9.5 KiB
9.5 KiB
Q-Codes and Operating Shorthand
This reference summarizes Q-groups and similar short operating messages
that appear in the BNetzA 2024 exam question catalog in
data/2024-03-20-3-auflage/fragenkatalog3b.json.
Reference counts are the number of exam question records where the code
appears in the question text or answer choices. For very short ambiguous
codes such as DE and K, the count includes only procedural radio usage,
not unrelated uses such as country/prefix examples, units, or ordinary
words. Mode names and technical abbreviations such as CW, SSB, FM,
QAM, and RTTY are intentionally not included.
Q-Groups
| Code | What it means when question | What it means when not in question | Explanation, when actually used | Usage example | Exam references | Question IDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QRM |
Is my transmission being interfered with? | Your transmission is being interfered with. | Formal Q-code perspective; amateurs also commonly say "I have QRM" for interference at their receiver. | DL1ABC: QRM? / DO2XYZ: QRM, pse repeat report. |
2 | BB201, BB204 |
QRN |
Are you troubled by atmospheric noise? | I have atmospheric noise. | Used when static crashes or atmospheric noise make reception difficult. | DL1ABC: QRN here, ur report? / DO2XYZ: RST 55 despite QRN. |
1 | BB201 |
QRO |
Shall I increase transmitter power? | Increase transmitter power; I am increasing power. | Used when more power may be needed, usually after trying normal operating improvements first. | DL1ABC: QRO? / DO2XYZ: PSE QRO, ur weak. |
1 | BB202 |
QRP |
Shall I decrease transmitter power? | Decrease transmitter power. | Formal request to reduce power; in everyday amateur use it also describes low-power operation. | DL1ABC: PSE QRP. / DO2XYZ: QRP 5 W now. |
1 | BB205 |
QRT |
Shall I stop transmitting? | Stop transmitting; I am stopping transmission. | Used to close down transmission or ask another station to stop transmitting. | DL1ABC: I must QRT. / DO2XYZ: QSL, 73. |
1 | BB203 |
QRV |
Are you ready? | I am ready. | Used to ask if a station is ready, or to say that a station is available for traffic. | DL1ABC: QRV? / DO2XYZ: QRV, go ahead. |
2 | BB204, BE107 |
QRX |
When will you call me again? | I will call you again at a stated time and frequency. | In normal amateur use, QRX 5 also means to stand by for five minutes. |
DL1ABC: QRX 5 min. / DO2XYZ: QSL, standing by. |
1 | BB202 |
QRZ |
Who is calling me? | You are being called by ... | Used when a caller was not copied; DX and contest stations also use the question form to invite the next caller. | DL1ABC: QRZ? / DO2XYZ: DO2XYZ calling. |
6 | BB203, BE101, BE104, BE107, BE112, BE115 |
QSB |
Is the strength of my signal fading? | Your signal strength is fading or fluctuating. | Used when signal strength rises and falls because of propagation. | DL1ABC: QSB? / DO2XYZ: Yes, strong QSB, now 55. |
2 | BB201, BE107 |
QSL |
Can you acknowledge receipt? | I acknowledge receipt. | Confirms copied information; QSL cards and electronic QSLs are the later amateur contact-confirmation usage. | DL1ABC: My QTH Berlin, QSL? / DO2XYZ: QSL, Berlin copied. |
12 | BB203, BE103, BE210, BE307, BG104, BG105, BG106, BG107, BG108, BG109, BG110, BG111 |
QSO |
Can you communicate with ... directly or by relay? | I can communicate with ... directly or by relay through ... | In everyday amateur speech and logging, a QSO means a radio contact. | DL1ABC: Tnx for QSO. / DO2XYZ: Tnx also, 73. |
9 | BB202, BE108, BE110, BE303, BE308, BG107, BG109, NF112, NG110 |
QSY |
Shall I change to another frequency? | Change frequency; I am changing frequency. | Used to move a contact away from a calling frequency or crowded channel. | DL1ABC: PSE QSY 145.525. / DO2XYZ: QSL, QSY now. |
3 | BB206, BE103, BE107 |
QTH |
What is your position or location? | My position or location is ... | Used to ask for or give the station location, often city, locator, or portable position. | DL1ABC: QTH? / DO2XYZ: QTH Munich, JN58. |
3 | BB204, BE101, BE111 |
Operating Abbreviations
| Code | What it means when question | What it means when not in question | Explanation, when actually used | Usage example | Exam references | Question IDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BK |
Not a Q-question form. | Break; signal to interrupt a running transmission, also used for informal handover. | Used in telegraphy to interrupt or quickly pass transmission without a formal over. | DL1ABC: ... running 10 W BK / DO2XYZ: BK, my PWR 5 W. |
1 | BB108 |
CQ |
Not a Q-question form. | General call to any station. With an added target, it limits the desired replies, for example CQ DX or CQ DL. |
Used to start a contact when no specific station is being called. | DL1ABC: CQ CQ CQ de DL1ABC k / DO2XYZ: DL1ABC de DO2XYZ k |
18 | BB102, BB104, BB105, BE101, BE102, BE104, BE105, BE108, BE109, BE110, BE112, BE113, BE114, BE116, BE304, BE309, BE310, BE311 |
DE |
Not a Q-question form. | From; this is. Used before the sending station's call sign in telegraphy. | Used between the called station and own call sign, especially in CW. | DL1ABC: CQ de DL1ABC k / DO2XYZ: DL1ABC de DO2XYZ k |
4 | BE104, BE112, BE113, BE114 |
DX |
Not a Q-question form. | Long distance. In CQ DX, the requested distance depends on band and context: intercontinental on HF in the exam examples, several hundred km on VHF/UHF. |
Used to seek or describe long-distance contacts. | DL1ABC: CQ DX de DL1ABC k / PY2XYZ: DL1ABC de PY2XYZ k |
14 | AH105, AH106, AH107, BB103, BB104, BB105, BE109, BE114, BE312, BE410, EH102, EH104, EH201, VE301 |
FD |
Not a Q-question form. | Field Day; in CQ FD ... TEST, a Fieldday contest call. |
Used during Fieldday contest operation to attract participating stations. | DL1ABC/P: CQ FD de DL1ABC/P TEST / DO2XYZ/P: DL1ABC/P de DO2XYZ/P 59 001 |
1 | BE116 |
K |
Not a Q-question form. | Invitation to transmit; over or go ahead in telegraphy. | Used at the end of a CW transmission to invite the other station to reply. | DL1ABC: DO2XYZ de DL1ABC k / DO2XYZ: DL1ABC de DO2XYZ k |
4 | BB109, BE112, BE113, BE114 |
PSE |
Not a Q-question form. | Please. Used with another instruction, for example PSE QRP or PSE QSY. |
Used as a polite request marker in short CW or mixed shorthand. | DL1ABC: PSE QSY 145.525 / DO2XYZ: QSL, QSY. |
4 | BB205, BB206, BE112, BE113 |
R |
Not a Q-question form. | Received; everything before it was copied correctly. Sent at the start of a transmission to acknowledge the previous one. | Used in telegraphy to confirm full receipt before continuing with own traffic. | DL1ABC: R tnx report, ur RST 579 / DO2XYZ: QSL, 73. |
1 | BB110 |
RST |
Not a Q-question form. | Reception report: readability, signal strength, and tone quality. In SSB only R and S are normally given. |
Used to exchange signal reports during a QSO or contest. | DL1ABC: ur RST 599 / DO2XYZ: tnx, ur 579. |
9 | BE201, BE202, BE203, BE204, BE205, BE206, BE207, BE208, BE209 |
TEST |
Not a Q-question form. | Contest call indicator in the catalog example CQ FD ... TEST. |
Used in contest calls to show the call is for contest contacts. | DL1ABC: CQ TEST de DL1ABC / DO2XYZ: DL1ABC de DO2XYZ 59 012 |
1 | BE116 |
UTC |
Not a Q-question form. | Coordinated Universal Time; koordinierte Weltzeit. | Used for logs, schedules and QSL confirmations so stations in different time zones record the same date and time. | Log: 2026-06-22 14:30 UTC |
5 | BF108, BG105, BG106, BG107, BG108 |
Emergency and Safety Signals
These are not Q-groups. The catalog explicitly treats international distress, urgency, and safety signals as outside normal amateur radio use.
| Code | What it means when question | What it means when not in question | Explanation, when actually used | Usage example | Exam references | Question IDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MAYDAY |
Not a Q-question form. | International distress signal outside amateur radio; the catalog says it must not be used within amateur radio traffic. | Used in maritime or aeronautical distress traffic, not in normal amateur radio traffic. | Vessel: MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY, this is DABC. / Coast station: DABC, this is Bremen Rescue, received MAYDAY. |
5 | BF101, BF102, BF103, BF104, VD105 |
SOS |
Not a Q-question form. | International distress signal outside amateur radio; the catalog says it must not be used within amateur radio traffic. | Used as an international distress signal, especially in Morse contexts outside amateur traffic. | Station: SOS SOS SOS de DABC / Coast station: DABC de Rescue, SOS received. |
2 | BF101, BF102 |
PAN PAN |
Not a Q-question form. | International urgency signal; the catalog lists it among prohibited international emergency/urgency/safety signals in amateur radio traffic. | Used outside amateur radio for urgent situations that are serious but not yet distress. | Vessel: PAN PAN, this is DABC, engine failure. / Coast station: DABC, report position. |
1 | VD105 |
SÉCURITÉ |
Not a Q-question form. | International safety signal; the catalog lists it among prohibited international emergency/urgency/safety signals in amateur radio traffic. | Used outside amateur radio for safety information such as navigation or weather warnings. | Coast station: SECURITE, weather warning. / Vessel: Weather warning received. |
1 | VD105 |