Readability 1 – 5 (5 being the best)
Signal Strength 1 - 9
Tone 1 – 9

Tone is used to describe the quality of a CW note.  With modern transmitting equipment rarely will this be less than “9”.

Reading the top scale of this S meter, it shows a received signal strength 30 dB over S-9.  This would be reported as “five nine plus thirty” or “thirty over nine.”

Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) is the time at the zero or reference meridian.

To calculate UTC add the hours in the chart to your local time.  24 hour format is standard.

Example:
10 AM Eastern Standard Time is 1500 UTC

Be sure to use the correct date if the conversion results after midnight UTC.

Example:
Dec 31, 2007 7 PM Pacific Standard Time is 0300 Jan 1, 2008 UTC

Standard Time Zone     Daylight Savings Time
Atlantic + 4 hours                  + 3 hours
Eastern + 5 hours                  + 4 hours
Central + 6 hours                   + 5 hours
Mountain + 7 hours                + 6 hours
Pacific + 8 hours                    + 7 hours

A Q signal followed by a ? asks a question. A Q Signal without the ? answers the question affirmatively, unless otherwise indicated.

QRA -- What is the name of your station?

QRG -- What is my exact frequency?

QRH -- Does my frequency vary?

QRL -- Are you busy?

QRM -- Is my transmission being interfered with?

QRN -- Are you troubled by static?

QRO -- Shall I increase transmitter power?

QRP -- Shall I decrease transmitter power?

QRQ -- Shall I send faster?

QRS -- Shall I send slower?

QRT -- Shall I stop sending?

QRU -- Have you anything for me? (Answer in negative)

QRV -- Are you ready?

QRX -- When will you call again?

QRZ -- Who is calling me?

QSA -- What is my signal strength? (1-5)

QSB -- Are my signals fading?

QSK -- Can you work break-in?

QSL -- Can you acknowledge receipt?

QSO -- Can you communicate with..... direct?

QSP -- Will you relay to ..... ?

QSX -- Will you listen for ..... on ..... ?

QSY -- Shall I change frequency?

(Answer negative)

QTC -- How many messages have you to send?

QTH -- What is your location?

QTR -- What is your time?