Complete list of radio amateur codes, abbreviations and expressions
I do not claim that it is absolutely complete, I can only claim that it is the complete list that I have heard in my activity as a radio amateur (the last 50 years of my life).
| Code | Meaning | Notes |
| . . (two dots) | Be healthy! All the best! Goodbye! Bye-bye! | CW jargon at the end of the link |
| 128 | All the best and good night! (73 + 55) | Among German-speakers |
| 161 | Greetings and kisses to the whole family! (88 + 73) | |
| 16th channel | International Emergency Marine Channel 156.8 MHz | |
| 44 | “Let’s save this world!” | On “World Flora and Fauna” |
| 55 | Goodbye and good night | Between German speakers |
| 73 | All the best, best wishes | |
| 88 | Love and kisses | |
| AA | Everything after | |
| AB | Everything before | |
| ABLE | Possible, capable, abble | |
| ABT | About, approximately | |
| ADR | Address | |
| AGN | One more time, again | |
| AIR | Air | |
| ALL | All | |
| AM | Amplitude modulation, before noon | |
| AND | And | |
| ANSWER | Answer | |
| ANT | Antenna | |
| ANY | Whoever, any | |
| AR | End of cue (recommended at end of CQ) | Transmitted merged |
| AS | Waiting, waiting, hold on | Transmitted merged |
| ASK | I’m asking, asking for something | |
| ALSO | Also | |
| AT | At …. hours; on | |
| BAND | Width | |
| BCNU | We will meet again | |
| BD | Bad | |
| BEAM | Directional antenna | |
| BEST | Best | |
| BETTER | Better | |
| BK | Break, break, half duplex, break | Not delivered merged |
| BN | Everything between, between | |
| BOOK | Book | |
| BOX | Box | |
| BTW | By the way | |
| BUG | Semi-automatic telegraph switch | |
| BULL | Newsletter | |
| BUSY | Busy | |
| BY | At, from, through | |
| C | … degrees Celsius | |
| CALL | Initial, call | |
| CAN | I can | |
| CC | Quartz stabilization | |
| CENTRAL | Central | |
| CFD | Confirmed | |
| CFM | Confirm, I confirm | |
| CHAT | Friendly conversation | |
| CHEERIO | Hello, be healthy | |
| CHEERIO | Goodbye! Good luck! Happy travels! | Quite informal |
| CHIRPY | Chirp tone | |
| CIAO | Hello, be healthy, goodbye | When QSO with an Italian |
| CL | I’m closing (turning off) the radio station | Transmitted merged |
| CL | Initial, call sign, identifier | |
| CLD | Called | |
| CLG | Cryer | |
| CLOUDY | Cloudy | |
| CODE | Code, 87 | |
| COLD | Cold | |
| COME | I’m coming, come | |
| CONDS | Terms of Acceptance | |
| CONDX | DX Terms | |
| CONGRATS | Congratulations | |
| CONTEST | Competition | |
| CONV | Converter, convert | |
| COPY | Recording, Accepting | |
| COUNTRY | Country | |
| CPI | Record, accept, accepted | |
| CPY | Record, accept, accepted | |
| CQ | General call, calling everyone | |
| CQ DX | I am calling far countries | |
| CQ TEST | Calling all contestants | |
| CRD | Card | |
| CU | I will call you, let’s meet | |
| CUA | Feeling | |
| CUAGN | We will meet again | |
| CUD | I could | |
| CUDNT | I couldn’t | |
| CUL | See you later | |
| CW | Telegraphy, radio telegraphy | |
| DAY | Day | |
| DB | Decibel | |
| DE | From, here (when using callsigns) | For example: W9ZZ DE LZ3AI |
| DIPOLE | Dipole (antenna type) | |
| DIRECT | Straight, straight | |
| DIY | Handmade | |
| DO | I do, do | |
| DONT | I don’t | |
| DOUBLET | Doublet, doublet (antenna type) | |
| DOWN | Down | |
| DR | Dear | |
| DSW | Goodbye (from Doswidaniya – Russian word) | Between Russian speakers |
| DWN | Down | |
| DX | Far country, far QSO | |
| EAST | East | |
| EASY | Easy | |
| END | End | |
| ENOUGH | Enough | |
| EQSL | Electronic QSL | |
| EQUAL | Equal | |
| EQUIP | Equipment, hardware | |
| ES | And, also | |
| EVERY | Everyone | |
| EX | Former | |
| EXACT | Correct | |
| EXACTLY | Exactly | |
| EXHIBITION | Exhibition | |
| FAN | Radio fan, listener | |
| FAR | Away | |
| FAST | Fast | |
| FB | Excellent | |
| FEEDER | Drain, feeder | |
| FER | About | |
| FEW | A little, a few | |
| FINE | Wonderful | |
| FIRST | First | |
| FM | Frequency Modulation | |
| FM | From | |
| FOG | Mist | |
| FONE | Telephony | |
| PHONES | Headphones | |
| FOR | About | |
| FR | About | |
| FRD | Friend | |
| FREQ | Frequency | |
| FRIEND | Friend | |
| FRM | From | |
| FROM | From | |
| FULL | Full | |
| G5RV | Antenna type | |
| GA | Good afternoon, good day | |
| GA | Go on, go on, pass on | |
| GB | Goodbye | |
| GD | Good day | GA is preferred |
| GD | Good | |
| GE | Good evening | |
| GIVE | I give | |
| GL | All the best, luck, chance, success | |
| GLAD | Delighted, pleased | |
| GLD | Delighted, pleased | |
| GM | Good morning | |
| GN | Good night | |
| GOOD | Good, good, good | |
| GOOD LUCK | All the best, good luck, good luck | |
| GREETINGS | Congratulations | |
| GROUND | Earth, grounding | |
| GUD | Good, good, good | |
| GUNOR | Your station cannot be heard | |
| HAD | I had | |
| HALF | Half | |
| HAM | Radio Amateur | |
| HAMSHACK | Radio Amateur Corner | |
| HAMSPIRIT | Radio Amateur Spirit | |
| HANDLE | Name (by which you are known) | |
| HAPPY | Happy | |
| HAS | He has | |
| HAVE | I have, we have, you have | |
| HE | He | |
| HF | High Frequency | |
| HH | Error correction, I was wrong | Merging is done |
| HI | Laughter, laughing | |
| HIGN | Tall | |
| HIS | His | |
| HNY | Happy New Year | |
| HOLD | Hold | |
| HOLIDAY | Holiday, vacation | |
| HOME MADE | Handmade | |
| HONOR | Respect, honor | |
| HOPE | I hope so | |
| HOT | Hot | |
| HOUR | Time | |
| HOW | How | |
| HPE | I hope so | |
| HR | Here | |
| HR | I hear | |
| HRD | I heard | |
| HVNT | I don’t have | |
| HVY | Heavy | |
| HW CPY? | How did you accept? | |
| HW? | How? How can you hear me? How did you accept? | |
| HWS | How is …. | |
| I | Me | |
| IF | If | |
| IN | In | |
| INCREASE | Zoom in | |
| INFO | Information | |
| INPUT | Power input | |
| INVITE | I invite | |
| IS | Well | |
| ISL | Island | |
| IT | It, him | |
| JOB | Profession, job | |
| JOY | Joy | |
| K | I finished the line, pass it to you please. | |
| KEY | Morse key | |
| KN | Only you transmit, let the others wait, please. | Not delivered merged |
| KNOW | I know | |
| KNOWN | I don’t know | |
| KW | Kilowatt | |
| LAST | Last | |
| LAT | Width (geographic), Latitude | |
| LICENSE | TX permission | |
| LID | Bad operator | |
| LIFF | Life | |
| LIGHT | Light | |
| LIKE | Like | |
| LINE | Line | |
| LINK | Connection | |
| LISTEN | Listening | |
| LITTLE | Little, little | |
| LIVE | I live | |
| LIVING | Living | |
| LOCAL | Local | |
| LOG | Log | |
| LONG | Long | |
| LONG WIRE | Long wire (antenna type) | |
| LOOK | Watching | |
| LOOK FOR | Following for … | |
| LOTW | Log of the World – Electronic QSL System | |
| LOVE | Love | |
| LOW | Low | |
| LP | Long propagation path of radio waves | |
| LSN | Listening, listen | |
| LSTN | Listening, listen | |
| LTR | Letter | |
| LUCK | Happiness | |
| LUCKY | Happy | |
| LW | Long wire (antenna type) | |
| M | Minute, meter | |
| MA | Milliamps | |
| MANY | A lot | |
| MAP | Geographic map | |
| ME | Me me | |
| Me | Me, me | |
| MEET | Meeting, meeting | |
| MERRY | Cheerful | |
| MERRY XMAS | Merry Christmas | |
| MEZ | Central European Time | |
| MI | Me, me | |
| MIKE | Microphone | |
| MINE | My | |
| MNI | A lot | |
| MOD | Modulation | |
| MONTH | Month | |
| MORE | More | |
| MSG | Message | |
| MUST | Must | |
| MX | Merry Christmas | |
| MY | Me, mine | |
| N | No, nothing, negation | |
| NAME | Name | |
| NEAR | Near, about | |
| NEED | Need | |
| NET | Network of stations | |
| NET-CONTROL | Network Manager | |
| NEVER | Never | |
| NEW | New | |
| NEXT | Next | |
| NICE | Kind, nice | |
| NIGHT | Night | |
| NIL | Nothing | |
| NO | No | |
| NORTH | Northern | |
| NOT | No | |
| NOTE | Note, I noticed | |
| NOW | Now | |
| NR | Near, about | |
| NR | Number | |
| NW | Now | |
| OB | Old Boy | |
| OC | Old comrade | In social countries |
| OF | To, for, from | |
| OFF | Turning off | |
| OFTEN | Often | |
| OK | Everything is fine | |
| OLD | Old | |
| OLD TIMER | Long time radio amateur | |
| OM | Old man, old friend, male radio amateur | Friendly address |
| ON | On | |
| ONE | One | |
| ONLY | Only | |
| OP | Operator | |
| OPEN | Open | |
| OPR | Operator | |
| OPS | Operators | |
| OR | Or | |
| OSC | Oscillator | |
| OTHER | Other | |
| OUR | Our | |
| OWN | Own | |
| PA | Power amplifier | |
| PART | Part, in part | |
| PEACE | Peace | |
| PERCENT | Percent | |
| PIRATE | Unauthorized radio station | |
| PLATE | Anode | |
| PM | After lunch | |
| POBOX | Mailbox | |
| POST | Post, after | |
| POWER | Power | |
| Print, printout | ||
| PRINTED | Printed | |
| PSE | Please | |
| PSED | Delighted, pleased | |
| PWR | Power | |
| QAZ | Thunderbolts, off | |
| QRA | My station name is … | |
| QRB | Distance between correspondents | |
| QRG | Your exact frequency is … | |
| QRH | Your frequency is changing | |
| QRI | The tone of your show is: 1. Good 2. Changeable 3. Bad | |
| QRK | The intelligibility of your signals is: 1. Bad 2. Poor 3. Average 4. Good 5. Excellent | |
| QRL | I am busy, please do not interfere | |
| QRL? | Is this frequency busy? | |
| QRM | I have interference (from…………) 1. Nothing 2. Mild 3. Moderate 4. Strong 5. Extremely strong | |
| QRMER | Who creates QRM | |
| QRN | I have electrostatic disturbance 1. None 2. Mild 3. Moderate 4. Severe 5. Extremely severe | |
| QRO | Increase the power | |
| QRP | Reduce power, low power to 10W | |
| QRPP | Very low power 0 to 5W | |
| QRQ | Transmit CW faster | |
| QRR | I’m ready for automatic operation | |
| QRS | Transmit slower | |
| QRT | Stop (stop) transmission | |
| QRU | I have nothing for you | |
| QRV | I’m ready | |
| QRW | Please inform……………. that I am calling him | |
| QRX | I will call you again, please wait | |
| QRY | Your turn is… | |
| QRZ … | … call you , or the site QRZ.COM | |
| QSA | Your signal strength is: 1.Barely detectable 2.Weak 3.Fairly good 4.Good 5.Very good | |
| QSB | Your signals are fading (Fading) | |
| QSD | Your manipulation is bad | |
| QSG | Transmit … messages at once | |
| QSK | I can hear you between my beeps (you may interrupt me) | |
| QSL | I confirm reception (QSO), confirmation | |
| QSL | QSL card | |
| QSLL | Reciprocal exchange of cards | |
| QSM | Repeat last message | |
| QSO | Direct (two-way) radio link | |
| QSP | I will hand over to … | |
| QST | General Call to ARRL | |
| QSU | Respond to frequency … | |
| QSV | Transmit series from VVV | |
| QSW | I will transmit on frequency … | |
| QSX | Listening on frequency… | |
| QSY | Switch (switch) to another frequency … | |
| QSZ | Transmit each word twice | |
| QTC | I have … messages for you | |
| QTF | My antenna azimuth is … | |
| QTH | My location is … | |
| QTR | Exact time … | |
| R | Understood, accepted, I confirm | |
| RAIN | Rain | |
| RAINING | It’s raining | |
| RAINY | Rainy | |
| RAY | Beam | |
| RCVD | Accepted, received | |
| RCVR | Receiver | |
| RED | Red, red, red, reds | |
| RIG | Radio station, equipment, transceiver | |
| ROOM | Room | |
| ROUNDTABLE | (About) Round Table | |
| RPRT | Report, Message | |
| RPT | Repeat, repeat | |
| RX | Receiver | |
| SA | I say, say | |
| SAY | I say, say | |
| SAYONARA | Goodbye | When QSO with a Japanese |
| SEA | Sea | |
| SECOND | Second | |
| SED | I said | |
| SEND | Sending, Transmitting | |
| SENT | Sent | |
| SHALL | Will | |
| SHE | She | |
| SHORT | Short | |
| SIDE | Side of something | |
| SIGN | Signature | |
| SIGS | Signals | |
| SILENCE | Silence | |
| SIMPLE | Simple | |
| SINCE | Since | |
| SINCERELY | Sincere | |
| SINGLE | Single | |
| SK | Final end of QSO | Transmitted merged |
| SK | Silents key, dead ham | |
| SKED | Scheduled connection | |
| SLIGHT | Easy | |
| SLOW | Slow | |
| SLOWLY | Slowly | |
| SMALL | Small | |
| SN | Coming soon | |
| SO | So | |
| SOLID | Solid, confident | |
| SOME | Some | |
| SOON | Coming soon | |
| SORRY | Sorry | |
| SOUTH | South | |
| SP | Short propagation path of radio waves | |
| SRI | I’m sorry, I apologize | |
| STILL | Still | |
| STN | Station | |
| STOP | Stop, period | |
| STR | Street | |
| STREET | Street | |
| SUMMER | Summer | |
| SURE | Sure | |
| SW | Short Waves | |
| SWL | Radio amateur – listener | |
| TAKE | Take | |
| TAKE PART | I take part | |
| TALK | I speak, I say | |
| TELL | I say, I speak | |
| TEMP | The temperature is …, temperature | |
| TEST | Trial, competition | |
| TESTING | Trying | |
| TFC | Traffic | |
| TG | Telegraphy | |
| THAT | The one | |
| THE | Definite Article | |
| THEN | Then | |
| THERE | There | |
| THEY | They | |
| THINK | I think | |
| THIS | This | |
| THRU | Through | |
| TILL | Until (in an hour) | |
| TKS | Thank you | |
| TKU | Thank you | |
| TMRW | Tomorrow | |
| TMW | Tomorrow | |
| TNK | I think | |
| TNX | Thank you | |
| TO | To | |
| TODAY | Today | |
| TOGETHER | Together | |
| TOMORROW | Tomorrow | |
| TONE | Tone | |
| TONIGHT | Tonight | |
| TONITE | Tonight | |
| TOO | Also | At the end of a sentence |
| TOW | Comrade | In social countries |
| TOWN | City | |
| TRANSLATE | Translating | |
| TRANSMISSION | Transmit | |
| TRCVR | Transceiver | |
| TROUBLE | Difficulty | |
| TRX | Transceiver | |
| TRY | Trying | |
| TU | For you, thank you | |
| TUBE | Radiolamp | |
| TUBES | Radio lamps | |
| TV | Television | |
| TVI | TV interference | |
| TWIN | Double | |
| TX | Transmitter | |
| U | You | |
| UFB | Extremely good (ultra excellent) | |
| UHF | Ultra high frequencies (decimeter range) | |
| UNKNOWN | Unknown | |
| UNTIL | While | |
| UP | Up, on | |
| UR | Your | |
| URS | Yours | |
| US | Us | |
| USE | I use | |
| USED | Used | |
| USING | User, using … | |
| VERY | A lot | |
| VFO | Oscillator, generator | |
| VHF | Very high frequency (meter range) | |
| VIA | Through | |
| VY | A lot | |
| W | Word | |
| WAR | War | |
| WARM | Warm | |
| WAS | It was | |
| WATCH | Clock | |
| WAVE | Wave | |
| WAY | Way, path | |
| WDS | Words | |
| WE | We | |
| WEAK | Weak | |
| WEEK | Week | |
| WEEKEND | End of the week | |
| WELL | Okay | |
| WERE | They were | |
| WEST | West | |
| WHEN | When, when | |
| WHO | Who, which | |
| WHOLE | Whole | |
| WHY | Why | |
| WID | With, with | |
| WIDE | Wide | |
| WILL | Will | |
| WIND | Windy | |
| WINDOM | Windom (antenna type) | |
| WINDY | Windy | |
| WIRE | Wire | |
| WISH | Wish | |
| WISHES | Wishes | |
| WITH | With | |
| WKD | Worked | |
| WKG | Working | |
| WORK | Working | |
| WPM | Words per minute | |
| WRK | Working | |
| WRLS | Wireless | |
| WUD | I would | |
| WX | Weather (meteorological) | |
| XCUS | Sorry | |
| XMAS | Christmas | |
| XMTR | Teacher | |
| XPECT | Waiting | |
| XTAL | Crystal | |
| XYL | Ham Wife, Mrs Ham | |
| YAGI | Yagi (type of directional antenna) | |
| YEAR | Year | |
| YESTERDAY | Yesterday | |
| YET | More | |
| YL | Young woman, Miss Ham | |
| YOU | You | |
| YOUR | Your | |
| YOURS | Yours | |
| YR | Year | |
| ZEPP | Zep, zeppelin (antenna type) | |
| ZERO | Null | |
| ZONE | Zone |
BAD PRACTICE – NOT TO BE USED!
| 51 | Go away, bad operator – not recommended | |
| 99 | Go away, bad operator – not recommended | |
| QQD, AAMH | Swear. Not used on air. | Among Bulgarians |
73 de LZ3AI
4 thoughts on “Complete list of amateur radio codes and abbreviations”
This has so many errors, it’s embarrassing!
I greatly value your opinion Allen, I appreciate your concern and I promise to take your notes into consideration if you point out any mistakes you see. I admit it is likely that some are translation errors as well. Thank you very much for the comment!
What is “es”?
“73” means “best regards”
“best 73s” means “best, best regardses”
So many more! Take it down!
“What is “es”?” – its meaning is spelled out – and, also. You can see it.
“73” means “best regards” – that’s exactly how he wrote it. In Bulgarian you also say “best wishes”, which makes the use of 73s not very logical, and my mother’s language is Bulgarian, I love it and use it whenever I have the chance. And as a radio amateur, I am tolerant of all languages.
“best 73s” means “best, best regards” – yes, it could be accepted, but the two expressions are written separately, I don’t see the point of writing them together. This is somewhat a matter of style – I personally would never use “best 73s” for the reason of my note above. I would prefer to pass on 73 ES BEST DX – best wishes and good far countries (QSOs). But should I write the same abbreviations in this way? In my opinion – no, and I have not done it.
“So much more! Take it down!” – so far I haven’t seen an any single error and you’ll excuse me, but I don’t intend to delete this page at all. On the contrary, I expect many enthusiasts like you within the amateur radio spirit to chime in and have their say on it. So together we will make a wonderful tool for young radio amateurs. Also, why not for the older ones – to remember.
Let’s keep the radio amateur spirit alive!
73 and see you again! I would love to hear you on the air too, my favorite modes are CW, FT 8, FT 4 and the other digital modes.