Q CODES

These codes can be used as a question or as a statement. Originally the were intended for use during Morse (CW) contact and to shorten telegrams, but nowadays they’re commonly in use for phone.

Q codes used in amateur radio

Regular communication

QRA – What is the name or call sign of your station? / My call sign is…
QRG – Will you tell me my exact frequency (or that of …)? / Your frequency is…
QRH – Does my frequency vary?
QRI – How is the tone of my transmission?
QRJ – How many voice contacts do you want to make?
QRK – What is the readability of my signals (or those of …)?
QRL – Are you busy? Also: Workplace
QRM – Do you have interference?
QRN – Are you troubled by static?
QRO – Shall I increase power?
QRP – Shall I decrease power? Also: low power
QRQ – Shall I send faster?
QRS – Shall I send more slowly?
QRT – Shall I cease or suspend operation/shutoff the radio?
QRU – Have you anything for me?
QRV – Are you ready/stand-by?
QRW – Shall I inform … that you are calling him on … kHz/MHz?
QRX – Shall I standby / When will you call me again?
QRZ – Who is calling me?
QSA – What is the strength of my signals (or those of … )?
QSB – Are my signals fading?
QSD – Is my keying defective?
QSG – Shall I send … messages at a time?
QSK – Can you hear me between your signals? Also: breakbreak
QSL – Can you acknowledge receipt / confirm reception?
QSM – Shall I repeat the last message which I sent you, or some previous message?
QSN – Did you hear me (or… ) on .. kHz/MHz?
QSO – Can you communicate with … direct or by relay? Also: a radiocontact
QSP – Will you relay a message to …?
QSR – Do you want me to repeat my call?
QSS – What working frequency will you use?
QST – n/a
QSU – Shall I send or reply on this frequency / on … kHz/MHz?
QSW – Will you send on this frequency / on … kHz/MHz?
QSX – Will you listen to … on … kHz/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 message No. … as if it had not been sent?
QTC – How many messages have you to send?
QTH – What is your position in latitude and longitude (or locator or cityname)?
QTR – What is the correct time?
QTU – At what times are you operating?
QTX – Will you keep your station open for further communication with me until later (or … hrs)?
QUA – Have you news of … ?
QUC – What is the number/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 speak in … (language) – with interpreter if necessary – If so, on what frequencies?
QUF – Have you received the distress signal sent by … (call sign of mobile station)?

Humorous (unofficial) codes 🙂

QAS – Are you speaking out of your ass?
QBA – How big is your antenna?
QBO – Buddy, can you spare some soap?
QBS – Did I tell you about the one that got away?
QBS – Should I clean the bird sh*t off my antenna so I can hear you
QCW – Why are you whistling Morse?
QDR – Do you have a Receiver? (In respone to QRL)
QET – Has anyone called me from another planet?
QEW – Is copy difficult due to Ear Wax?
QFF – How high are the front feet on your radio?
QFH – Is this frequency hogged?
QFU – Self-explanitory
QHI – Are you leaving after only one transmission?
QKB – How many knobs does your radio have?
QKN – How many of them do you know how to use?
QLF – Are you sending with your left foot?
QLK – Are you sending with your left foot and keyboard?
QNO – Are you sending through a non-standard orifice?
QOF – Are you an old Fart?
QOK – Was my last transmission OK?
QPM – Is my signal purr modulated?
QRC – Are you a rag chewer?
QRG – Am I transmitting in or near an amateur band, and if so which one?
QRW QRP – You are Really Weak?
QWC – Who cares?
QWC – Do you have to go to the bathroom?
QYL – Is that your wife in the background?
QZZ – Is that a 50/60 Hz hum, or are you snoring?

Q codes used in aviation

Altimeter settings

QFE – Atmospheric pressure at a specified datum such as airfield runway threshold. When set, the altimeter reads the height above the specified datum. Runway in use 22 Left, QFE 990 millibars
QFF – Atmospheric pressure at a place, reduced to MSL using the actual temperature at the time of observation as the mean temperature.
QNE – Atmospheric pressure at sea level in the International Standard Atmosphere (ISA), equal to 1013.25 mbar or hPa and used as reference for measuring the pressure altitude. When Flight Levels are used as an indication of altitude, 1013.25 hPa is used as mean sea level (QNH).
QNH – Atmospheric pressure at mean sea level (may be either a local, measured pressure or a regional forecast pressure [RPS]). When set on the altimeter it reads altitude. Request Leeds QNH

Radio navigation

QDM – Magnetic heading to a station (callsign) request QDM (callsign)
QDL – Series of bearings taken at regular intervals
QDR – Magnetic bearing from a station (callsign) request QDR (callsign)
QFU – Magnetic bearing of the runway in use Runway 22 in use, QFU 220
QGE – Distance
QGH – Controlled Descent through Clouds (Royal Air Force use)
QTE – True bearing from a station True bearing, True bearing, (callsign) request QTE (callsign)
QTF – Position in relation to a point of reference or in latitude and longitude
QUJ – True bearing to a station