Ham Radio Jargon, Codes and Reference Guides
Everything you need to decode ham radio language — Q-codes, Morse code, the NATO phonetic alphabet, RST signal reports, on-air slang, band plans, prosigns, CW abbreviations, DXCC prefixes, and S-meter reference. Whether you just got your licence or have been on the air for decades, keep these references bookmarked.
Results
Q-Codes and Q-Signals
Complete searchable list of all ham radio Q-codes — QTH, QSL, QRZ, QRM, QSO, QSY, QRP and more. Meanings as both statement and question.
Morse Code Chart and Translator
Full international Morse code chart for all letters, numbers and punctuation, plus an interactive text-to-Morse and Morse-to-text translator.
NATO Phonetic Alphabet
Alpha through Zulu with pronunciation guides. Includes ITU phonetic numbers and tips on correct on-air phonetic usage.
RST Signal Reports
Readability 1–5, signal strength 1–9, tone 1–9. Covers CW, phone and digital RST, and how to give accurate reports.
Slang and Abbreviations
73, 88, OM, YL, XYL, SK, DX, Elmer, rag chew, lid, pile-up, POTA, SOTA and hundreds more terms every ham should know.
Band Plan and Frequency Chart
US amateur band allocations by licence class. Calling frequencies, mode segments, digital sub-bands and repeater offsets for HF through microwave.
Prosigns and CW Abbreviations
AR, SK, KN, BK, AS, DN and all CW prosigns with correct usage. Plus the standard CW operating abbreviations every operator needs.
CW and Contest Abbreviations
TNX, WX, FB, UR, ES, HW, TU, 5NN and all the shorthand used in everyday QSOs and competitive contesting on CW and digital.
DXCC Prefix Reference
Searchable DXCC country and callsign prefix table. Look up any prefix for country, continent, ITU zone, CQ zone and DXCC entity status.
S-Meter Signal Strength
S1 through S9 plus dB-over reference. Explains S-units vs dBm, typical received levels on HF and VHF, and how to read your S-meter accurately.
Amateur radio developed its own vocabulary for the same reason all specialist communities do — efficiency and precision. When you are working a weak DX station through heavy QRM with your signal fading in and out, saying “QSB” communicates in one syllable what would otherwise take a full sentence. Q-codes were standardised in 1912 at the International Radiotelegraph Convention and have been in continuous use ever since, making them one of the longest-lived technical shorthand systems in existence.
Prosigns and operating abbreviations evolved from the telegraph era and carried directly into radio. Many, like 73 (best regards) and SK (end of contact), were telegraph prosigns before Morse radio even existed. The NATO phonetic alphabet replaced earlier systems after World War II because Alpha-Bravo-Charlie proved far more resistant to mishearing across noisy channels than the older Able-Baker-Charlie system.
Understanding this vocabulary is not just about fitting in — it genuinely makes on-air communication faster and clearer. Use these reference pages to look up any term you encounter, and over time you will find that the jargon becomes second nature.