What use is an F-call?

Amateur Radio is a hobby that's been around for over a century. In that time we've seen evolution in electronics, in communications, in science and in society. Our hobby has also evolved with those changes. Every time a new Ham comes along they bring with them their perspective on the world.

The rich tapestry that Amateur Radio represents is particularly dense with historic, sometimes even ancient references that need context to understand.

In the early days of Amateur Radio, communication was achieved using Morse Code, in itself a fascinating approach to codifying language and for the record, not the only or the first. Today CW is still in use, but other forms of communication have augmented the hobby and the wider communications field as well.

Today, when you listen to Amateurs talking, you'll hear them say 73, or QSO, or QTH, or XYL, or any number of weird acronyms that make little or mainly no sense at all.

Let me start with saying that sentence again, but now using english words instead.

Today, when you listen to Amateurs talking, you'll hear them say "best regards", or "contact", or "home station", or "wife", or any number of weird acronyms that make little or mainly no sense at all.

These acronyms have a history of their own. They come from the world of Morse, because every letter counts and if you can get a meaning across with less letters, you can get a message through faster. If you keep having to key "home station", it's simpler to say "QTH". I should point out that for example, "QTH" changes meaning in itself. Officially it means "What is your position in latitude and longitude?", but the more likely use is something like: "My QTH is Perth", that in essence means, "I'm transmitting from Perth."

These acronyms don't actually come from Amateur Radio, but from the British government who prepared a list of abbreviations for use on ships and coastal stations. The codes starting with the letter "Q", are called Q-codes.  They too have evolved to include Aviation, Military and others. 

73 is a code that comes from the world of Telegraph, it too has changed meaning from "My love to you", to "Best regards". Today "Love and Kisses" is signified by 88.

Other acronyms like CQ and DX have a history all their own.

Next time you hear an acronym, ask the user for its meaning and start using them yourself. Before long you'll get to the point where you'll want to use it in general day to day use.

Before I go. 73 means "Best regards", so don't be tempted to add an "S", as in 73s. That would mean Best regards's" and that's just silly.

73

DE Onno VK6FLAB