Editing Q code (section)

===Amateur radio===
Amateur radio has adapted two different sets of Q-codes for use in amateur communications. The first set comes from the ITU civil series QRA through QUZ. Most of the meanings are identical to the ITU definitions, however, they must be looked at in the context of amateur communications. For example, QSJ? asks what the charges are for sending the telegraph. Since by regulation amateur communications are without charge, this Q-code couldn't make sense.

The second set is the set of [[QN Signals]], used only in ARRL [[National Traffic System|NTS]] nets. These operating signals generally have no equivalent in the ACP 131 publication or ITU publications, and are specifically defined only for use in ARRL NTS nets. They are not used in casual amateur radio communications.<ref>{{cite web |title=Operating Signals |date=12 December 2014 |publisher=[[American Radio Relay League|ARRL]] [[National Traffic System]] (NTS) |url=https://wb8ylo.wordpress.com/2014/12/11/operating-signals/ |access-date=30 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402182452/https://wb8ylo.wordpress.com/2014/12/11/operating-signals/ }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=FSD-218 – Field Service Form: Instructions for NTS radiogram messages |url=http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Public%2520Service/fsd218.pdf}}</ref>

Selected Q-codes were soon adopted by [[amateur radio operator]]s. In December 1915, the [[American Radio Relay League]] began publication of a magazine titled ''[[QST]]'', named after the Q-code for "General call to all stations". In amateur radio, the Q-codes were originally used in Morse code transmissions to shorten lengthy phrases and were followed by a Morse code question mark ({{morse|dot|dot|dash|dash|dot|dot}}) if the phrase was a question.

Q-codes are commonly used in voice communications as shorthand nouns, verbs, and adjectives making up phrases. For example, an amateur radio operator will complain about QRM (man-made interference), or tell another operator that there is "QSB on the signal" (fading); "to QSY" is to change your operating frequency, or to break in on a conversation QSK is often used even on VHF and UHF frequencies. (See also [[#Informal usage|Informal usage]], below.)

====Q-codes as adapted for use in amateur radio====
{{anchor | amateur_radio }}
{| class="wikitable" summary="Most common Q-codes used in the amateur radio service"
|-
! Code !! Question !! Answer or statement
|-
| QRA || What is the name (or call sign) of your station? || The name (or call sign) of my station is ____ 
|-
| 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)
|-
| QRJ || How many voice contacts do you want to make? || I want to make ____ voice contacts.
|-
| QRK || What is the readability of my signals (or those of ____)?  || The readability of your signals (or those of ____) is ____ (1 to 5).
|-
| QRL || Are you busy? || I am busy (in contact with ____ ). Please do not interfere.
|-
| QRM || Do you have interference? || I have interference.
|-
| QRN || Are you troubled by static? || I am troubled by static.
|-
| QRO || Shall I increase power? || Increase power.
|-
| [[QRP operation|QRP]] || Shall I decrease power? || Decrease power.
|-
| QRQ || Shall I send faster?  || Send faster (____ {{sc|wpm}}).
|-
| QRS || Shall I send more slowly?  || Send more slowly (____ {{sc|wpm}}).
|-
| QRT || Shall I stop sending?  || Stop sending.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Morsum Magnificat Q & Z Codebook for the Morse-Telegraphy |url=http://www.n7cfo.com/tgph/Dwnlds/mm/MMs/Q&Z.pdf |access-date=20 October 2024}}</ref>
''Often heard colloquially as:''
I am suspending operation / shutting off the radio.
|-
| QRU || Have you anything for me?  || I have ____ messages for you.
|-
| QRV || Are you ready?  || I am ready.
|-
| QRW || Shall I inform ____ that you are calling (him) on ____ kHz (or MHz)? || Please inform ____ that I am calling (him) on ____ kHz (or MHz).
|-
| 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 to 5).
|-
| QSB || Are my signals fading? || Your signals are fading.
|-
| QSD || Is my keying defective? || Your keying is defective.
|-
| QSG || Shall I send ____ telegrams (messages) at a time? || Send ____ telegrams (messages) at a time. 
|-
| [[QSK operation (full break-in)|QSK]] || Can you hear me between your signals?  || I can hear you between my signals.
|-
| [[QSL card|QSL]] || Can you acknowledge receipt?  || I will acknowledge receipt.
|-
| QSM || Shall I repeat the last telegram (message) which I sent you, or some previous telegram (message)?  || Repeat the last telegram (message) which you sent me (or telegram(s) / message(s) numbers(s) ____ ).
|-
| QSN || Did you hear me (or ____ (call sign)) on ____ kHz (or MHz)?  || I did hear you (or ____ (call sign)) on ____ kHz (or MHz).
|-
| [[Contact (amateur radio)|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 ____ .
|-
| QSR || Do you want me to repeat my call? || Please repeat your call; I did not hear you.
|-
| QSS || What working frequency will you use? || I will use the working frequency ____ kHz (or MHz).
|-
| QST || Should I repeat the prior message to all amateurs I contact? || Here follows a broadcast message to all amateurs.
|-
| QSU || Shall I send or reply on this frequency (or on ____ kHz (or MHz))? || Send or reply on this frequency (or on ____ kHz (or MHz)).
|-
| QSW || Will you send on this frequency (or on ____ kHz (or MHz))? || I am going to send on this frequency (or on ____ kHz (or MHz)). 
|-
| QSX || Will you listen to ____ (call sign(s) on ____ kHz (or MHz))?  || I am listening to ____ (call sign(s) on ____ kHz (or MHz)) 
|-
| QSY || Shall I change to transmission on another frequency?  || Change to transmission on another frequency (or on ____ kHz (or MHz)).
|-
| QSZ || Shall I send each word or group more than once? || Send each word or group twice (or ____ times). 
|-
| QTA || Shall I cancel telegram (message) number ____ as if it had not been sent?  || Cancel telegram (message) number ____ as if it had not been sent.
|-
| QTC || How many telegrams (messages) have you to send?  || I have ____ telegrams (messages) for you (or for ____ ).
|-
| QTH || What is your position in latitude and longitude? (or according to any other indication) || My position is ____ latitude ____ longitude.
|-
| QTR || What is the correct time? || The correct time is ____ hours [[UTC]].
|-
| QTU || At what times are you operating? || I am operating from ____ to ____ hours.
|-
| QTX || Will you keep your station open for further communication with me until further notice (or until ____ hours)? || I will keep my station open for further communication with you until further notice (or until ____ hours). 
|-
| QUA || Have you news of ____ (call sign)? || Here is news of ____ (call sign). 
|-
| QUC || What is the number (or other indication) of the last message you received from me (or from ____ (call sign))? || The number (or other indication) of the last message I received from you (or from ____ (call sign)) is ____.
|-
| QUD || Have you received the urgency signal sent by ____ (call sign of mobile station)? || I have received the urgency signal sent by ____ (call sign of mobile station) at ____ hours.
|-
| QUE || Can you speak in ____ (language) – with interpreter if necessary – if so, on what frequencies? || I can speak in ____ (language) on ____ kHz (or MHz).
|-
| QUF || Have you received the distress signal sent by ____ (call sign of mobile station)? || I have received the distress signal sent by ____ (call sign of mobile station) at ____ hours. 
|}

====Notes for response to radiotelegraph Q-codes====
Responses to a radiotelegraph Q-code query or a Q-code assertion may vary depending upon the code. For Q-code assertions or queries which only need to be acknowledged as received, the usual practice is to respond with the letter "R" for "Roger" which means "Received correctly". Sending an "R" merely means the code has been correctly received and does not necessarily mean that the receiving operator has taken any other action.

For Q-code queries that need to be answered in the affirmative, the usual practice is to respond with the letter "C" (Sounds like the Spanish word "Si"). For Q-code queries that need to be answered in the negative, the usual practice it to respond with the letter "N" for "no". For those Q-code assertions that merely need to be acknowledged as understood, the usual practice is to respond with the [[prosigns for Morse code|prosign]] {{overline|SN}} (or {{overline|VE}}) which means "understood". On telegraph cable networks "KK" was often used at the end of a reply to a Q-code to mean "OK" or "Acknowledged". This practice predates amateur radio as telegraph operators in the late 19th century are known to have used it.

====Informal usage====
[[Image:International Morse Code.svg|right|thumb|315px|Chart of the [[Morse code]] letters and numerals.<ref name='itu-r'>{{cite web |url=http://www.itu.int/rec/R-REC-M.1677-1-200910-I/ |title=International Morse code Recommendation ITU-R M.1677-1  |date=October 2009 |work=itu.int |publisher=International Telecommunication Union |access-date=23 December 2011}}</ref>]]

'''QAC''' - Taken from the Articles of Association of the South Hampshire International Telegraphy Society, para 9: "...and amongst themselves they shall promote the Use of the Code QAC, which shall be taken as implying "All Compliments" and shall include:- VY 73 73 OM CUL BCNU & mni tnx fer nice/FB/rotten QSO GL GB hpe cuagn wid gud/btr/wrse condx mri Xms Hpi Nw Yr mni hpi rtrns gtgs fer Rosh Hoshanah/Id el Fitr/May Day/Tksgvg 88 to XYL/YL/Widow Ciao Cheerio & gud/FB/best DX or any Part or Parts thereof in any Permutation or Combination.<ref>{{Cite web |title=G2JL Callsign Page |url=https://www.qrz.com/db/G2JL |access-date=2024-03-02 |website=QRZ Callsign Database |language=en-US}}</ref>

'''QLF''' – "Are you sending with your left foot? Try sending with your left foot!"  A humorously derogatory comment about the quality of a person's sending.<ref>{{cite web |author=The Free Dictionary |title=Definition of QLF |url=http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/QLF |publisher=The Free Dictionary |access-date=1 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Capitalizing on your Capital Project |url=http://www.arrl.org/news/capitalizing-on-your-capital-project |website=ARRL.org |publisher=American Radio Relay League |access-date=1 July 2016}}</ref>

'''QNB''' – QNB? “How many buttons on your radio?” “QNB 100/5” Means there are 100 and I know what 5 of them do.

'''[[QSK operation (full break-in)|QSK]]''' – "I can hear you during my transmission" – refers to a particular mode of Morse code operating often called [[QSK operation (full break-in)]] in which the receiver is quickly enabled during the spaces between the dits and dahs, which allows another operator to interrupt transmissions. Many modern [[transceivers]] incorporate this function, sometimes referred to as ''full break-in'' as against ''semi-break-in'' in which there is a short delay before the transceiver goes to receive.<ref name="CIOS">{{cite web |url=http://jcs.dtic.mil/j6/cceb/acps/acp131/ACP131F.pdf |title=Communications Instructions Operating Signals |date=April 2006 |publisher=[[Combined Communications Electronics Board]] |access-date=2014-05-16  |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120906015123/http://jcs.dtic.mil/j6/cceb/acps/acp131/ACP131F.pdf |archive-date=September 6, 2012}}</ref>

'''QSY''' – "Change to transmission on another frequency"; colloquially, "move [=change address]". E.g., "When did [http://www.qsl.net/gm3zdh/coast/uk/gka/closedown/final-msg.htm GKB] QSY from Northolt to Portishead?"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://groups.google.com/d/msg/uk.radio.amateur/5LRgiCMoNcI/kObVDDoEi9gJ |format=Post |title=The uk.radio.amateur newsgroup |date=2010-08-21 |access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

'''QTH''' – "My location is&nbsp;____"; colloquially in voice or writing, "location". E.g., "The OCF ''[antenna type]'' is an interesting build but at my QTH a disappointing performer."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amateur-radio-wiki.net/index.php?title=Has_anyone_used_a_tuner_with_an_Off_Centre_Fed_Dipole%3F_How_well_did_it_work%3F |title=Has anyone used a tuner with an Off Centre Fed Dipole? How well did it work? |website=Amateur Radio Wiki |access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

'''QTHR''' – "At the registered location&nbsp;____"; chiefly British use. Historically, the location in the printed Callbook; modernly, "as given in online government records for my callsign". E.g., "You can contact me QTHR".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ukrepeater.net/list1q.php |title=List of repeaters in the UK sorted by QTHR |access-date=2016-06-01}}</ref>

'''QBL''' – “Quit Bein' a Lid” QBL is used among amateur radio operators to indicate humour in their CW transmission. While QBL is generally used by a small subsection of operators who can properly decode, it is available to anyone.

====German use during World War II====
During World War II, according to [[Bletchley Park]]’s ''General Report on Tunny,''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.alanturing.net/turing_archive/archive/t/t01/TR01-016.html |title=TR01-016 |website=www.alanturing.net}}</ref> German radio teleprinter networks used Q-codes to establish and maintain circuit connections.

In particular: '''QEP''' was to indicate the [[Lorenz cipher]] machine setting for each message and, '''QZZ''' to indicate that the daily key change was about to take place at the sender's station.