions
Number R – Readability S – Strength V – Video
RSV Code Commonly Used by Radio Amateurs
1 Unreadable Faint signal, barely perceptible Picture unreadable
2 Barely readable Very Weak picture barely visible
3 Readable with difficulty Weak Readable with flaws
4 Readable with no difficulty Fair Very good picture some flaws
5 Perfectly readable Fairly Good Perfect picture no flaws
6 not used Good not used
7 not used Moderately Strong not used
8 not used Strong not used
9 not used Very strong signals not used
In fast-scan amateur television (ATV), signal-to-noise ratio is reported as one of:
P0 – all image detail lost
P1 – 3-8dB, barely legible
P2 – 8-20dB, definitely noisy
P3 – 20-35dB, somewhat noisy
P4 – 35-45dB, slightly noisy
P5 – 45dB+, no discernible noise[5]
CW Abbreviations
These abbreviations are commonly used in CW transmissions to shorten transmission times. Not all CW operators use all of them – most will use very few. As a general rule most operators do not abbreviate unnecessarily, especially when communication with an operator that they do not know or whose experience is unknown. In contest conditions, abbreviations are common as operators try to gain as many contacts as possible over the competition period.
Abbreviation Meaning Abbreviation Meaning
CW Abbreviations
AA All After
OB Old Boy
AB All Before
OC Old Chap
ABT About
OM Old Man
ADEE Addressee
OP Operator
ADR Address
OPR Operator
AGN Again
OT Old Timer
AM Amplitude Modulation
PBL Preamble
ANT Antenna
PKG Package
BCI Broadcast Interference
PSE Please
BCL Broadcast listener
PT Point
BCNU Be seeing you
PWR Power
BK Break in
PX Press
BN Between, Been
R Received, Are
BT Separation
RC Ragchew
BTR Better
RCD Received
Bug Semi automatic key
RCVR Receiver
C Yes, Correct
REF Refer to
CFM Confirm, I confirm
RFI Radio Frequency Interference
CK Check RIG Station Equipment
CKT Circuit
RPT Repeat, Report
CL Closing Station, Call
RTTY Radioteletype
CLBK Callbook
RST Readability Strength Tone
CLD Called
RX Receive, receiver
CLG Calling
SASE Self addressed stamped envelope
CNT Cant
SED Said
CONDX Conditions
SEZ Says
CQ Calling any station
GD Signed
CU See you
SIG Signature, Signal
CUL See you later
SINE Personal initials or nickname
CUM Come
SKED Schedule
CW Continuous Wave
SRI Sorry
DA day SS Sweepstakes
DE From, From this
SSB Single Sideband
DIFF Difference
STN Station
DLD & DLVD Delivered SUM Some
DN Down
SVC Service
DR Delivered
T Zero
DX Distance
TFC Traffic
EL Element
TMW Tomorrow
ES And
TKS & TNX Thanks
FB Fine business
TR & TX Transmit
FER For T/R Transmit/Receive
FM Frequency Modulation
TRIX Tricks
GA Go ahead, Good afternoon
TT That
GB Goodbye, God Bless
TTS That is
GD Good
TU Thank you
GE Good Evening
TVI Television interference
GESS Guess
TX Transmitter, Transmit
GG Going
TXT text
GM Good Morning
U You
GN Good Night
UR You’re Your
GND Ground
URS Yours
GUD Good
VFB Very Fine Business
GV Give V
FO Variable Frequency Oscillator
HH Error sending
VY Very
HI HI Laughter
W Watts
HR Hear
WA Word After
HV Have
WD Word
HW How, Copy?
WDS Words
IMI Repeat, say again
WKD Worked
LNG long
WKG Working
LTR Later
WPM Words per minute
LVG Leaving
WRD Word
MA & MILLS Milliamperes
WX Weather
MSG Message
TXVR Transceiver
N No, Nine
XMTR Transmitter
NCS Net Control Station
XTL Crystal
ND Nothing Doing
XYL, YF Wife
NM No More
YL Young Lady
NR Number
YR Year
NW Now , Resume transmission
73 Best Regards
Two non-standard codes, rarely-used, were coined within the amateur radiotelegraph service. The Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL) organized in 1939 and quickly coined ’33’ as “Love sealed with mutual respect and friendship between one YL and another YL”.[8] More recently, ’72’ has been used in QRP operation to signify a ’73’ sent with reduced transmitter power.