Most used Q Code, RST, SINPO, dB, SNR, UTC, grid locator and the other terms that appear in guides and on the air.
beginner5 min read
How to use
Radio vocabulary is more intimidating than it should be. Much of it consists of abbreviations created for telegraphy, when every letter took effort, and which stuck around in speech. No need to memorize: come back here when you run into an acronym.
Q Code
Every code started as a question and answer in telegraphy. In everyday speech, it became a noun.
Code
Original direction
How it is used in conversation
QAP
standing by
“standing QAP”: continuing to listen. Widely used in Brazil
QRA
station name
in Brazil, almost always the operator's name: "my QRA is Fernando"
QRG
exact frequency
“what is the QRG?”
QRL
occupied frequency
ask before calling on a frequency that seems clear
QRM
interference from other stations
“heavy QRM today”
QRN
atmospheric noise
the crackle of thunderstorms
QRO
increase power
operate with high power
QRP
decrease power
operate with low power, Anatel guidelines mention up to 5 W in telegraphy and 10 W in voice
QRT
stop transmitting
“going QRT”: I am signing off
QRZ
who is calling me?
used after hearing an incomplete call
QSB
fading
the signal that goes up and down
QSL
I confirm receipt
“understood”; also the card confirming a contact or listening report
QSO
contact
a contact between two stations
QSY
change frequency
“QSY 5 up”
QTH
location
the city or station location
Signal reports
Term
What it is
RST
amateur radio report: readability (R, 1 to 5), strength (S, 1 to 9) and tone (T, 1 to 9, in telegraphy only). In voice, only RS is given: "five nine" is perfectly readable and very strong
S-meter
the receiver strength meter, in S units. By IARU convention, each unit is worth 6 dB, but many radios do not strictly follow this. Above S9 it is counted in dB: S9 plus 20
SINPO
shortwave listener report for broadcasters, with five ratings from 1 to 5: strength, interference, noise, propagation and overall assessment. Details at Shortwave DX
SNR
signal to noise ratio, in dB. This is the number that digital modes report: -15 dB means the signal is below the noise floor
dB
decibel, a way to compare two powers. 3 dB is double, 10 dB is ten times, 20 dB is one hundred times
dBm
power relative to 1 milliwatt. 30 dBm is 1 W, 37 dBm is 5 W
Time and place
Term
What it is
UTC
coordinated universal time, the reference time for all radio logging. Brasília is UTC minus 3 hours
Grid locator
Maidenhead system, which divides the world into squares using a letter and number code. Four characters yield an area of 2 degrees of longitude by 1 of latitude. Sao Bernardo do Campo is in GG66
Callsign
the name of a station on the air, given by the regulatory agency. The prefix indicates the country: Brazilians start with PP to PY and ZV to ZZ
Operation
Term
What it is
CQ
general call: can anyone hear me?
Over
word that passes the turn to speak
73
farewell greeting, a hug
DX
distant station, and the practice of seeking it
Pile-up
pileup of stations calling the same one at the same time
Repeater
automatic station, at a high location, that receives on one frequency and retransmits on another
Beacon
automatic transmitter on a fixed frequency to test propagation
Hotspot
very low power personal repeater, connected to the internet, for digital voice
Talkgroup
talkgroup in a digital voice network
PX
citizens band, on 11 meters
COER
amateur radio station operator certificate, issued by Anatel
LABRE
Liga de Amadores Brasileiros de Rádio Emissão
Modes
Term
What it is
AM
amplitude modulation. Medium and shortwave broadcast stations, aviation
SSB
single sideband: voice without carrier, more efficient than AM. Divided into LSB (lower sideband) and USB (upper sideband)
CW
telegraphy, in Morse code
FM
frequency modulation. Narrow (NFM) for communications, wide (WFM) for broadcast stations
FT8
weak signal digital mode in 15-second cycles
APRS
amateur radio packet system for position and short messages
DMR
digital voice standard with two time slots per channel
Receiver and antenna
Term
What it is
SDR
software defined radio: the computer handles tuning, filtering, and demodulation