Origins of Ham Radio Language: The History of Q Codes and Amateur Radio Terminology by John Pertell

QSL. QRM. QRZ. DX. 73. “Ham.” You use these terms on the amateur bands. Do you know their origins? Before they became part of everyday amateur radio practice, Q codes were standardized for international radiotelegraph procedure, maritime coordination, and spectrum discipline. Numerical telegraph shorthand such as 73 evolved along a separate path. Even the word “ham” began as criticism before it became a badge of operator identity. Origins of Ham Radio Language: The History of Q Codes and Amateur Radio Terminology examines how selected Q codes, telegraph abbreviations, and operating jargon moved from institutional regulation into voluntary ham radio culture. This is not an exhaustive catalog of every term ever used. It is a focused study of the Q codes and operating vocabulary that shaped major technical, regulatory, and cultural developments in amateur radio history. Read more