Q_code

Q code

Q code

Type of Morse code operating signal


The Q-code is a standardised collection of three-letter codes that each start with the letter "Q". It is an operating signal initially developed for commercial radiotelegraph communication and later adopted by other radio services, especially amateur radio. To distinguish the use of a Q-code transmitted as a question from the same Q-code transmitted as a statement, operators either prefixed it with the military network question marker "INT" (       ) or suffixed it with the standard Morse question mark UD (        ).

This is one of a set of articles on telegraphy.

Although Q-codes were created when radio used Morse code exclusively, they continued to be employed after the introduction of voice transmissions. To avoid confusion, transmitter call signs are restricted; countries can be issued unused Q-Codes as their ITU prefix e.g. Qatar is QAT.

Codes in the range QAA–QNZ are reserved for aeronautical use; QOA–QQZ for maritime use and QRA–QUZ for all services.

"Q" has no official meaning, but it is sometimes assigned a word with mnemonic value, such as "question" or "query", for example in QFE: "query field elevation".[1]

Early development

The original Q-codes were created, circa 1909, by the British government as a "List of abbreviations ... prepared for the use of British ships and coast stations licensed by the Postmaster General".[2] The Q-codes facilitated communication between maritime radio operators speaking different languages, so they were soon adopted internationally. A total of forty-five Q-codes appeared in the "List of Abbreviations to be used in Radio Communications", which was included in the Service Regulations affixed to the Second International Radiotelegraph Convention in London (The Convention was signed on July 5, 1912, and became effective July 1, 1913.)

The following table reviews a sample of the all-services Q-codes adopted by the 1912 convention:

More information Code, Question ...

Later use

Over the years the original Q-codes were modified to reflect changes in radio practice. For example, QSW / QSX originally stood for, "Shall I increase / decrease my spark frequency?", but in the 1920s spark-gap transmitters were gradually being banned from land stations, making that meaning obsolete.[3] By the 1970s, the Post Office Handbook for Radio Operators listed over a hundred Q-codes,[4] covering a wide range of subjects including radio procedures, meteorology, radio direction finding, and search and rescue.

Some Q-codes are also used in aviation, in particular QNE, QNH and QFE, referring to certain altimeter settings. These codes are used in radiotelephone conversations with air traffic control as unambiguous shorthand, where safety and efficiency are of vital importance. A subset of Q-codes is used by the Miami-Dade County, Florida local government for law enforcement and fire rescue communications, one of the few instances where Q-codes are used in ground voice communication.[5]

The QAA–QNZ code range includes phrases applicable primarily to the aeronautical service,[6] as defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization.[7] The QOA–QQZ code range is reserved for the maritime service. The QRA–QUZ code range includes phrases applicable to all services and is allocated to the International Telecommunication Union.[8] QVA–QZZ are not allocated.[9] Many codes have no immediate applicability outside one individual service, such as maritime operation (many QO or QU series codes) or radioteletype operation (the QJ series).[10]

Many military and other organisations that use Morse code have adopted additional codes, including the Z code used by most European and NATO countries. The Z code adds commands and questions adapted for military radio transmissions, for example, "ZBW 2", which means "change to backup frequency number 2", and "ZNB abc", which means "my checksum is abc, what is yours?"[11]

Used in their formal question / answer sense, the meaning of a Q-code varies depending on whether the individual Q-code is sent as a question or an answer. For example, the message "QRP?" means "Shall I decrease transmitter power?", and a reply of "QRP" means "Yes, decrease your transmitter power", whereas an unprompted statement "QRP" means "Please decrease your transmitter power". This structured use of Q-codes is fairly rare and now mainly limited to amateur radio and military Morse code (CW) traffic networks.

Breakdown by service

Aeronautical Code signals (QAA–QNZ; ICAO)

First defined in ICAO publication "Doc 6100-COM/504/1" and in "ICAO Procedures for Air Navigation Services, Abbreviations and Codes (PANS-ABC)" [Doc8400-4] (4th edition 1989), the majority of the Q-codes have fallen out of common use; for example today reports such as QAU ("I am about to jettison fuel") and QAZ ("I am flying in a storm") would be voice or computerised transmissions. But several remain part of the standard ICAO radiotelephony phraseology in aviation. These are also part of ACP131, which lists all ITU-R Q-codes, without grouping them by aeronautical/marine/general use.[12]

More information Question ?, Answer or advice ...

Maritime Mobile Service (QOA–QQZ)

This assignment is specified in RECOMMENDATION ITU-R M.1172.[13]

Q signals are not substantially used in the maritime service. Morse code is now very rarely used for maritime communications, but in isolated maritime regions like Antarctica and the South Pacific the use of Q-codes continues. Q-codes still work when HF voice circuits are not possible due to atmospherics and the nearest vessel is one ionospheric hop away.

More information Question ?, Answer or advice ...

All services (QRA–QUZ)

First defined by the Washington 1927 ITU Radio Regulations. Later defined by ITU-R in Appendix 9 to the Radio Regulations Annex to the International Telecommunications Convention (Atlantic City, 1947). The current callsign table is found in ITU-R Appendix 42. Current interpretation of the Q-code can be found in ITU-R Appendices 14 and 15.

ITU Radio Regulations 1990, Appendix 13: Miscellaneous Abbreviations and Signals to be Used in Radiotelegraphy Communications Except in the Maritime Mobile Service:[14]

More information Question ?, Answer or advice ...

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 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.[16][17]

Selected Q-codes were soon adopted by amateur radio operators. 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 (        ) 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, below.)

Q-codes as adapted for use in amateur radio

More information Code, Question ...

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 prosign SN (or 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

Chart of the Morse code letters and numerals.[18]

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.[19]

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.[20][21]

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

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.[22]

QSY – "Change to transmission on another frequency"; colloquially, "move [=change address]". E.g., "When did GKB QSY from Northolt to Portishead?"[23]

QTH – "My location is ____"; colloquially in voice or writing, "location". E.g., "The OCF [antenna type] is an interesting build but at my QTH a disappointing performer."[24]

QTHR – "At the registered location ____"; 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".[25]

QBL – “Quit Be'ina 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,[26] German radio teleprinter networks used Q-codes to establish and maintain circuit connections.

In particular: QKP [ought to be 'QEP', not 'QKP' - the print in the source document isn't very clear] 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.

See also

Footnotes

  1. The information in response to QAM? may be given in Q-code form or METAR format.
  2. The answer to QBC is required to be an AIREP format message.
  3. When responding to QDF if the true altitude (radio altitude) is greater than the pressure altitude PS (Plus) is used and when it is less MS (Minus) is used.
  4. The format for response to QEM is sent as appropriate NOTAM code groups.
  5. The response format to QFP is sent using appropriate NOTAM code groups.
  6. In response to QFU the runway number is always indicated by a two-figure group and the magnetic direction by a three-figure group.
  7. When responding to QFY using other Q-codes, the information is sent in the following order: QAN, QBA, QNY, QBB, QNH and / or QFE and, if necessary, QMU, QNT, QBJ.
  8. When responding to QFZ using Q-codes the following sequence of answer (or advice) forms is to be used: QAN, QBA, QNY, QBB and, if necessary, QMU, QNT and QBJ.
  9. Aircraft reporting QMX information will transmit the temperature figures as corrected for airspeed.
  10. If no amendments, respond to QMZ? with signal QMZ NIL.
  11. When the setting in response to QNH? is given in hundredths of an inch (instead of millibars), the abbreviation "INS" is used to identify the units.
  12. Regarding response to QNY?:
    • When present weather information is transmitted by a ground station, the abbreviations shall be selected from those specified in Annex 3, paragraph 4.8.2.
    • When present weather information is transmitted by an aircraft, the information shall be selected from items 10–12 of the AIREP form.

References

  1. Franklin, 277808-Elizabeth A. "Aero 16 – Polar Route Operations". Archived from the original on 13 November 2001. Retrieved 5 September 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. Great Britain, Post Office (October 1909). Handbook for wireless telegraph operators working installations licensed by His Majesty's postmaster-general. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. appendix iii. OCLC 40616664.
  3. Schroeder, Peter B. (29 December 1967). "Contact at Sea: A History of Maritime Radio Communications". Ardent Media via Google Books.
  4. Handbook for Radio Operators. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1975. pp. 155–174. ISBN 0118804626. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  5. "Radio codes & signals – Florida". National Communications Magazine. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  6. "The Q-Code". Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  7. The ICAO Q-Code. Procedures for Air Navigation Services (PANS). ICAO. Doc 8400.
  8. "SM" (PDF). Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  9. "portland-amateur-radio-club.org.uk" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  10. "Q-Codes". Archived from the original on 23 March 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  11. "Operating Signals" (PDF). Communications Instructions. March 1997. ACP 131(E). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 November 2011. Chapter 2 contains a full list of 'Q' codes
  12. "RECOMMENDATION 1172". ITU-R M.1172. Archived from the original on 21 April 2015.
  13. "Appendix 13. Miscellaneous Abbreviations and Signals to be Used in Radiotelegraphy Communications Except in the Maritime Mobile Service" (PDF). Radio Regulations. Vol. 1 (revised ed.). Geneva, CH: International Telecommunication Union. 1994 [1990]. pp. 543–568. ISBN 92-61-05171-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  14. "Appendix 14". Radio Regulations. Vol. 1 (revised ed.). Geneva, CH: International Telecommunication Union. 1994 [1990]. ISBN 92-61-05171-5.[full citation needed]
  15. "Operating Signals". ARRL National Traffic System (NTS). 12 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  16. "International Morse code Recommendation ITU-R M.1677-1". itu.int. International Telecommunication Union. October 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  17. "G2JL Callsign Page". QRZ Callsign Database. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  18. The Free Dictionary. "Definition of QLF". The Free Dictionary. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  19. "Capitalizing on your Capital Project". ARRL.org. American Radio Relay League. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  20. "Communications Instructions Operating Signals" (PDF). Combined Communications Electronics Board. April 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  21. "The uk.radio.amateur newsgroup" (Post). 21 August 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  22. "TR01-016". www.alanturing.net.

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