Ham Radio Q Codes

The Q Code came into being internationally in 1912 to overcome the language problems involved in communications by radio among ships and shore stations of all countries. The original list of 50 adopted by international agreement in London contain many which are still familiar to amateur operators-QRN, QRM, QSO, the traffic operator's QRK, QSY and QRV - are now nearing the century mark of continuous usage. QSL still has the official 1912 definition despite the changed informal usages it is subjected to in amateur parlance.

The QN signals for amateur net operation were introduced in the late 1930s by E. L. Battey W1UE (W4IA-SK) to lighten the burdens of net control operators.

The telegraph call CQ was born on the English Telegraph over a century ago as a signal meaning "All stations. A notification to all postal telegraph offices to receive the message." Its meaning was close to the present meanings of QNC and QST. Like many other telegraph terms which originated on the landlines, CQ was brought over into radio and used as a general call to all ships by the Marconi Company. Other companies used KA until the London Convention of 1912, which adopted CQ as the international general call or "attention" signal. CQ still means, literally, "attention" but in amateur radio its meaning is perhaps more accurately described by Thomas Raddell who compared it to yelling "Hey, Mac!" down a drain pipe.

Is CQ a C code? The existence of CQ predates the invention of Q codes, however, operators today often consider CQ a member of the Q codes even though technically CQ is not a Q code.

Below are a number of "Q" code definitions. The "Q" codes are typically used when there is a need/desire to express a particular idea and do so as quickly and simply as possible. "Q" codes take the form of a question only when sent followed by a question mark.

CODE	DEFINITION
QHF	Are you going to the Hamfest? I am going to the Hamfest!
QRA	What is the name of your station? The name of my station is ___.
QRB	How far are you from my station? I am ____ km from your station.
QRD	Where are you bound and where are you coming from? I am bound ___ from ___.
QRG	Will you tell me my exact frequency? Your exact frequency is ___ kHz.
QRH	Does my frequency vary? Your frequency varies.
QRI	How is the tone of my transmission? The tone of your transmission is ___ (1-Good, 2-Variable, 3-Bad.)
QRJ	Are you receiving me badly? I cannot receive you, your signal is too weak.
QRK	What is the intelligibility of my signals? The intelligibility of your signals is ___ (1-Bad, 2-Poor, 3-Fair, 4-Good, 5-Excellent.)
QRL	Are you busy? I am busy, please do not interfere
QRM	Is my transmission being interfered with? Your transmission is being interfered with ___ (1-Nil, 2-Slightly, 3-Moderately, 4-Severly, 5-Extremely.)
QRN	Are you troubled by static? I am troubled by static ___ (1-5 as under QRM.)
QRO	Shall I increase power? Increase power.
QRP	Shall I decrease power? Decrease power.
QRQ	Shall I send faster? Send faster (___ WPM.)
QRR	Are you ready for automatic operation? I am ready for automatic operation. Send at ___ WPM.
QRS	Shall I send more slowly? Send more slowly (___ WPM.)
QRT	Shall I stop sending? Stop sending.
QRU	Have you anything for me? I have nothing for you.
QRV	Are you ready? I am ready.
QRW	Shall I inform ___ that you are calling? Please inform ___ that I am calling.
QRX	When will you call me again? I will call you again at ___ hours or I will be back soon.
QRY	What is my turn? Your turn is numbered ___.
QRZ	Who is calling me? You are being called by ___.
QSA	What is the strength of my signal? The strength of your signal is ___ (1-Scarcely perceptible, 2-Weak, 3-Fairly Good, 4-Good, 5-Very Good.)
QSB	Is my signal fading? Your signal is fading.
QSD	Is my keying defective? Your keying is defective.
QSG	Shall I send ___ messages at a time? Send ___ messages at a time.
QSJ	What is the charge to be collected per word to ___ including your international telegraph charge? The charge to be collected per word is ___ including my international telegraph charge.
QSK	Can you hear me between your signals and if so can I break in on your transmission? I can hear you between my signals, break in on my transmission.
QSL	Can you acknowledge receipt? I am acknowledging receipt.
QSM	Shall I repeat the last message which I sent you? Repeat the last message.
QSN	Did you hear me on ___ kHz? I did hear you on ___ kHz.
QSO	Can you communicate with ___ direct or by relay? I can communicate with ___ direct (or by relay through ___.)
QSP	Will you relay to ___? I will relay to ___.
QSQ	Have you a doctor on board? (or is ___ on board?) I have a doctor on board (or ___ is on board.)
QST	Message to all radio Amateurs (also USA ham magazine).
QSU	Shall I send or reply on this frequency? Send a series of Vs on this frequency.
QSV	Shall I send a series of Vs on this frequency? Send a series of Vs on this frequency.
QSW	Will you send on this frequency? I am going to send on this frequency.
QSY	Shall I change to another frequency? Change to another frequency.
QSZ	Shall I send each word or group more than once? Send each word or group twice (or ___ times.)
QTA	Shall I cancel message number ___? Cancel message number ___.
QTB	Do you agree with my counting of words? I do not agree with your counting of words. I will repeat the first letter or digit of each word or group.
QTC	How many messages have you to send? I have ___ messages for you.
QTE	What is my true bearing from you? Your true bearing from me is ___ degrees.
QTG	Will you send two dashes of 10 seconds each followed by your call sign? I am going to send two dashes of 10 seconds each followed by my call sign.
QTH	What is your location? My location is ___.
QTI	What is your true track? My true track is ___ degrees.
QTJ	What is your speed? My speed is ___ km/h.
QTL	What is your true heading? My true heading is ___ degrees.
QTN	At what time did you depart from ___? I departed from ___ at ___ hours.
QTO	Have you left dock (or port)? I have left dock (or port).
QTP	Are you going to enter dock (or port)? I am going to enter dock (or port.)
QTQ	Can you communicate with my station by means of the International Code of Signals? I am going to communicate with your station by means of the International Code of Signals.
QTR	What is the correct time? The time is ___.
QTS	Will you send your call sign for ___ minutes so that your frequency can be measured? I will send my call sign for ___ minutes so that my frequency may be measured.
QTU	What are the hours during which your station is open? My station is open from ___ hours to ___ hours.
QTV	Shall I stand guard for you on the frequency of ___ kHz? Stand guard for me on the frequency of ___ kHz.
QTX	Will you keep your station open for further communication with me? I will keep my station open for further communication with you.
QUA	Have you news of ___? I have news of ___.
QUB	Can you give me information concerning visibility, height of clouds, direction and velocity of ground wind at ___? Here is the information you requested...
QUC	What is the number of the last message you received from me? The number of the last message I received from you is ___.
QUD	Have you received the urgency signal sent by ___? I have received the urgency signal sent by ___.
QUF	Have you received the distress signal sent by ___? I have received the distress signal sent by ___.
QUG	Will you be forced to land? I am forced to land immediately.
QUH	Will you give me the present barometric pressure? The present barometric pressure is ___ (units).