Q codes are three-letter abbreviations that start with Q, like QTH (location), QSL (received), QRM (interference) and QSY (change frequency). Each one is a statement, or a question when followed by a question mark. Hams use them on both Morse and voice, and two of them are on the current Technician exam.
The chart below uses the wording from the ARRL's "Communicating with Other Hams" sheet, which lists the Q signals "used most often on the air."
The dozen you'll hear on voice
On a repeater or an HF phone net, a few Q codes have turned into ordinary words. You'll hear "QRZed?" for "who's calling me?" and "let's QSY to 146.55" for moving to a simplex frequency, two examples the ARRL itself uses.
| Q code | On the air it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| QTH | Location | "My QTH is Boise." |
| QSL | Received / confirm; also the card | "QSL, thanks for the report." |
| QSO | A contact or conversation | "Great QSO, see you on the net." |
| QRZ | Who is calling me? | "QRZ? I heard a partial call." |
| QSY | Change frequency | "Let's QSY to 146.55." |
| QRM | Interference from other stations | "Heavy QRM here, say again." |
| QRN | Static, natural noise | "Lots of QRN from the storm." |
| QSB | Your signal is fading | "You've got some QSB." |
| QRP | Low power (literally "decrease power") | "I'm running QRP, 5 watts." |
| QRO | High power ("increase power") | "Going QRO to get through." |
| QRT | Stop sending; going off the air | "I'm QRT for the night. 73." |
| QRL | Is this frequency busy? | "QRL?" before calling CQ on HF |
The full ARRL Q signal chart
Each signal is a statement; add a question mark and it becomes the question. The blanks are where you fill in a call sign, frequency or number.
| Q signal | Statement | Question |
|---|---|---|
| QRG | Your exact frequency (or that of ___) is ___ kHz. | Will you tell me my exact frequency? |
| QRL | I am busy (or busy with ___). | Are you busy? Usually used to see if a frequency is busy. |
| QRM | Your transmission is being interfered with (1 nil to 5 extremely). | Is my transmission being interfered with? |
| QRN | I am troubled by static (1 to 5). | Are you troubled by static? |
| QRO | Increase power. | Shall I increase power? |
| QRP | Decrease power. | Shall I decrease power? |
| QRQ | Send faster (___ wpm). | Shall I send faster? |
| QRS | Send more slowly (___ wpm). | Shall I send more slowly? |
| QRT | Stop sending. | Shall I stop sending? |
| QRU | I have nothing for you. | Have you anything for me? |
| QRV | I am ready. | Are you ready? |
| QRX | I will call you again at ___ (minutes are usually implied). | When will you call me again? |
| QRZ | You are being called by ___. | Who is calling me? |
| QSB | Your signals are fading. | Are my signals fading? |
| QSK | I can hear you between signals; break in on my transmission. | Can you hear me between your signals? |
| QSL | I am acknowledging receipt. | Can you acknowledge receipt? |
| QSO | I can communicate with ___ direct (or by relay). | Can you communicate with ___? |
| QSP | I will relay to ___. | Will you relay to ___? |
| QST | General call to all amateurs and ARRL members ("CQ ARRL"). | (statement only) |
| QSX | I am listening to ___ on ___ kHz. | Will you listen to ___? |
| QSY | Change to transmission on another frequency. | Shall I change frequency? |
| QTC | I have ___ messages for you. | How many messages have you to send? |
| QTH | My location is ___. | What is your location? |
| QTR | The time is ___. | What is the correct time? |
Wording condensed from the ARRL's Communicating with Other Hams sheet, which also prints the phonetic alphabet. Traffic nets add their own "QN" signals, which aren't used in casual contacts.
Q codes on the Technician exam
The 2026-2030 Technician pool, in use since July 1, 2026, asks about two Q signals directly: T2B10 (interference from other stations: QRM) and T2B11 (changing frequency: QSY). The wrong answers include QRN, QTH, QSB, QRU, QSL and QRZ, so knowing the twelve on-air codes above covers you. Our Technician exam guide has the rest of the study plan.
73, 88 and the other numbers
Hams sign off with 73, meaning "best regards." It's older than radio. The history collected by W5WWW traces it to an 1857 telegraph guide, where it meant "my love to you." Western Union's 1859 "92 Code" made it "accept my compliments," and the 1908 Dodge telegraph manual lists today's "best regards." The same manual lists 88 as "love and kisses," which is still how hams use it, saved for family and partners. Since 73 is already plural, "73s" is a classic beginner tell.
Other shorthand you'll hear
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CQ | Calling any station (Technician question T2A08) |
| DX | A distant station, usually in another country |
| YL / XYL / OM | Young lady (any woman operator) / wife / old man (any male operator) |
| Rag chew | A long, casual conversation |
| Barefoot | Running a radio without an amplifier |
| Kerchunk | Keying a repeater without saying anything (and without identifying, which the rules require) |
| Pile-up | Many stations calling one rare station at once |
| Hi hi | Laughter, from Morse |
There's no Q code for "wife," despite the search suggestions; XYL is the term.
QSL cards and confirming contacts
A QSL card is a postcard confirming a contact: both call signs, date, time in UTC, band, mode and signal report. Collecting them is half the fun of chasing DX, and confirmed contacts count toward awards such as the ARRL's DXCC.
You can mail cards directly, send them in bulk through a QSL bureau, or confirm online through the ARRL's Logbook of The World, which many award programs accept. Whichever you use, keep a log. A paper ARRL Amateur Radio Logbook works fine at home, and the ARRL also sells a Portable Operating Logbook for field days and parks.
Signal reports: what "59" means
When someone gives you "59," they're using the RST system: Readability from 1 to 5, Strength from 1 to 9, and Tone from 1 to 9 (Morse only). "59" on voice means perfectly readable and very strong. A "57" is fully readable but a bit weaker. On FM repeaters, people usually skip RST and say "full quieting" or "a little scratchy."
Why hams use Q codes instead of 10-codes
Q codes are published international abbreviations. They began as a British list around 1909, appeared in the 1912 London radiotelegraph regulations, and have been part of the ITU's Radio Regulations since 1947, according to Wikipedia's Q code history. That's why operators who share no language can still exchange "QTH" and "QSL." The amateur rules prohibit messages encoded to obscure their meaning (97.113), and Q codes don't hide anything. 10-codes come from police radio and are covered in our radio lingo guide.
A pocket set like these waterproof ham band plan and Q code reference cards puts the chart next to the radio. Then use them sparingly on voice: plain English is always allowed, and you still need to give your call sign at least every 10 minutes and at the end of a contact (97.119). For bands and frequencies, see our ham radio band chart.
Checked October 13, 2026: ARRL Q-signal chart; NCVEC 2026-2030 Technician pool (T2A08, T2B10, T2B11); eCFR 97.113 · 97.119. How we research · Affiliate disclosure