HamBandReport --:--:-- UTC
Reference

Operating reference

The essentials, on one page: phonetics, Q-codes, RST reports, prosigns, Morse code and popular calling frequencies.

NATO / ITU phonetic alphabet

AAlfaAL-FAH
BBravoBRAH-VOH
CCharlieCHAR-LEE
DDeltaDELL-TAH
EEchoECK-OH
FFoxtrotFOKS-TROT
GGolfGOLF
HHotelHOH-TELL
IIndiaIN-DEE-AH
JJuliettJEW-LEE-ETT
KKiloKEY-LOH
LLimaLEE-MAH
MMikeMIKE
NNovemberNO-VEM-BER
OOscarOSS-CAH
PPapaPAH-PAH
QQuebecKEH-BECK
RRomeoROW-ME-OH
SSierraSEE-AIR-RAH
TTangoTANG-GO
UUniformYOU-NEE-FORM
VVictorVIK-TAH
WWhiskeyWISS-KEY
XX-rayECKS-RAY
YYankeeYANG-KEY
ZZuluZOO-LOO

Common Q-codes

CodeStatementAs a question (QRx?)
QRGYour exact frequency is…Will you tell me my exact frequency?
QRLI am busy (frequency in use)Are you busy? Is this frequency in use?
QRMMan-made interferenceIs my transmission being interfered with?
QRNStatic / atmospheric noiseAre you troubled by static?
QROIncrease powerShall I increase power?
QRPDecrease power / low power (5 W CW, 10 W SSB)Shall I decrease power?
QRQSend fasterShall I send faster?
QRSSend more slowlyShall I send more slowly?
QRTStop sending / closing stationShall I stop sending?
QRUI have nothing for youHave you anything for me?
QRVI am readyAre you ready?
QRXStand by / I will call againWhen will you call me again?
QRZYou are being called by…Who is calling me?
QSBYour signals are fadingAre my signals fading?
QSLI acknowledge receipt / confirmation cardCan you acknowledge receipt?
QSOA contact (two-way communication)Can you communicate with…?
QSPI will relay to…Will you relay to…?
QSTGeneral call to all amateurs
QSXI am listening on…Will you listen on…?
QSYChange frequency to…Shall I change frequency?
QTHMy location is…What is your location?
QTRThe correct time is…What is the correct time?

RST: Readability

1Unreadable
2Barely readable, occasional words
3Readable with considerable difficulty
4Readable with practically no difficulty
5Perfectly readable

RST: Strength

1Faint, barely perceptible
2Very weak
3Weak
4Fair
5Fairly good
6Good
7Moderately strong
8Strong
9Very strong

RST: Tone (CW only)

1Sixty-cycle AC or less, very rough and broad
2Very rough AC, very harsh and broad
3Rough AC tone, rectified but not filtered
4Rough note, some trace of filtering
5Filtered rectified AC but strongly ripple-modulated
6Filtered tone, definite trace of ripple modulation
7Near pure tone, trace of ripple modulation
8Near perfect tone, slight trace of modulation
9Perfect tone, no trace of ripple or modulation

Prosigns & CW abbreviations

CQCalling any station
DEFrom (this is)
KGo ahead (any station)
KNGo ahead, named station only
AREnd of message
SKEnd of contact
BKBreak / back to you
BTPause / new paragraph (=)
ASWait
73Best regards
88Love and kisses
CLClosing station
RReceived / roger
TUThank you
5NN599 (contest shorthand)
ESAnd
FBFine business (excellent)
OM / YL / XYLOld man / young lady / wife
URYour / you are
WXWeather
HI HILaughter

Popular frequencies (MHz)

160 m1.910 SSB · 1.810 CW · 1.840 FT8
80 m3.885 AM · 3.573 FT8 · 3.560 QRP CW
40 m7.074 FT8 · 7.0475 FT4 · 7.030 QRP CW · 7.290 AM
30 m10.136 FT8 · 10.140 FT4
20 m14.074 FT8 · 14.080 FT4 · 14.230 SSTV · 14.060 QRP CW · 14.300 maritime nets
17 m18.100 FT8 · 18.104 FT4
15 m21.074 FT8 · 21.140 FT4
12 m24.915 FT8 · 24.919 FT4
10 m28.074 FT8 · 28.180 FT4 · 28.400 SSB · 29.600 FM simplex
6 m50.125 SSB · 50.313 FT8 · 50.318 FT4
2 m146.520 FM simplex · 144.200 SSB · 144.390 APRS · 145.800 ISS downlink
70 cm446.000 FM simplex · 432.100 SSB

Common conventions, not FCC rules. Listen first; frequencies shift by region and activity.

Morse code

A·–
B–···
C–·–·
D–··
E·
F··–·
G––·
H····
I··
J·–––
K–·–
L·–··
M––
N–·
O–––
P·––·
Q––·–
R·–·
S···
T–
U··–
V···–
W·––
X–··–
Y–·––
Z––··
1·––––
2··–––
3···––
4····–
5·····
6–····
7––···
8–––··
9––––·
0–––––
/–··–·
?··––··
.·–·–·–
,––··––
=–···–

Practice in the Morse tool.