Q code: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:35, 17 February 2025

Revision as of 02:22, 8 March 2025

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The QAA–QNZ code range includes phrases applicable primarily to the aeronautical service,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/Q%20code.htm |title=The Q-Code |access-date=5 September 2016}}</ref> as defined by the [[International Civil Aviation Organization]].<ref>{{cite book |publisher=[[ICAO]] |series=Procedures for Air Navigation Services (PANS) |id=Doc 8400 |title=The ICAO Q-Code}}</ref> The QOA–QQZ code range is reserved for the maritime service. The QRA–QUZ code range includes phrases applicable to all services and is allocated to the [[International Telecommunication Union]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/navy/nrtc/14244_ch4.pdf |title=SM |access-date=2016-09-06}}</ref> QVA–QZZ are not allocated.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.portland-amateur-radio-club.org.uk/resources/q-codes.pdf |title=portland-amateur-radio-club.org.uk |access-date=5 September 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006210352/http://www.portland-amateur-radio-club.org.uk/resources/q-codes.pdf |archive-date=6 October 2011}}</ref> Many codes have no immediate applicability outside one individual service, such as maritime operation (many QO or QU series codes) or [[radioteletype]] operation (the QJ series).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kyalami.homeip.net/qcodes.htm |title=Q-Codes |access-date=2009-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323113250/http://kyalami.homeip.net/qcodes.htm |archive-date=2009-03-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Many military and other organisations that use Morse code have adopted additional codes, including the [[Z code]] used by most European and [[NATO]] countries. The Z code adds commands and questions adapted for military radio transmissions, for example, "ZBW 2", which means "change to backup frequency number 2", and "ZNB abc", which means "my checksum is abc, what is yours?"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.armymars.net/ArmyMARS/DigitalOps/Resources/acp131-operating-sigs.pdf |id=ACP 131(E) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119091213/http://www.armymars.net/ArmyMARS/DigitalOps/Resources/acp131-operating-sigs.pdf |archive-date=2011-11-19 |series=Communications Instructions |title=Operating Signals |date=March 1997 |url-status=usurped |quote=Chapter&nbsp;2 contains a full list of 'Q' codes}}</ref>

Used in their formal question / answer sense, the meaning of a Q-code varies depending on whether the individual Q-code is sent as a question or an answer. For example, the message "QRP?" means "Shall I decrease transmitter power?", and a reply of "QRP" means "Yes, decrease your transmitter power", whereas an unprompted statement "QRP" means "Please decrease your transmitter power". This structured use of Q-codes is fairly rare and now mainly limited to amateur radio and military [[Morse code]] (CW) traffic networks.