Just got my General and planning to work some CW on 20M. I understand the basics of Q-codes but get confused when I hear them used as nouns versus statements. Like when someone says "lots of QRM tonight" versus "QRM?" - are both correct? What are the common Q-codes every CW operator should know first?

Also, do voice ops use these much or mainly CW? Thanks for any advice!

QRM is often used (incorrectly) as a noun but it's so common that everyone understands it. Technically QRM means "you are being interfered with" but we all say "lots of QRM." Start with QTH, QSY, QSO, QSL, QRZ - you'll hear these constantly.

On a local repeater, you'll often hear someone say "QTH here is Springfield" or "Let's QSY to the .96 machine" and many hams use them on phone as well as in face-to-face conversations. Voice ops definitely use Q-codes! Don't worry about being technically perfect at first.

The most common usage for this Q-signal is to ask if a frequency is in use before beginning to call CQ or another station. Send "QRL?" before calling CQ - it's good etiquette. If someone responds with "QRL" or just "C" then the frequency is busy. This was my first Q-code lesson as a new CW op!