Morse     Code     Project
Prosigns, Punctuation, Q-signals, and other shortcuts
 

History Lesson:  Around January of 2006 I held a Morse Code Class. In order for the students to attend they had to make a contract with me.  The contract read something like:  I will help you learn Morse Code but you must participate in the graduation ceremony... which is to make an 'on the air' QSO with another Morse operator.  It was hard for them... but almost all of the students did this.

Now that Morse code is not required... this page is here on the DK website just for posterity's sake. 

B C N U de Rich KR7W     dit dit
 

Morse Code Practice Audio Files
 
These audio files are pertinent to the current lessons.  The MP3 files are somewhat large and will take a while to download on a dial up line. 

Once downloaded, they can be saved onto your PC's hard drive.  Then, if you choose to, the MP3 files could be burned to a disk to use in your portable MP3 player... or as an Audio CD for use in your car.  Windows Media Player program will do this for you.

Misc letters from A to Z
The Answer Sheet

Number drill 1 to 5
The Answer Sheet

6 to 0 Lesson
The Answer Sheet

6 to 0 Drill #1
The Answer Sheet

Numbers 1 to 0 drill # 3
The Answer Sheet

Numbers 1 to 0 drill # 4
The Answer Sheet

T to Z drill # 1 (with a guest letter)
The Answer Sheet

T to Z drill # 2 (with a guest letter)
The Answer Sheet

T to Z drill # 3 (with guest letter)
The Answer Sheet

Slash Comma Period #1
The Answer Sheet

Slash Comma Period #2
The Answer Sheet
 

Slash Comma Period lesson_5

Slash Comma Period lesson_6

Slash Comma Period lesson_7

AR BT SK  lesson_8

? AR BT SK lesson_9

? AR BT SK lesson_10

Period Comma Slash ? AR BT SK lesson_11

Answer Sheet for lessons 5 to 11


K7QO lesson  088 (All Characters Drill) 928KB
Answer Sheet for 088

K7QO  Lesson  077- a realistic QSO
I've inserted the ar (or +) character where I thought it would be appropriate.  C if U can find them.  Other than that, the answer sheet is in your book.
077-A     900 kB
077-B     1.5 mB
 

K7QO  Lesson  082- a realistic QSO
I added prosigns + = sk to this lesson to make it more realistic. 
C if U can find them.  Other than that, the answer sheet is in your book.
Part 1   752KB
Part 2   1.2MB
 

Calling CQ and Call Signs Drill
Answer Sheet

 

 

This section was updated on:    01/13/2006 

 

PROSIGNS FOR MORSE CODE

Prosigns are symbols formed by running together two characters into one without the inter-character space to make an abbreviation for the most common procedural signals. Usually written with a BAR over the characters. 


AR ----- End of message  (some operators write this as  +  )  Must know to pass Element 1 test
AS ----- Stand by or WAIT
BK ----- Invite receiving station to transmit
BT ----- Pause; Break For Text  (mostly written as  =  )  Must know to pass Element 1 test
KA ----- Beginning of message
CL ----- Going off the air (clear)
CQ ----- Calling any amateur radio station
K ------ Go, invite any station to transmit
KN ----- Go only, invite a specific station to transmit
R ------ All received OK
SK ----- End of contact (sent before call)   Must know to pass Element 1 test.
VE ----- Understood (VE)

NOTE:  Also, you must know punctuation:  Slash (slant mark), Comma, Period, Question Mark

 

 


 

 

Q-Signals For Amateur Radio Operators
 
Originally intended as "short hand" signals for railroad telegraph and radio-telegraph operators.  Amateur radio CW traffic  nets use them to be more efficient.  CW QSOs continue to use Q signals to make exchanging info easier and more efficient.  Somehow, in error, these signals migrated their way into amateur radio voice communicating.  Example: "This KE7XYZ QSY to 14652" instead of "I am moving to 14662".... OR "QSL" , instead of "I copy you".
 

Yellow highlighted are most likely used in CW QSOs

The Q signal can be used as a command or a question

Q-Sig

Message

QRA

What is the name of your station? The name of my station is ___.

QRB

How far are you from my station? I am ____ km from you station

QRD

Where are you bound and where are you coming from? I am bound ___ from ___.

QRG

Will you tell me my exact frequency? Your exact frequency is ___ kHz.

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

Are you receiving me badly? I cannot receive you, your signal is too weak.

QRK

What is the intelligibility of my signals? The intelligibility of your signals is ___ (1-Bad, 2-Poor, 3-Fair, 4-Good, 5-Excellent.)

QRL

Are you busy? I am busy, please do not interfere

QRM

Is my transmission being interfered with? Your transmission is being interfered with ___ (1-Nil, 2-Slightly, 3-Moderately, 4-Severly, 5-Extremely.)

QRN

Are you troubled by static? I am troubled by static ___ (1-5 as under QRM.)

QRO

Shall I increase (radio) power? Increase power.

QRP

Shall I decrease power? Decrease power.

QRQ

Shall I send faster? Send faster (___ WPM.)

QRR

Are you ready for automatic operation? I am ready for automatic operation. Send at ___ WPM.

QRS

Shall I send more slowly? Send more slowly (___ WPM.)

QRT

Shall I stop sending? Stop sending.

QRU

Have you anything for me? I have nothing for you.

QRV

Are you ready? I am ready.

QRW

Shall I inform ___ that you are calling? Please inform ___ that I am calling.

QRX

When will you call me again? I will call you again at ___ hours.

QRY

What is my turn? Your turn is numbered ___.

QRZ

Who is calling me? You are being called by ___.

QSA

What is the strength of my signals? The strength of your signals is ___ (1-Scarcely perceptible, 2-Weak, 3-Fairly Good, 4-Good, 5-Very Good.)

QSB

Are my signals fading? Your signals are fading.

QSD

Is my keying defective? Your keying is defective.

QSG

Shall I send ___ messages at a time? Send ___ messages at a time.

QSJ

What is the charge to be collected per word to ___ including your international telegraph charge? The charge to be collected per word is ___ including my international telegraph charge.

QSK

Can you hear me between you signals and if so can I break in on your transmission? I can hear you between my signals, break in on my transmission.

QSL

Can you acknowledge receipt? I am acknowledging receipt.

QSM

Shall I repeat the last message which I sent you? Repeat the last message.

QSN

Did you hear me on ___ kHz? I did hear you on ___ kHz.

QSO

Can you communicate with ___ direct or by relay? I can communicate with ___ direct (or by relay through ___.)

QSP

Will you relay to ___? I will relay to ___.

QSQ

Have you a doctor on board? (or is ___ on board?) I have a doctor on board (or ___ is on board.)

QSU

Shall I send or reply on this frequency? Send a series of Vs on this frequency.

QSV

Shall I send a series of Vs on this frequency? Send a series of Vs on this frequency.

QSW

Will you send on this frequency? I am going to send on this frequency.

QSY

Shall I change to another frequency? Change to another frequency.

QSZ

Shall I send each word or group more than once? Send each word or group twice (or ___ times.)

QTA

Shall I cancel message number ___? Cancel message number ___.

QTB

Do you agree with my counting of words? I do not agree with your counting of words. I will repeat the first letter or digit of each word or group.

QTC

How many messages have you to send? I have ___ messages for you.

QTE

What is my true bearing from you? Your true bearing from me is ___ degrees.

QTG

Will you send two dashes of 10 seconds each followed by your call sign? I am going to send two dashes of 10 seconds each followed by my call sign.

QTH

What is your location? My location is ___.

QTI

What is your true track? My true track is ___ degrees.

QTJ

What is your speed? My speed is ___ km/h.

QTL

What is your true heading? My true heading is ___ degrees.

QTN

At what time did you depart from ___? I departed from ___ at ___ hours.

QTO

Have you left dock (or port)? I have left dock (or port).

QTP

Are you going to enter dock (or port)? I am going to enter dock (or port.)

QTQ

Can you communicate with my station by means of the International Code of Signals? I am going to communicate with your station by means of the International Code of Signals.

QTR

What is the correct time? The time is ___.

QTS

Will you send your call sign for ___ minutes so that your frequency can be measured? I will send my call sign for ___ minutes so that my frequency may be measured.

QTU

What are the hours during which your station is open? My station is open from ___ hours to ___ hours.

QTV

Shall I stand guard for you on the frequency of ___ kHz? Stand guard for me on the frequency of ___ kHz.

QTX

Will you keep your station open for further communication with me? I will keep my station open for further communication with you.

QUA

Have you news of ___? I have news of ___.

QUB

Can you give me information concerning visibility, height of clouds, direction and velocity of ground wind at ___? Here is the information you requested...

QUC

What is the number of the last message you received from me? The number of the last message I received from you is ___.

QUD

Have you received the urgency signal sent by ___? I have received the urgency signal sent by ___.

QUF

Have you received the distress signal sent by ___? I have received the distress signal sent by ___.

QUG

Will you be forced to land? I am forced to land immediately.

QUH

Will you give me the present barometric pressure? The present barometric pressure is ___ (units).