What is a typical CW radio contact?
Here is a typical, slightly longer (Rag-Chewing*) CW contact (QSO) between Bulgarian station LZ3AI and American station W1ABC, using standard abbreviations:
Sample CW Radio Contact (QSO)
| Station | Sent CW text | Translation of the lines |
| W1ABC | CQ CQ DE W1ABC W1ABC K | I’m calling everyone, I’m calling everyone, this is W1ABC W1ABC, pass it on everyone! |
| LZ3AI | W1ABC DE LZ3AI KN | W1ABC, this is LZ3AI, pass it on to me only you! |
| W1ABC | LZ3AI DE W1ABC = GM ES TNX FER CALL = UR RST 599 5NN = NAME IS BOB BOB QTH BOSTON BOSTON = HW? AR LZ3AI DE W1ABC KN | LZ3AI, this is W1ABC = Good morning and thanks for calling = My rating for you is 599 599 (Excellent intelligibility, power and tone) = My name is Bob (2), my location is Boston (2) = How did you know? End of line. LZ3AI, this is W1ABC, pass me only you. |
| LZ3AI | W1ABC DE LZ3AI R R = GA BOB TNX FB RPT = UR RST 579 579 = OP HR TONY TONY ES QTH SOFIA SOFIA = HW? AR W1ABC DE LZ3AI KN | W1ABC, this is LZ3AI, Accepted! (2) = Good afternoon, Bob, thanks for the good rating = Your rating is 579 = Operator this is Tony (2), my location is Sofia (2) = How did you know? End of line, W1ABC, this is LZ3AI, just pass it on to me. |
| W1ABC | LZ3AI DE W1ABC R TNX DR OM TONY = RIG IS IC7300 PWR 100W ANT IS DIPOLE = WX IS SUNNY ES TEMP 25C = HW? AR LZ3AI DE W1ABC KN | LZ3AI, this is W1ABC, Accepted, thank you, dear operator Tony = My equipment is IC7300, power 100 watts, the antenna is a dipole = The weather is sunny and the temperature is 25 degrees Celsius = How did you know? End of line. LZ3AI, this is W1ABC, just pass me. |
| LZ3AI | W1ABC DE LZ3AI = FB BOB TNX INFO = HR RIG ID FTDX10 ANT GPRV = HPE CUAGN SN = PSE QSL MY QSL IS SURE = QRU = 73 ES GL = W1ABC DE LZ3AI SK | W1ABC, this is LZ3AI = Great, Bob, thanks for the info = Here the radio is FTDX10, the antenna G5RV = I hope to hear from you soon = Please send me a confirmation card, I will send mine for sure = I have nothing else for you = Best wishes and good luck!, W1ABC, this is LZ3AI, complete end of radio contact. |
| W1ABC | TU TONY 73 SK EE | Thank you, Tony, Best wishes. Complete end of radio contact. |
Most commonly used CW abbreviations:
- CQ: General call to all stations.
- DE: From / Here is.
- K: Invitation to transmit (to all stations).
- KN: Invitation to transmit (to the specified station only).
- RST: Report of signal strength (Readability/Strength/Tone).
- R: Received (Roger).
- TNX / TU: Thank you / Thank you.
- FB: Fine Business.
- DR: Dear
- OM: Friend, amateur radio operator (Old Man – used for a fellow amateur radio operator).
- ES: And.
- QTH: Location.
- QRU: I have nothing else for you.
- HW?: How do you take me? (How Copy?).
- AR: End of message.
- 73: Best regards.
- SK: End of contact (Silent Key).
- E E / TU E E: Final confirmation.
*Rag-chewing – amateur radio slang for a long, informal conversation or chat, a friendly conversation that goes beyond a short exchange of lines and covers a variety of topics, detailed discussions on the radio, from everyday life to hobbies, and is a major part of the social aspect of the hobby with all its remaining specificity.
73! de Tony, LZ3AI
