Morse code abbreviations
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Morse code abbreviations are used to speed up Morse communications by foreshortening textual words and phrases. Morse abbreviations are short forms, representing normal textual words and phrases formed from some (fewer) characters taken from the word or phrase being abbreviated. Many are typical English abbreviations, or short acronyms for often-used phrases.
Distinct from prosigns and commercial codes
Morse code abbreviations are not the same as prosigns. Morse abbreviations are composed of (normal) textual alpha-numeric character symbols with normal Morse code inter-character spacing; the character symbols in abbreviations, unlike the delineated character groups representing Morse code prosigns, are not "run together" or concatenated in the way most prosigns are formed.
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".
Although a few abbreviations (such as Template:Sc for "dollar") are carried over from former commercial telegraph codes, almost all Morse abbreviations are not commercial codes. From 1845 until well into the second half of the 20th century, commercial telegraphic code books were used to shorten telegrams, e.g. Template:Sc = "Locals have plundered everything from the wreck."[1] However, these cyphers are typically "fake" words six characters long, or more, used for replacing commonly used whole phrases, and are distinct from single-word abbreviations.
Word and phrase abbreviations
The following Table of Morse code abbreviations and further references to Brevity codes such as 92 Code, Q code, Z code, and R-S-T system serve to facilitate fast and efficient Morse code communications.
Table of selected Morse code abbreviations Abbreviation Meaning Defined in Type of abbreviation Template:Sc ... All after (used after question mark to request a repetition) ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc ... All before (similarly) ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc Address ITU-T Rec. F.1[3] operating signal Template:Sc Address ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc Again operating signal Template:Sc Antenna Template:Sc End of transmission. ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc Wait operating signal Template:Sc Break (to pause transmission of a message, say) ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc ... ... All between ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc Yes; correct; affirmative operating signal Template:Sc Confirm ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc Check Template:Sc Closing (I am closing my station) ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc ... ... Calling several stations (followed by the call signs of two or more stations, e.g. Template:Nobr for "calling stations T4SRJ and C5ADK") operating signal Template:Sc Calling (calling all stations / any station) (do not follow with Template:Sc or Template:Sc; see Template:Sc) ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc All stations distress (used preceding Template:Sc to let all operators know of an impending distress signal) operating signal Template:Sc ... Calling station (followed by the call sign of a particular station, e.g. Template:Sc for "calling station F3TL") ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc? What call sign? (used with "?" to request a contact's call sign) ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc ... From (or "this is") ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc Long distance, foreign countries (sometimes refers to long distance contact) Template:Sc And / [&] / also / et American Morse code Template:Sc Good (literal abbr. "fine business") Amateur radio slang; suspected euphemism Template:Sc ... From (see Template:Sc) operating signal Template:Sc Forward Template:Sc Template:Sc I say again; I repeat; ditto Template:Sc Invitation to transmit ITU-R M.1172,[2] ITU-R M.1677-1[4] operating signal Template:Sc Over to you; only the previously named station should respond (e.g. after Template:Nobr; only station K6PCH should reply to W1AW) ITU-R M.1677-1[4] operating signal Template:Sc Poor operator (derogatory) Wire telegraph slang, same as Template:Sc Template:Sc Prefix indicating a message to or from the master of a ship concerning its operation or navigation ITU-R M.1172[2] Template:Sc No; nine Template:Sc I have nothing to send you ITU-R M.1172[2] Template:Sc ... ... Number follows operating signal Template:Sc Okay ITU-R M.1172,[2] ITU-T Rec. F.1[3] operating signal Template:Sc Old Man (any male radio operator or male spouse of radio operator, both regardless of age) Amateur radio slang Template:Sc Please (not appropriate after Template:Sc; see Template:Sc) ITU-T Rec. F.1[3] Template:Sc Paper ITU-T Rec. F.1[3] Template:Sc Please ITU-R M.1172[2] Template:Sc Prefix Template:Sc Received as transmitted (origin of "Roger") ITU-T Rec. F.1[3] operating signal Template:Sc Receiver / Receive Template:Sc Report / Repeat please / I repeat as follows ITU-R M.1172,[2] ITU-T Rec. F.1[3] Template:Sc Readability (1-5) / Strength (1-9) / Noise (1-9) Not yet in widespread use [[R-S-T system|Template:Sc]] ... ... ... Signal report format (Readability / Signal Strength / Tone) In universal amateur radio use operating signal Template:Sc So far (proword) Template:Sc Signature ITU-T Rec. F.1[3] Template:Sc Out (prosign), end of contact operating signal Template:Sc Silent Key (a deceased radio amateur) Amateur radio slang; from Template:Sc, the last signal received from a radio contact Template:Sc Please (French: "S'il vous plaît") ITU-T Rec. F.1[3] Template:Sc Dollars Phillips Code Template:Sc Thanks, Thank You Template:Sc Thank You Template:Sc Transmitter / Transmit Template:Sc Word / Words ITU-T Rec. F.1[3] Template:Sc ... Word after ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc ... Word before ITU-R M.1172[2] operating signal Template:Sc Wilco; "Will comply" operating signal Template:Sc Word / Words ITU-R M.1172[2] Template:Sc ... ... ... Weather / Weather report follows ITU-R M.1172[2] Template:Sc Transceiver Template:Sc Former Young Lady (female spouse of radio operator, regardless of age) Amateur radio slang Template:Sc Young Lady (any female radio operator, regardless of age) Amateur radio slang Template:Sc ... ... ... ... Zulu time i.e. UTC operating signal Template:Sc Best regards + Love and kisses; used on Template:Sc networks as a sign-off sum of two 92 Codes Template:Sc No more; this is the end; finished Not used in radiotelegraphy 92 Code Template:Sc Best regards Amateur radio slang. While operating QRP / low power 92 Code Template:Sc Best regards 92 Code Template:Sc Derogatory term for a disliked operator (Referring to 75 meter ham band) Amateur radio slang, USA only Template:Sc Long Live CW (Morse Code), wishing you many happy CW contacts Template:Sc Love and kisses 92 Code Template:Sc Get lost!
An amateur radio Morse code conversation example
To make Morse code communications faster and more efficient, there are many internationally agreed patterns or conventions of communication which include: extensive use of abbreviations, use of brevity codes such as 92 Code, RST code, Q code, Z code as well as the use of Morse prosigns. The skills required to have efficient fast conversations with Morse comprise more than simply knowing the Morse code symbols for the alphabet and numerals. Skilled telegraphists must also know many traditional International Morse code communications conventions.
In the following example of a typical casual Morse code conversation between two stations there is extensive use of such: Morse code abbreviations, brevity codes, Morse procedural signs, and other such conventions.
An example casual Morse code (CW) conversation between Station S1ABC and Station S2YZ is illustrated in the following paragraphs. Here the actual Morse code information stream sent by each station (S1ABC and S2YZ) is shown in bold face small capitals type, and is followed below each bold face transmission by an indented interpretation of the message sent, together with short explanations of the codes. These translations and explanations are shown below each station's indicated transmission data stream.
- Calling anyone (Template:Sc) from (Template:Sc) station S1ABC.
- End message (Template:Sc). Go ahead anyone (Template:Sc).
Template:Grey
Template:Sc Template:Sc
- To station S1ABC from station S2YZ. Over to you only.
- To station S2YZ from station S1ABC.
- Good afternoon 'dear old man' Template:Grey
- Your RST rating is 599 here (at my station)
- I'm located (Template:Sc) in Almería.
- The station operator's (Template:Sc) name is John.
- How do you copy my signal? (Template:Sc)
- To station S2YZ from station S1ABC:
- Over to you only.
- To station S1ABC from station S2YZ.
- Thanks for the good report
- 'dear old man' John. You are [RST] 559.
- I am in (Template:Sc) Barcelona.
- My name (Template:Sc) is Andy.
- To station S1ABC from station S2YZ:
- Over to you only.
- I am in (Template:Sc) Barcelona.
- To station S2YZ from station S1ABC.
- Okay, thanks for this conversation (Template:Sc), 'dear' Andy.
- Best regards (73) and (Template:Sc) hope (Template:Sc) to see you again (Template:Sc).
- To station S2YZ from station S1ABC:
- Over to you only.
- To station S1ABC from station S2YZ.
- Roger (Template:Sc)
- Thank you (Template:Sc) see you again (Template:Sc)
- Best regards (73)
- To station S1ABC from station S2YZ:
- Signing off.
Script error: No such module "anchor". In International Morse code there is no distinct dot-dash sequence defined only for the mathematical equal sign [=]; rather the same code (Template:Morse or dah di di di dah) is shared by double hyphen [=] and the procedural sign for section separator notated as Template:Sc. It is fairly common in the Recommended International Morse Code for punctuation codes to be shared with prosigns. For example, the code for plus or cross ([+] = Template:Morse) is the same as the prosign for end of telegram, and the widely used but non-ITU "Over to you only" prosign Template:Sc is the official code for open parentheses [(] or left bracket.[4]
The listener is required to distinguish the meaning by context. In the example casual conversation between two station operators, above, the Morse transmissions show the equal sign [=] in the same way that a simple electronic automatic Morse code reader with a one- or two-line display does: It can't distinguish context so it always displays the math symbol. It would also display an open parenthesis [(] for the over to you only prosign (Template:Sc = Template:Morse).
The use of the end of section prosign Template:Sc in casual exchanges essentially indicates a new paragraph in the text or a new sentence, and is a little quicker to send than a full stop ([.] = Template:Morse) required in telegrams.
Normally an operator copying Morse code by hand or typewriter would decide whether the equal sign [=] or the "new section" prosign Template:Sc was meant and start new paragraph in the recorded text upon reception of the code. This new paragraph copying convention is illustrated in the example conversation in the prior section.
When decoding in one's head, instead of writing text on paper or into a computer file, the receiving operator copying mentally will interpret the Template:Sc prosign for either a mental pause, or to jot down for later reference a short word or phrase from the information being sent.
Informal language-independent conversations
Rag chewer is a name applied to amateur radio Morse code operators who engage in informal Morse code conversations (known as chewing the rag) while discussing subjects such as: The weather, their location, signal quality, and their equipment (especially the antennas being used).
Meaningful rag chewing between fluent Morse code operators having different native languages is possible because of a common language provided by the prosigns for Morse code, the International Q code, Z code, RST code, the telegraph era Phillips Code and 92 codes, and many well known Morse code abbreviations including those discussed in this article. Together all of these traditional conventions serve as a somewhat cryptic but commonly understood language (Lingua Franca) within the worldwide community of amateur radio Morse code operators.
These codes and protocols efficiently encode many well known statements and questions from many languages into short simple character groups which may be tapped out very quickly. The international Q code for instance encodes literally hundreds of full normal language sentences and questions in short three character codes each beginning with the character Template:Sc. For example, the code word Template:Nobr means My transmitting location is ... , which radio operators typically take instead to mean My home is ... . If this code word is followed by a question mark as Template:Sc it means What is your transmitting location?
Typically very few full words will be spelled out in Morse code conversations. Similar to phone texting, vowels are often left out to shorten transmissions and turn overs. Other examples, of internationally recognized uses of Morse code abbreviations and well known code numbers, such as those of the Phillips Code from past eras of telegraph technology, are abbreviations such as Template:Sc for weather and Template:Sc for dollar, and from wire signal codes, the numbers Template:Sc for best regards and Template:Sc for love and kisses.
These techniques are similar to, and often faster than, texting on modern cellphones. Using this extensive lingua franca that is widely understood across many languages and cultures, surprisingly meaningful Morse code conversations can be efficiently conducted with short transmissions independently of native languages, even between operators who cannot actually communicate by voice because of language barriers.
With heavy use of the Q code and Morse code abbreviations, surprisingly meaningful conversations can readily occur. Note that in the preceding example conversation very few full English words have been used. In fact, in the above example S1 and S2 might not speak the same native language. Although lengthy or detailed conversations could not, of course, be accomplished by radio operators with no common language.
Contesters often use a very specialized and even shorter format for their contacts. Their purpose is to process as many contacts as possible in a limited time (e.g. 100–150 contacts per hour).
See also
- 92 Code
- ACP 131
- Brevity code
- [International] Morse code
- Prosigns for Morse code
- Phillips Code
- Q code
- R-S-T System
- Z code