INTERNATIONAL RADIOTELEGRAPHIC CONVENTION
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS TO BE USED IN RADIO COMMUNICATION
ABBREVIATION QUESTION ANSWER OR REPLY
PRB Do you wish to communicate I wish to communicate by means
by means of the International of the International Signal Code.
Signal Code?
QRA What ship or coast station is This is....
that?
QRB What is your distance? My distance is....
QRC What is your true bearing? My true bearing is....
QRD Where are you bound for? I am bound for....
QRF Where are you bound from? I am bound from....
QRG What line do you belong to? I belong to the ... Line.
QRH What is your wave length in My wave length is ... meters.
meters?
QRJ How many words have you to send? I have ... words to send.
QRK How do you receive me? I am receiving well.
QRL Are you receiving badly? I am receiving badly. Please
Shall I send 20? send 20.
...-. ...-.
for adjustment? for adjustment.
QRM Are you being interfered with? I am being interfered with.
QRN Are the atmospherics strong? Atmospherics are very strong.
QRO Shall I increase power? Increase power.
QRP Shall I decrease power? Decrease power.
QRQ Shall I send faster? Send faster.
QRS Shall I send slower? Send slower.
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. All right now.
QRW Are you busy? I am busy (or: I am busy with...).
Please do not interfere.
QRX Shall I stand by? Stand by. I will call you when
required.
QRY When will be my turn? Your turn will be No....
QRZ Are my signals weak? You signals are weak.
QSA Are my signals strong? You signals are strong.
QSB Is my tone bad? The tone is bad.
Is my spark bad? The spark is bad.
QSC Is my spacing bad? Your spacing is bad.
QSD What is your time? My time is....
QSF Is transmission to be in Transmission will be in
alternate order or in series? alternate order.
QSG Transmission will be in a
series of 5 messages.
QSH Transmission will be in a
series of 10 messages.
QSJ What rate shall I collect for...? Collect....
QSK Is the last radiogram canceled? The last radiogram is canceled.
QSL Did you get my receipt? Please acknowledge.
QSM What is your true course? My true course is...degrees.
QSN Are you in communication with land? I am not in communication with land.
QSO Are you in communication with I am in communication with...
any ship or station (through...).
(or: with...)?
QSP Shall I inform...that you are Inform...that I am calling him.
calling him?
QSQ Is...calling me? You are being called by....
QSR Will you forward the radiogram? I will forward the radiogram.
QST Have you received the general General call to all stations.
call?
QSU Please call me when you have Will call when I have finished.
finished (or: at...o'clock)?
QSV Is public correspondence being Public correspondence is being
handled? handled. Please do not interfere.
[Footnote: Public correspondence is any radio work, official or private, handled on commercial wave lengths.]
QSW Shall I increase my spark Increase your spark frequency.
frequency?
QSX Shall I decrease my spark Decrease your spark frequency.
frequency?
QSY Shall I send on a wavelength Let us change to the wave length
of ... meters? of ... meters.
QSZ Send each word twice. I have
difficulty in receiving you.
QTA Repeat the last radiogram.
When an abbreviation is followed by a mark of interrogation, it refers to the question indicated for that abbreviation.
Useful Information