The international Q-code

The Q-code is an international set of abbreviations that was created at the beginning of the last century to
simplify radiotelegraph communication. Each code is composed by three letters always starting with Q. Each
code can be a question if followed by a question mark or an answer (or statement) if not. To avoid confusion,
no station call-sign begins with Q. Even if initially designed for telegraphy, it's also used in voice
communications.

Amateur radio international Q-code

Amateur radio operators use a subset of the full international Q-code and they use it extensively still today.
In many countries, learning this code is necessary to obtain a ham radio license; the exact subset used may
slightly vary from country to country. Hereunder the most common codes. Sometimes Q-codes are used
informally with a slightly different meaning. [2]

Code Question Answer

QRA What is the name (or call sign) of your station? The name (or call sign) of my station is ...
QRB How far are you from my station? The distance between our stations is ... nautical
miles (or km).
QRG Will you tell me my exact frequency (or that of Your exact frequency (or that of ... ) is ... kHz
...)? (or MHz).
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)
QRK What is the readability of my signals (or those of The readability of your signals (or those of ...) is
...)? ... (1: bad .. 5: excellent).
QRL Are you busy? I am busy. (or I am busy with ... ) Please do not
interfere.
QRM Do you have interference? I have interference.
QRN Are you troubled by static noise? I am troubled by static noise.
QRO Shall I increase transmit power? Please increase transmit power.
QRP Shall I decrease transmit power? Please decrease transmit power.
QRQ Shall I send faster? Please send faster (... words per minute).
QRS Shall I send more slowly? Please send more slowly (... words per minute).
QRT Shall I cease or suspend operation? I am suspending operation.
QRU Have you anything for me? I have nothing for you.
QRV Are you ready? I am ready.
QRX Shall I standby? / When will you call me again? Please standby. / I will call you again at ...
(hours) on ... kHz (or MHz).
QRZ Who is calling me? You are being called by ... (on ... kHz (or MHz)).
QSA What is the strength of my signals (or those of ... The strength of your signals (or those of ...) is ...
)? (1: very weak .. 5: very strong).
QSB Are my signals fading? Your signals are fading.
QSD Is my keying defective? Your keying is defective.
QSK Can you hear me between your signals (while I can hear you between my signals (while
transmitting), and if so can I break in on your transmitting); break in on my transmission.
transmission?
QSL Can you acknowledge receipt? I am acknowledging receipt.
QSM Shall I repeat the last telegram (message) which I Repeat the last telegram (message) which you
sent you, or some previous telegram (message)? sent me (or telegram(s) (message(s)) numbers(s)
...).
QSN Did you hear me (or ...) on ... kHz (or MHz)? I did hear you (or ...) on ... kHz (or MHz).
QSO Can you communicate with ... direct or by relay? I can communicate with ... direct (or by relay
through ...).
QSP Will you relay a message to ...? I will relay a message to ... .
QSS What working frequency will you use? I will use ... kHz (or MHz).
QSU Shall I send or reply on this frequency (or on ... Please send or reply on this frequency (or on ...
kHz (or MHz))? kHz (or MHz)).
QSV Shall I send a series of "V" on this frequency (or Please send a series of "V" on this frequency (or
on ... kHz (or MHz))? on ... kHz (or MHz)).
QSX Will you listen to ... on ... kHz (or MHz)? I am listening to ... on ... kHz (or MHz).
QSY Shall I change transmission frequency (to ... kHz Please change transmission frequency (to ... kHz
(or MHz))? (or MHz)).
QSZ Shall I send each word or group more than once? Send each word or group twice (or ... times).
QTC How many telegrams (messages) have you to I have ... telegrams (messages) for you (or for
send? ...).
QTH What is your position in latitude and longitude (or My position is ... latitude, ... longitude.
according to any other indication)?
QTR What is the correct time? The correct time is ... hours.

Amateur radio informal Q-code

In informal ham language, some codes have slightly diverted from their original meaning and are used just as
a replacement for a specific word. The table below summarizes the most common:

QRA Name
QRB Distance
QRG Frequency
QRK Intelligibility
QRL Busy
QRM Interference
QRN Noise
QRO High power
QRP Low power
QRQ High speed CW
QRS Low speed CW
QRSS Very low speed CW
QRT Shut down the station
QRV Ready
QRX Stand by
QRZ? Who is calling me?
QSB Fading
QSD Defective keying
QSK Break in
QSL Confirmation or card to confirm contact
QSO Radio contact
QSY Change frequency
QTC Message
QTH Location
QTR Time

Full international Q-code

This is a more complete Q-code set that includes almost all codes from QRA to QUZ but the majority of
them are for maritime/rescue use and are seldom used by amateur radio operators. Then, there are many
other Q-codes from QAA to QZZ in use in aviation and maritime traffic that are out of scope here. [1]

Here only the "question" part is shown, but it's easy to guess the answer from the question.

QRA What is the name of your station?

QRB How far approximately are you from my station?
QRC By what enterprise are the accounts for charges for your station settled?
QRD Where are you bound for and where are you from?
QRE What is your estimated time of arrival at ... (over ...)?
QRF Are you returning to ... ?
QRG Will you tell me my exact frequency (or that of ...)?
QRH Does my frequency vary?
QRI How is the tone of my transmission?
QRJ How many radiotelephone calls have you to book?
QRK What is the intelligibility of my signals (or those of ...)?
QRL Are you busy?
QRM Are you being interfered with?
QRN Are you troubled by static?
QRO Shall I increase transmitter power?
QRP Shall I decrease transmitter power?
QRQ Shall I send faster?
QRR Are you ready for automatic operation?
QRS Shall I send more slowly?
QRT Shall I stop sending?
QRU Have you anything for me?
QRV Are you ready?
QRW Shall I inform ... that you are calling him on ... kHz (or MHz)?
QRX When will you call me again?
QRY What is my turn?
QRZ Who is calling me?
QSA What is the strength of my signals (or those of ...)?
QSB Are my signals fading?
QSC Are you a cargo vessel?
QSD Is my keying defective?
QSE What is the estimated drift of the survival craft?
QSF Have you effected rescue?
QSG Shall I send ... telegrams at a time?
QSH Are you able to home on your direction-finding equipment?
QSI I have been unable to break in on your transmission.
QSJ What is the charge to be collected to ... including your internal charge?
QSK Can you hear me between your signals and if so can I break in on your transmission?
QSL Can you acknowledge receipt?
QSM Shall I repeat the last telegram which I sent you (or some previous telegram)?
QSN Did you hear me (or ... ) on ... kHz (or MHz)?
QSO Can you communicate with ... direct (or by relay)?
QSP Will you relay to ... free of charge?
QSQ Have you a doctor on board (or is ... on board)?
QSR Shall I repeat the call on the calling frequency?
QSS What working frequency will you use?
QSU Shall I send or reply on this frequency (or on ... kHz (or MHz))
QSV Shall I send a series of Vs on this frequency (or on ... kHz (or MHz))?
QSW Will you send on this frequency (or on ... kHz (or MHz))
QSX Will you listen to ... on ... kHz (or MHz)?
QSY Shall I change to transmission on another frequency?
QSZ Shall I send each word or group more than once?
QTA Shall I cancel telegram (or message) number ... ?
QTB Do you agree with my counting of words?
QTC How many telegrams have you to send?
QTD What has the rescue vessel or rescue aircraft recovered?
QTE What is my true bearing from you?
QTF Will you give me my position according to your bearings?
QTG Will you send two dashes of ten seconds each followed by your call sign (repeated ... times) (on ...
kHz (or MHz))?
QTH What is your position in latitude and longitude?
QTI What is your true track?
QTI What is your true course?
QTJ What is your speed?
QTK What is the speed of your aircraft in relation to the surface of the Earth?
QTL What is your true heading?
QTM What is your magnetic heading?
QTN At what time did you depart from ... (place)?
QTO Have you left dock (or port)?
QTP Are you going to enter dock (or port)?
QTQ Can you communicate with my station by means of the International Code of Signals?
QTR What is the correct time?
QTS Will you send your call sign for tuning purposes or so that your frequency can be measured now (or
at ... hours) on ... kHz (or MHz)?
QTT The identification signal which follows is superimposed on another transmission.
QTU What are the hours during which your station is open?
QTV Shall I stand guard for you on the frequency of ... kHz (or MHz) (from ... to ... hours)?
QTW What is the condition of survivors?
QTX Will you keep your station open for further communication with me until further notice (or until ...
hours)?
QTY Are you proceeding to the position of incident and if so when do you expect to arrive?
QTZ Are you continuing the search?
QUA Have you news of ... ?
QUB Can you give me in the following order information concerning: the direction in degrees and speed
of the surface wind, visibility, present weather, and amount, type and height of base of cloud above
surface elevation at ... ?
QUC What is the number (or other indication) of the last message you received from me (or from ...)?
QUD Have you received the urgency signal sent by ... (call sign of mobile station)?
QUE Can you use telephony in ... (language), with interpreter if necessary; if so, on what frequencies?
QUF Have you received the distress signal sent by ...?
QUG Will you be forced to alight (or land)?
QUH Will you give me the present barometric pressure at sea level?
QUI Are your navigation lights working?
QUJ Will you indicate the true track to reach you (or ...)?
QUK Can you tell me the condition of the sea observed at ...?
QUL Can you tell me the swell observed at ...?
QUM May I resume normal working?
QUN Will vessels in my immediate vicinity please indicate their position, cruise and speed?
QUO Shall I search for ... (aircraft, ship, survival craft)?
QUP Will you indicate your position by searchlight, black smoke trail, pyrotechnic lights?
QUQ Shall I train my searchlight nearly vertical on a cloud, and if your aircraft is seen, deflect the beam
up wind and on the water?
QUR Have survivors ... (1. received survival equipment, 2. been picked up by rescue vessel, 3. been
reached by ground rescue) party?
QUS Have you sighted survivors or wreckage?
QUT Is position of incident marked?
QUU Shall I home ship or aircraft to my position?
QUW Are you in the search area designated as ...?
QUX Do you have any navigational warnings or gale warnings in force?
QUY Is position of survival craft marked?
QUZ May I resume restricted working?

Bibliography and further reading

[1] Nerio Neri I4NE. Radiotecnica per Radioamatori. C&C - Edizioni Radioelettroniche, 1994, Appendice
14.
[2] OFCOM - Office fédéral de la communication. Prescriptions concernant les radioamateurs. Section
concessions de radiocommunication, Rue de l'Avenir 44, CH-2503 Bienne, 2001, Appendice 3.

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