Ham Radio Glossary: Terms, Abbreviations & Q-Codes Explained
Amateur radio has a language all its own. From Q-codes passed down from 19th-century telegraphy to digital mode abbreviations coined last decade, the terminology can feel overwhelming when you're starting out — and even experienced operators occasionally encounter an unfamiliar term. This glossary covers the essential vocabulary of ham radio: operating procedures, technical concepts, digital modes, logging abbreviations, and the Q-codes you'll hear on every band.
Many of these terms connect directly to features in Ham Radio Deluxe. When you see references to logbook integrations like LoTW and eQSL, digital modes like FT8 and PSK31, or programs like POTA and SOTA, follow the links to see how HRD supports each one. If you're new to ham radio and want to understand what software like HRD actually does, start with What Is Ham Radio?
Numbers
| 73 |
The classic ham radio farewell meaning best regards. Sent at the end of a QSO. One of the oldest codes in radio, originating from 19th-century telegraphy. |
| 88 |
Love and kisses. A friendly sign-off used between operators who know each other well, particularly toward YLs and XYLs. |
A
| ADIF |
Amateur Data Interchange Format. The universal file format for exchanging contact logs between programs. Ham Radio Deluxe exports and imports ADIF, making your log compatible with LoTW, eQSL, and contest scoring software. |
| AGC |
Automatic Gain Control. A receiver circuit that automatically adjusts sensitivity so loud and weak signals produce a similar audio output level. |
| AM |
Amplitude Modulation. A transmission mode where the carrier wave's strength varies with the audio signal. Common on 160m and 10m, and throughout shortwave broadcasting and aviation. |
| Amateur Radio |
A licensed radio service for personal communication, experimentation, emergency communications, and public service — not for commercial use. Also called ham radio. |
| APRS |
Automatic Packet Reporting System. A digital mode that transmits real-time position reports, weather data, and short messages via radio. Widely used for vehicle tracking and weather stations. |
| ARRL |
American Radio Relay League. The national organization for amateur radio operators in the United States, founded in 1914. Administers LoTW and sponsors major contests including Field Day. |
| ATV |
Amateur Television. Transmission of full-motion video over amateur radio frequencies, typically on UHF bands. |
B
| Band |
A range of frequencies allocated to amateur radio. Common HF bands include 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m, and 10m. VHF/UHF bands include 2m (144 MHz) and 70cm (440 MHz). Each band has different propagation characteristics and typical uses. |
| Beacon |
An automated transmitter that sends a repeating signal on a known frequency to help operators assess propagation conditions. Common on HF, VHF, and UHF bands. |
C
| Callbook |
A directory of licensed amateur radio operators searchable by call, name, or location. Ham Radio Deluxe integrates with online callbooks to automatically populate contact details when you log a QSO. |
| Callsign |
A unique identifier issued by the government to every licensed amateur radio operator. US callsigns follow formats like WA9PIE. The prefix indicates country; the suffix indicates license class and region. |
| Contest |
A competitive event where operators try to make as many contacts as possible within a set time period. Popular events include Field Day, CQ WW, and ARRL Sweepstakes. |
| CQ |
A general call to any station, meaning calling any station. Calling "CQ CQ CQ de WA9PIE" invites anyone listening to respond. |
| CQ Zone |
One of 40 geographic zones defined by CQ magazine. Used for scoring in CQ-sponsored contests like CQ WW DX. Different from ITU zones. |
| CW |
Continuous Wave — Morse code. One of the oldest and most efficient modes in radio. CW can get through interference and marginal conditions that defeat voice modes. |
| CW Skimmer |
Software that decodes multiple CW (Morse code) signals simultaneously from a wideband receiver. Feeds decoded callsigns into the Reverse Beacon Network. |
D
| DE |
From the French de, meaning from. Used to identify yourself on air: "CQ de WA9PIE" means "calling CQ, this is WA9PIE." |
| Digital Mode |
Any transmission that encodes information digitally — including FT8, PSK31, RTTY, Winlink, and many others. Ham Radio Deluxe's DM780 module supports dozens of digital modes from a single interface. |
| Dipole Antenna |
The simplest and most common HF antenna — two equal-length wires fed at the center. A half-wave dipole for 40m is about 66 feet end-to-end. Excellent performance and a great starting point for any new HF station. |
| DM780 |
The digital modes module included with Ham Radio Deluxe. Supports FT8, PSK31, RTTY, SSTV, Olivia, and many other modes — integrated with HRD's logbook for automatic contact recording. |
| DX |
Short for distance. Refers to long-distance contacts, typically to other countries or rare locations. "Working DX" means making international or geographically challenging contacts. |
| DX Cluster |
A real-time network where operators announce ("spot") stations they've heard, including frequency, mode, and time. Ham Radio Deluxe connects to DX clusters so you can see live band activity and jump to active DX stations. |
| DX Spots |
Individual announcements posted to a DX cluster. Each spot includes the callsign heard, frequency, spotter's callsign, time, and an optional comment — creating a live picture of what's active on the bands. |
| DX Summit |
One of the world's most popular DX cluster portals, at dxsummit.fi. Aggregates spots from clusters worldwide, searchable by callsign, band, or mode. |
| DXCC |
DX Century Club. An ARRL award for confirming contacts with 100 or more DXCC entities (countries and territories). One of ham radio's most prestigious achievements. |
| DXing |
The pursuit of making contacts with rare or distant stations, often for award credit. Serious DXers track every DXCC entity worked and confirmed. |
E
| eHam |
A major ham radio community website at eham.net, featuring equipment reviews, forums, and a callsign database. Widely consulted when evaluating radios and accessories. |
| eQSL |
An electronic QSL card service at eqsl.cc. Allows operators to confirm contacts digitally without mailing paper cards. Ham Radio Deluxe supports eQSL uploads directly from the logbook. |
F
| Field Day |
ARRL's annual operating event held the last full weekend of June. Operators set up portable stations outdoors to simulate emergency conditions. The largest amateur radio operating event in North America. |
| FM |
Frequency Modulation. The dominant mode for VHF and UHF local communications, including repeaters. Produces clear audio but uses more bandwidth than SSB. |
| FT8 |
A highly efficient digital mode developed by Joe Taylor (K1JT) and Steve Franke (K9AN). Each exchange takes about 15 seconds and can decode signals 10 dB below the noise floor — dramatically extending the reach of low-power stations. Now the most popular digital mode on HF worldwide. Operated through Ham Radio Deluxe's DM780. |
G
| Grey Line |
The twilight boundary between day and night on Earth's surface. Propagation along the grey line is often exceptionally good on the low HF bands due to reduced ionospheric absorption. Ham Radio Deluxe includes an integrated grey line map. |
| Ground Wave |
Radio propagation that follows the Earth's curvature. Effective at low and medium frequencies for local to regional coverage. Does not rely on the ionosphere. |
H
| HF |
High Frequency — 3 to 30 MHz. The bands used for worldwide communication via ionospheric propagation. Includes the popular 160m, 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m, and 10m amateur allocations. |
I
| ITU Zone |
One of 90 geographic zones defined by the International Telecommunication Union. More granular than CQ zones. Used in some contests and award programs. |
K
| K |
An invitation to any station to transmit — the radio equivalent of "go ahead." Used at the end of a CQ call or general transmission. |
| KN |
An invitation to transmit addressed to a specific station only. Indicates you don't want other stations breaking in. |
L
| Log |
A record of contacts (QSOs) made. Standard entries include date, time (UTC), frequency, mode, callsign, and signal report. Ham Radio Deluxe's logbook records all this automatically and integrates with LoTW, eQSL, and POTA. |
| LoTW |
Logbook of The World. ARRL's digital QSL confirmation system. When both operators upload the same contact, it's confirmed and counts toward awards like DXCC and WAS. Ham Radio Deluxe integrates LoTW uploads directly — no separate software needed. |
M
| Mesh Network |
A self-forming radio network where nodes relay traffic for each other. Amateur mesh networks (like AREDN) use modified Wi-Fi hardware on Part 97 frequencies, primarily for emergency communications. |
| MeshSense |
Software for monitoring and visualizing amateur mesh radio networks, particularly those built on the AREDN platform. |
N
| Net |
An organized on-air meeting of amateur radio operators on a specific frequency at a scheduled time. Nets may be casual (ragchew), traffic-handling, or emergency communications. |
| Net Logger |
Software and a companion web service used to log check-ins and manage traffic during on-air nets. Particularly useful for large or high-volume nets. |
O
| OM |
Old Man. A friendly, respectful term of address for any male amateur radio operator, regardless of age. Inherited from telegraphy tradition. |
P
| Pile-up |
When many stations simultaneously call a rare DX station, creating a wall of overlapping signals. DX stations manage pile-ups using split-frequency operation, calling by region, or taking partial calls. |
| POTA |
Parks on the Air. A program where operators activate national parks, state parks, forests, and other public lands by operating portable radio. One of the fastest-growing activities in ham radio — thousands of activations happen every week worldwide. Ham Radio Deluxe supports POTA logging directly. Read more - Parks on the Air (POTA) Logging with Ham Radio Deluxe. |
| POTA App |
The official web portal and app for Parks on the Air at pota.app. Shows live activators, spots, park reference numbers, and statistics. Connects to logging software including Ham Radio Deluxe. |
| POTA Spots |
Real-time announcements of active POTA activators, showing frequency, mode, and park reference so hunters can quickly find and work the activator. |
| Propagation |
How radio waves travel from transmitter to receiver. HF propagation depends on solar activity, time of day, season, and geographic path. Understanding propagation is essential for making long-distance contacts. |
| PSK31 |
A narrow-bandwidth digital mode popular for keyboard-to-keyboard HF conversations. Operates within a 31 Hz bandwidth — dozens of PSK31 QSOs can share a single 3 kHz SSB channel simultaneously. |
Q — Q-Codes
Q-codes are three-letter codes beginning with Q, originally developed for Morse code telegraphy. They remain universally understood shorthand in amateur radio today.
| QRM |
Man-made interference. "I have QRM" means another station is causing interference on your frequency. |
| QRN |
Natural static and atmospheric noise — primarily lightning crashes. Worst on low bands during summer thunderstorm season. |
| QRO |
High-power operation. In the US, the maximum legal limit is 1,500 watts PEP for most HF bands. The opposite of QRP. |
| QRP |
Low-power operation — generally 5 watts or less on HF. QRP operators enjoy the challenge of making contacts with minimal power. A thriving subset of the hobby with its own contests and awards. |
| QRZ |
"Who is calling me?" Used when you hear a partial call or aren't sure who is trying to reach you. Also the name of the popular callsign database at qrz.com. |
| QSB |
Signal fading. "You have QSB" means the signal is varying in strength, often due to changing ionospheric conditions. |
| QSL |
"I confirm receipt" or, as a noun, a confirmation card. QSL cards confirm that a contact happened and count toward awards. Ham Radio Deluxe manages QSL submissions to LoTW and eQSL automatically from the logbook. |
| QSO |
A contact between two or more amateur radio stations. The fundamental unit of ham radio operating — every entry in your logbook is a QSO. |
| QSY |
"Change frequency." "Let's QSY to 14.255" means move the conversation to that frequency. |
| QTH |
Location. "My QTH is Dallas, Texas" means "I'm located in Dallas, Texas." One of the most frequently used Q-codes in everyday ham conversation. |
R
| Ragchew |
A long, casual conversation on the air — the ham radio equivalent of a good phone call. One of the core social traditions of amateur radio. |
| Repeater |
An automated relay station that receives on one frequency and retransmits on another (with a set offset), extending the range of mobile and handheld radios. Most VHF and UHF local communication relies on repeaters. |
| Reverse Beacon Network |
A global network of automated skimmer receivers that detect CW and digital signals and report what they hear to a central database at reversebeacon.net. Search your callsign to see who has heard you and how strong your signal was — without anyone needing to reply to your CQ. |
| Rig |
Informal term for a radio transceiver. "What rig are you running?" is a common question early in any QSO. |
| Rig Control |
Software control of a radio transceiver via serial or USB, allowing the computer to tune the radio, read frequency and mode, and automate logging. Ham Radio Deluxe pioneered rig control software and supports hundreds of radio models. |
| RST |
Readability, Strength, Tone. The standard signal report system. Readability 1–5, Strength 1–9, Tone 1–9 (CW only). A report of 59 on phone (or 599 on CW) means a perfect signal. |
| RTTY |
Radio Teletype. A classic digital mode using frequency-shift keying to transmit text. One of the oldest digital modes still widely used, with active RTTY contests running year-round. |
S
| Satellite |
Amateur radio satellites (OSCARs) allow operators to communicate through them like orbiting repeaters. Ham Radio Deluxe includes integrated satellite tracking with Doppler shift correction. |
| Signal Report |
An assessment of how well you're receiving another station, expressed using the RST system. Exchanging signal reports is standard practice at the start of any QSO. |
| Simplex |
Operating on a single frequency — transmitting and receiving on the same channel. The opposite of repeater operation. |
| Skip |
Also called skywave propagation — radio waves that refract off the ionosphere and return to Earth hundreds or thousands of miles away. The mechanism behind most HF long-distance communication. |
| Solar Flux Index |
A daily measurement of solar radio emission at 10.7 cm. Higher solar flux correlates with better HF propagation, particularly on higher bands. Active HF operators check it daily alongside the geomagnetic K-index. |
| SOTA |
Summits on the Air. A program where operators hike to designated mountain summits and operate portable. Points are awarded by summit elevation. One of the two dominant portable operating programs alongside POTA. |
| Split |
Operating with transmit and receive frequencies separated. DX stations listen on a different frequency than they transmit to manage large pile-ups more effectively. |
| SSB |
Single Sideband. The dominant voice mode on HF. More efficient than AM — uses half the bandwidth and concentrates all power in one sideband. Lower sideband (LSB) is conventional below 10 MHz; upper sideband (USB) above. |
| SWR |
Standing Wave Ratio. A measure of how well a transmission line is matched to an antenna. A 1:1 SWR is perfect; high SWR means power is being reflected back toward the transmitter. |
T
| TNC |
Terminal Node Controller. A hardware device (or software equivalent) that interfaces a radio to a computer for packet radio, APRS, and other digital modes. |
U
| UHF |
Ultra High Frequency — 300 MHz to 3 GHz. The 70cm (440 MHz) amateur band is the most popular UHF allocation. Used for FM, repeaters, weak signal work, and satellite. |
| UTC |
Coordinated Universal Time. The global time standard used in all amateur radio logging. All contacts must be logged in UTC — critical for contest credit, award verification, and LoTW matching. Ham Radio Deluxe logs in UTC automatically. |
V
| VFO |
Variable Frequency Oscillator. The tuning mechanism of a radio. Modern rigs have two VFOs (A and B) so you can monitor two frequencies or set up a split without losing your place. |
| VHF |
Very High Frequency — 30 to 300 MHz. The 2m (144 MHz) band is the most popular VHF allocation. Used for local FM, repeaters, weak signal SSB/CW, satellites, and meteor scatter. |
| VOX |
Voice-Operated Transmit. Automatically keys the transmitter when you speak, eliminating the need to press a PTT button. Useful for hands-free operating. |
W
| WAS |
Worked All States. An ARRL award for confirming contacts with all 50 US states. One of the most popular domestic HF achievements. |
| Winlink |
A global email-over-radio network used for message passing, especially in emergency situations when internet infrastructure is unavailable. Widely deployed by ARES and emergency management agencies. |
| Winter Field Day |
A portable operating event held the last full weekend of January, similar to ARRL Field Day but in winter conditions. Rapidly growing in participation. |
| WSPR |
Weak Signal Propagation Reporter. An ultra-low-power digital beacon mode — stations typically run 200 mW or less. Decoded signals are automatically reported to wsprnet.org, creating a real-time global map of propagation paths. |
X
| XYL |
An operator's wife or female partner. From the telegraph abbreviation YL (young lady) with X indicating married. Used affectionately in ham culture worldwide. |
Y
| Yagi Antenna |
A directional antenna with a driven element, a reflector, and one or more directors. Provides significant gain over a dipole but must be pointed toward the target. Common for VHF/UHF and HF DX work. |
| YL |
Young Lady. A female amateur radio operator of any age. A respectful, traditional form of address on the air. |
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