Amateur Ham Radio Jargon

Learn some of the jargon Hams use when talking to each other on the air and in person.

Like any hobby or activity, ham radio has a language all its own. A se of words and phrases that mean specific things to the hams you will meet on the air and at ham fests or club meetings.

So to help you get off on the right foot, and sound like you know what you are talking about, even if you’re brand new to the hobby, here’s a quick list of some of the more commonly used expressions.

73 - Best Regards, the generic greeting between hams.

CQ - General call to any listening station, quite literally "seek you." Used when you are willing to talk to anyone who is listening.

CW - Continuous Wave. How Morse code is sent, where the transmitter is literally turned on and off to make the dots and dashes.

DX - Distance, generally taken to mean foreign countries.

Old Man - any ham, no matter his age. On CW: OM.

Packet: A digital communication mode using computers. Kind of the Internet over the radio. But only text messages, no Web browsers here.

Q Signals

Q Signals are a shorthand way of conveying information. They are like the 10-code (10-4, etc.) once used by many police departments and CB-radio enthusiasts.. Q-signals are used extensively when communicating by Morse code and on SSB (single side band) or AM (amplitude modulation) where interference (static or other hams) is an issue. Some hams say the Q-signals aren’t needed on the VHF frequencies (2 meters and up) because the FM signals are free from interference, but many hams use them anyway.

Here are a few of the more common ones. Any Q-signal can be turned into a question, for example: QSL (I confirm or received your last transmission) becomes QSL? (Did you, or can you, confirm or receive my last transmission.

QRM: Interference. Tom: I can hardly copy you, Bill the QRM is bad on this end.

QSL: Confirm a transmission. Tom: Meet me at Bill’s house. QSL? (Did you receive this?) Dick: QSL. See you there. (I received it. See you there.)

QTH: Location Tom: My QTH right now is Gainesville, where I’m in college. My home QTH is Boston.

QSY: Change frequency: Tom: I’m getting some QRM here, let’s QSY up 50 kHz. QRP: low power. Some hams specialize in QRP or low power operation. QRP rigs are usually battery operated and designed for portable or emergency use.

QRS: send more slowly. Don’t be afraid to ask if you’re on a CW band and are having trouble copying the transmission: Tom: I’m having trouble copying, please QRS.

QRZ: Always a question: who is calling me? Tom: QRZ, this is K1XYZ. (What station is calling K1XYZ)

QSO: A two-way contact Tom: Thanks for the QSO, Dick, hope to talk to you again.

Skip - how your radio signal gets to foreign countries, by bouncing or skipping off thee ionosphere.

TNC - Terminal Node Controller. Connects your computer to your radio for packet work.

YL - young lady. An unmarried female.

XYL - ex-young lady, a married woman. (Sorry, ladies, I didn’t make this one up, its tradition .