Morse Code : Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

Listening to any CW QSO you’ll hear many codes, abbreviations and terms being used designed to make sending and receiving easier.

Below you’ll find some of the most common “Q” codes, abbreviations, etc in use with a link to sites where further information can be sourced.

Q Codes

QRL	Are you busy? Is this frequency in use?	QRZ	Who is calling
QRM	Man made interference	QSL	Confirmation of reception or a card confirming reception
QRN	Noise interference	QSO	A radio contact
QRS	Slow morse / send slower	QSY	Change frequency to ....
QRT	I am closing down	QTH	Position
QRX	Wait or pause		I

A much fuller list can be found https://hamradio.org.uk/q-codes/

 

CW Punctuation

Comma	― ― • • ― ―	Full Stop	• ― • ― • ―
Forward Slash	― • • ― •	Separator	― • • • ―

More Punctuation https://www.cryptomuseum.com/radio/morse/

Abbreviations from SRS CW Sessions

73	Best wishes	OP	Operator
88	Love and kisses	PSE	Please
AGN	Again	PWR	Power
ANT	Antenna	R	Roger or OK
CUL	See you later	RIG	Station Equipment
ES	And	RPT	Repeat
FB	Fine business or OK	RPRT	Report
GA	Good afternoon	SIG	Signal
GB	Good bye	SKED	Schedule
GE	Good evening	SRI	Sorry
GM	Good morning	TMW	Tomorrow
GUD	Good	TNX	Thanks
HI	Laughter	TKS	Thanks
HW	How	TU	Thank you
MSG	Message	VY	Very
NIl	Nothing	WX	Weather
NW	Now	XYL	Wife
OB	Old boy	YL	Young lady
OM	Old man

Fuller list from http://www.hamradio.cc/cw/cw_morse_code_abbreviations.php

Procedural Signals (Prosigns)

AR	End of Message	EEEEEEEE	Error
AS	Standby	K	Invitation to transmit
BT	Pause	KN	Go ahead specific station
CL	Close Down	SK	End of contact

Unlike Morse Code abbreviations, the above signals are sent as a single character (no spacing between letters)

More on Prosigns can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosigns_for_Morse_code