July 15, 2026July 16, 2026News RHG Articles

Field Day 2026 Results N9RJV

N9RJV posts a preliminary 7,153-point score

SARC logged 1,675 contacts with 75 participants in class 2A, combining strong operating results with public-service, emergency-readiness, education, and outreach bonuses.

Preliminary result · Final ARRL standing pending

7,153 Preliminary total score
1,675 Total contacts
75 Participants
1,655 Bonus points

SARC’s 2026 operation produced 2,749 QSO points. The 2X power multiplier raised that operating score to 5,498 points, and 1,655 bonus points brought the preliminary total to 7,153.

How the score was built

Operating score

5,498 points after the 2X multiplier

CW supplied 3,900 multiplied points, phone supplied 1,202, and digital supplied 396.

Bonus score

1,655points from 17 activities

Bonuses rewarded emergency power, public engagement, message handling, natural power, safety, education, youth participation, GOTA, and more.

Bar chart showing score contributions: CW 3,900 points, digital 396, phone 1,202, and bonus points 1,655. — The operating score accounted for 76.9% of the total; bonus achievements accounted for 23.1%.

Contacts by mode and band

CW led the operation with 975 contacts, followed by 601 phone contacts and 99 digital contacts. Phone includes 584 contacts in the main SSB log plus 17 contacts at the GOTA station.

Column chart showing 975 CW contacts, 99 digital contacts, and 601 phone contacts. — CW represented 58.2% of all contacts, phone 35.9%, and digital 5.9%.

Stacked column chart showing contacts by band and mode, led by 40 meters and 20 meters. — 40 meters produced 667 contacts and 20 meters produced 622, making them the two busiest bands.

Station snapshot: 2A · Illinois Section · generator power · 100-watt entries · GOTA call KD9FMN · final ARRL placement pending.

Three years of score growth

The 2026 preliminary score is 12.9% above 2025 and 45.5% above 2024. SARC’s reported final rankings were 19th of 297 in class 2A in 2025 and 36th of 289 in 2024.

Line chart showing SARC Field Day scores of 4,916 in 2024, 6,335 in 2025, and a preliminary 7,153 in 2026. — The 2026 value is preliminary. Percentage changes shown here are recalculated from the stated annual scores.

Bonus points show the full Field Day mission

The bonus total reflects far more than contact volume. SARC documented emergency-power operation, media coverage, a public location and information table, formal traffic, the W1AW bulletin, natural-power contacts, invited visitors, education, safety, social media, youth participation, GOTA coaching, and web submission.

Horizontal bar chart of the 17 Field Day bonus activities totaling 1,655 points. — Emergency power was the largest single bonus at 200 points; most qualifying activities earned 100 points each.

Bonus activity	Points
100% emergency power	200
Media publicity	100
Public location	100
Public information table	100
Formal message to ARRL SM/SEC	100
W1AW Field Day message	100
Formal messages handled	100
Natural-power QSOs	100
Invited elected-official visit	100
Invited served-agency visit	100
Educational activity	100
Youth participation	20
Safety officer	100
Social media	100
GOTA station	85
GOTA coach	100
Web submission	50
Total bonus points	1,655

Station highlights

CW: 975 contacts

The CW station generated 1,950 QSO points before the multiplier. Four operators kept the station active across the full 24-hour period, and the first 10 contacts were completed on solar power before switching to generator power.

Phone: 601 contacts

The main SSB log recorded 584 contacts across 66 ARRL/RAC sections and eight countries or entities. The GOTA station added 17 phone contacts.

Digital: 99 contacts

All submitted digital contacts were made on 6 meters, adding 198 QSO points before the multiplier and 396 points after it.

GOTA: 17 contacts

Five GOTA participants made contacts on 15, 20, and 40 meters. Their 85 contact bonus, together with the 100-point coach bonus, produced 185 GOTA-related bonus points.

Phone reach and operator effort

The main SSB station’s 584-contact log reached 49 states or provinces and eight countries or entities. Florida led the state/province count with 43 contacts, followed by Ohio with 42 and Pennsylvania with 37.

Horizontal bar chart of the top states and provinces in the main SSB log, led by Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. — Top states and provinces in the 584-contact main SSB log.

Horizontal bar chart of main SSB contacts by operator initials, led by KM with 267 and GIB with 187. — The two busiest operator entries accounted for 454 contacts, or 77.7% of the main SSB log.

GOTA spotlight

The Get On The Air station used call sign KD9FMN and gave new and returning operators a supervised way to experience Field Day. The station completed 17 contacts: nine on 20 meters, six on 15 meters, and two on 40 meters.

Horizontal bar chart of GOTA contacts by participant, totaling 17 contacts. — Five participants shared the GOTA microphone and completed all 17 contacts.

Sources:
ARRL Field Day entry confirmation for N9RJV, submitted July 14, 2026;
N3FJP SSB contest summary; SARC CW and GOTA station reports;

SARC Field Day 2026 page.

July 10, 2026July 12, 2026RHG Articles

The International Q-Code

History, operating guide, and complete amateur radio reference

The Q-code is a family of compact operating groups whose members normally contain three letters and begin with Q. It was developed for radiotelegraphy so operators could exchange recurring questions, answers, instructions, and reports with fewer characters and less dependence on a shared spoken language. The legacy reference rebuilt here also notes that the Q initial helps distinguish these groups from ordinary station call signs.^[1]

In radiotelegraphy, a question mark changes a Q group into a question. Without the question mark, the same group usually functions as an answer, statement, or instruction. The current ITU maritime recommendation specifies RQ—spoken as “Romeo Quebec”—for the equivalent question form in radiotelephony, although radio amateurs commonly ask the meaning in ordinary speech. Q-codes can be completed with call signs, place names, times, frequencies, numbers, and other data.^[2] The 1912 international service regulations already demonstrated the question-mark convention with worked examples.^[3]

Although the system arose in the Morse era, Q-codes remain part of amateur CW and voice practice. The ITU’s 2026 amateur-service handbook still describes a two-way contact as a QSO and points readers to Recommendation ITU-R M.1172.^[7]

Q-Codes at a Glance

Basic structure and interpretation
Form	Typical function	Example
`QTH?`	Question in radiotelegraphy	What is your position or location?
`QTH CHICAGO`	Answer or statement	My location is Chicago.
`QSY 7.040`	Instruction or proposal	Change to 7.040 MHz.
`QSL`	Acknowledgement	I acknowledge receipt; in informal amateur usage, it can also mean a contact confirmation or QSL card.

ITU Operating Rules That Matter

A question mark follows the Q group in radiotelegraphy; RQ performs that role in formal radiotelephony.
The letters C and NO may add affirmative and negative senses to certain groups.
Call signs, places, figures, frequencies, times, and other details may complete a meaning.
Where a group has numbered alternatives, the selected number follows the abbreviation.
Times are Coordinated Universal Time unless the exchange says otherwise.
An asterisk in ITU-R M.1172 marks a meaning similar to one in the International Code of Signals.

---
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---
flowchart TD
    A["`Receive a
Q group`"]

    B{"`Is it followed by a
question mark or RQ?`"}

    C["`Read it as a request for
information or action`"]

    D["`Read it as an answer,
statement, or instruction`"]

    E{"`Are call signs, numbers,
times, or places attached?`"}

    F["`Apply the added details
in the transmitted order`"]

    G["`Use the group's
basic meaning`"]

    H["`Respond
or act`"]

    A --> B

    B -->|"Yes"| C
    B -->|"No"| D

    C --> E
    D --> E

    E -->|"Yes"| F
    E -->|"No"| G

    F --> H
    G --> H

Flow diagram: deciding whether a Q-code is a question or a statement.

History of the Q-Codes

Early Development Before International Adoption

Wireless operators in the first decade of the twentieth century worked with slow manual Morse, unstable signals, heavy static, interference, and crews who did not always share a language. A short standardized group could replace a complete operational sentence and reduce opportunities for error. The Q-code system is commonly traced to a British Post Office list used around 1909, although surviving secondary accounts differ in how they count and describe the earliest groups.^[9]

London, 1912: An International Operating Language

The International Radiotelegraph Conference met in London from 4 June through 5 July 1912. It revised the convention and service regulations and emphasized intercommunication and safety at sea.^[4] The resulting detailed regulations included a multi-page “List of Abbreviations to be used in Radiotelegraph Transmissions,” with Q groups for station identity, distance, bearings, destination, reception quality, interference, atmospheric noise, power, speed, readiness, traffic, and other recurring needs.^[3]

The 1912 regulations also established the core grammar that still makes the system easy to learn: add a question mark to ask the question; omit it to give the associated answer or advice. The regulations were published in 1913 and came into force on 1 July 1913.^[3]

The Interwar Regulatory Framework

At Washington in 1927, administrations revised the International Radiotelegraph Convention and the general and additional radio regulations, established a table allocating frequencies among services, and created the International Radio Technical Consultative Committee, later known as the CCIR.^[5] These broader international mechanisms gave operating signals such as Q-codes a stable regulatory environment in which to evolve across services.

Atlantic City, 1947

The 1947 Atlantic City conferences revised the global radio framework, changed frequency allocations, created the International Frequency Registration Board, and produced new Radio Regulations and Additional Radio Regulations.^[6] Q-code assignments were increasingly organized by service, helping explain why amateur operators use only a practical subset while maritime, aeronautical, and other services have additional groups.

Modern ITU Standardization and Amateur Survival

Recommendation ITU-R M.1172, issued in 1995, codifies miscellaneous abbreviations and signals for maritime-mobile radio communication. Its Q-code annex runs from QOA through QUZ, reserving QOA through QQZ for the maritime mobile service and documenting the question, answer, and advice forms used for the later groups.^[2]

Amateur radio retained the groups that solve everyday station problems: frequency, readability, interference, static, power, speed, availability, acknowledgement, contact, location, and time. Many became ordinary radio nouns or verbs—operators make a QSO, send a QSL, operate QRP, encounter QRM, or QSY to a clear frequency. ARRL’s historical overview likewise describes the long transition from formal operating signals to informal amateur vocabulary.^[8]

---
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flowchart TD
    A["`About 1909:
early British operating shorthand`"]

    B["`1912:
London conference adopts
international abbreviations`"]

    C["`1 July 1913:
revised service regulations
take effect`"]

    D["`1927:
Washington revises regulations
and creates CCIR`"]

    E["`1947:
Atlantic City revises the
world radio framework`"]

    F["`1995:
ITU-R M.1172 standardizes
maritime Q-code use`"]

    G["`Today:
a practical subset remains active
in amateur CW and voice`"]

    A --> B
    B --> C
    C --> D
    D --> E
    E --> F
    F --> G

Historical development of the Q-code system.

History timeline fallback for sites that do not render Mermaid
Date	Milestone
About 1909	An early British Post Office operating list is commonly cited as a precursor.
1912	The London conference incorporates international radiotelegraph abbreviations into revised service regulations.
1 July 1913	The revised London regulations enter into force.
1927	The Washington conference revises radio rules and creates the CCIR.
1947	The Atlantic City conference produces revised radio regulations and a new frequency-management framework.
1995	ITU-R M.1172 documents modern maritime-mobile abbreviations and signals.
Present	Q-codes remain standard operating vocabulary in amateur CW and voice.

How to Use Q-Codes on the Air

Question and Answer Pairs

A Q-code is most useful when both operators understand its paired forms. For example, QRG? asks for an exact frequency, while QRG 14.060 MHz supplies it. QRV? asks whether the other operator is ready, while QRV states readiness. The surrounding exchange determines whether a bare group is descriptive, advisory, or imperative.

A Typical Amateur Contact

---
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---
flowchart TD
    A["`Call or answer
a station`"]

    B["`Exchange
call signs`"]

    C["`Check frequency, readability,
strength, and interference`"]

    D["`Exchange names, locations,
reports, and other information`"]

    E{"`Is a relay or frequency
change needed?`"}

    F["`Use QSP or QSO
relay wording`"]

    G["`Use QSY with the
destination frequency`"]

    H["`Continue
the contact`"]

    I["`Acknowledge important
information with QSL`"]

    J["`Close the QSO
or go QRT`"]

    A --> B
    B --> C
    C --> D
    D --> E

    E -->|"Relay"| F
    E -->|"Change frequency"| G
    E -->|"No"| H

    F --> H
    G --> H
    H --> I
    I --> J

Flow diagram: one way Q-codes fit into an amateur contact.

Good Operating Practice

Use only as many Q-codes as improve clarity; plain language is often better on voice.
Do not assume an informal amateur meaning is identical to the formal ITU meaning.
Attach the needed number, time, frequency, place, or call sign rather than forcing the other operator to guess.
On CW, preserve the question mark when asking; without it, the same group may be read as a statement or command.
When handling formal traffic, emergency work, maritime communication, or examinations, consult the governing current publication rather than an informal list.

Amateur Radio International Q-Code

Radio amateurs rely on a subset of the larger international system. The exact list emphasized in training or examination material can vary by administration, but the following table preserves every formal amateur entry shown on the legacy page, with newly written wording and the paired question and answer forms.^[1]

Common amateur-radio Q-codes in their formal question and answer forms
Code	Question form	Answer, statement, or instruction
`QRA`	What name or call sign identifies your station?	My station is identified as …
`QRB`	Approximately how far is your station from mine?	The distance between our stations is about … nautical miles or kilometres.
`QRG`	What is my exact frequency, or the exact frequency of …?	Your exact frequency, or that of …, is … kHz or MHz.
`QRH`	Is my transmitted frequency varying?	Your frequency is varying.
`QRI`	How would you rate the tone of my transmission?	Your transmitted tone is rated 1 (good), 2 (variable), or 3 (poor).
`QRK`	How intelligible are my signals, or the signals of …?	The intelligibility is … on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (excellent).
`QRL`	Are you busy?	I am busy, or I am working …; please do not interfere.
`QRM`	Is my transmission being affected by interference?	Your transmission is being affected by interference.
`QRN`	Are you troubled by atmospheric noise or static?	I am troubled by atmospheric noise or static.
`QRO`	Should I increase transmitter power?	Increase transmitter power.
`QRP`	Should I reduce transmitter power?	Reduce transmitter power.
`QRQ`	Should I send faster?	Send faster, at about … words per minute.
`QRS`	Should I send more slowly?	Send more slowly, at about … words per minute.
`QRT`	Should I stop or suspend operation?	Stop sending; I am suspending operation.
`QRU`	Do you have anything for me?	I have nothing for you.
`QRV`	Are you ready?	I am ready.
`QRX`	Should I wait, or when will you call me again?	Wait; I will call you again at … hours on … kHz or MHz.
`QRZ`	Who is calling me?	You are being called by … on … kHz or MHz.
`QSA`	What is the strength of my signals, or those of …?	Signal strength is … on a scale from 1 (very weak) to 5 (very strong).
`QSB`	Are my signals fading?	Your signals are fading.
`QSD`	Is my keying defective?	Your keying is defective.
`QSK`	Can you hear me between your own signals, and may I break in?	I can hear you between my signals; break in during my transmission.
`QSL`	Can you acknowledge receipt?	I acknowledge receipt.
`QSM`	Should I repeat the last message, or an earlier one?	Repeat the last message, or message number …
`QSN`	Did you hear me, or …, on … kHz or MHz?	I heard you, or …, on … kHz or MHz.
`QSO`	Can you communicate with … directly or through a relay?	I can communicate with … directly, or through relay station …
`QSP`	Will you relay a message to …?	I will relay a message to …
`QSS`	What working frequency will you use?	I will use … kHz or MHz as the working frequency.
`QSU`	Should I send or reply on this frequency, or on … kHz or MHz?	Send or reply on this frequency, or on … kHz or MHz.
`QSV`	Should I transmit a series of V characters on this frequency, or on … kHz or MHz?	Transmit a series of V characters on this frequency, or on … kHz or MHz.
`QSX`	Will you listen to … on … kHz or MHz?	I am listening to … on … kHz or MHz.
`QSY`	Should I change transmission frequency to … kHz or MHz?	Change transmission frequency to … kHz or MHz.
`QSZ`	Should I send every word or group more than once?	Send each word or group twice, or … times.
`QTC`	How many telegrams or messages do you have to send?	I have … messages for you, or for …
`QTH`	What is your position by latitude and longitude, or another location description?	My position or location is …
`QTR`	What is the correct time?	The correct time is … hours.

Amateur Radio Informal Q-Code

In everyday amateur conversation, many groups have become substitutes for single words or short phrases. These informal meanings are convenient, but they are not always identical to the formal question-and-answer definitions. The table preserves all informal entries shown on the legacy page, including the four-letter extension QRSS.^[1]

Common informal amateur-radio meanings
Code	Typical shorthand	Operating note
`QRA`	Name or station identity	Common shorthand for a name, call sign, or station identity.
`QRB`	Distance	Approximate separation between stations.
`QRG`	Frequency	Often used to mean the operating frequency itself.
`QRK`	Readability or intelligibility	A report of how understandable a signal is.
`QRL`	Busy	The frequency or operator is occupied.
`QRM`	Interference	Usually interference from another transmission or human-made source.
`QRN`	Noise or static	Usually atmospheric or natural radio noise.
`QRO`	High power	Used as a noun or adjective for increased transmitter power.
`QRP`	Low power	Also names the low-power operating specialty.
`QRQ`	Fast CW	Higher Morse sending speed.
`QRS`	Slow CW	Reduced Morse sending speed.
`QRSS`	Very slow CW	A four-letter amateur extension, not one of the ITU three-letter Q-code groups.
`QRT`	Close down or stop transmitting	Often used as a verb: the station is going QRT.
`QRV`	Ready	Ready to receive, transmit, or begin an activity.
`QRX`	Stand by	Wait briefly or listen for a later call.
`QRZ?`	Who is calling me?	The question form is commonly heard on voice as well as CW.
`QSB`	Fading	Variation of received signal level over time.
`QSD`	Defective keying	Long-standing amateur usage; the current maritime recommendation uses broader wording.
`QSK`	Break-in operation	The receiving station can hear between its transmitted elements or signals.
`QSL`	Acknowledgement or contact-confirmation card	May refer to receipt confirmation, the act of confirming, or a paper/electronic QSL.
`QSO`	Radio contact	Widely used as a noun for a two-way amateur contact.
`QSY`	Change frequency	Often used as a verb: move to another frequency.
`QTC`	Message or traffic	A radiogram, telegram, or piece of traffic.
`QTH`	Location	A station location, address, grid locator, or operating site.
`QTR`	Time	The current or correct time.

Reporting Scales and Graphs

Common Numerical Scales

Maximum values used by several formal Q-code reports
Code	What it reports	Scale	Maximum
`QRI`	Transmitted tone	1 good; 2 variable; 3 poor	3
`QRK`	Intelligibility	1 bad through 5 excellent	5
`QSA`	Signal strength	1 scarcely perceptible/very weak through 5 very good/very strong	5
`QRM`	Interference severity in ITU-R M.1172	1 nil through 5 extreme	5
`QRN`	Static severity in ITU-R M.1172	1 nil through 5 extreme	5

xychart-beta
    title "Maximum value of common Q-code reporting scales"
    x-axis ["QRI tone", "QRK intelligibility", "QSA strength", "QRM interference", "QRN static"]
    y-axis "Maximum scale value" 0 --> 5
    bar [3, 5, 5, 5, 5]

Graph: maximum value of common formal reporting scales. QRI uses three levels; the other examples use five.

Distribution of the Legacy Full-List Rows

The rebuilt QRA–QUZ table contains 103 displayed rows: 26 QR rows, 25 QS rows, 27 QT rows, and 25 QU rows. The QT count is 27 because the source page displays QTI twice with two different wordings; both rows are retained and explained in the verification notes.

pie showData
    title Legacy QRA–QUZ reference rows by prefix
    "QR" : 26
    "QS" : 25
    "QT, including duplicated QTI" : 27
    "QU" : 25

Graph: distribution of displayed rows in the full legacy reference.

Prefix-count fallback for sites that do not render Mermaid
Prefix	Displayed rows	Note
`QR`	26	`QRA` through `QRZ`
`QS`	25	`QSA` through `QSZ`, with no `QST` row on the legacy page
`QT`	27	`QTA` through `QTZ`, counting the duplicated `QTI` display
`QU`	25	`QUA` through `QUZ`, with no `QUV` row on the legacy page
Total	103	Every displayed source-page row is retained below.

Full International Q-Code Reference: QRA–QUZ

The following is the broader list carried by the legacy page. Most of these groups relate to maritime traffic, direction finding, rescue, weather, navigation, or formal message handling and are rarely needed in ordinary amateur contacts. The source page shows only the question or statement side for this larger table; that structure is retained here, with the wording independently rewritten.^[1]

This is not the whole universe of Q groups. Other ranges have been assigned or used in maritime and aeronautical services. For current formal maritime meanings and their complete answer/advice forms, Recommendation ITU-R M.1172 is the controlling reference used for verification here.^[2]

Legacy QRA–QUZ reference, preserving every displayed row and the original order
Code	Question, instruction, or statement
`QRA`	What is the name of your station?
`QRB`	Approximately how far are you from my station?
`QRC`	Which enterprise or administration settles the charge accounts for your station?
`QRD`	Where are you bound, and where have you come from?
`QRE`	What is your estimated arrival time at, or over, the stated place?
`QRF`	Are you returning to the stated place?
`QRG`	What is my exact frequency, or the exact frequency of the named station?
`QRH`	Is my frequency varying?
`QRI`	How would you describe the tone of my transmission?
`QRJ`	How many radiotelephone calls do you have to book?
`QRK`	How intelligible are my signals, or those of the named station?
`QRL`	Are you busy?
`QRM`	Is your reception or transmission being interfered with?
`QRN`	Are you troubled by static?
`QRO`	Should I increase transmitter power?
`QRP`	Should I decrease transmitter power?
`QRQ`	Should I send faster?
`QRR`	Are you ready for automatic operation?
`QRS`	Should I send more slowly?
`QRT`	Should I stop sending?
`QRU`	Do you have anything for me?
`QRV`	Are you ready?
`QRW`	Should I tell the named station that you are calling on the stated frequency?
`QRX`	When will you call me again?
`QRY`	What is my turn in the communication sequence?
`QRZ`	Who is calling me?
`QSA`	What is the strength of my signals, or those of the named station?
`QSB`	Are my signals fading?
`QSC`	Are you a cargo vessel?
`QSD`	Is my keying defective?
`QSE`	What is the estimated drift of the survival craft?
`QSF`	Have you completed a rescue?
`QSG`	Should I send the stated number of telegrams at one time?
`QSH`	Can you home using your direction-finding equipment?
`QSI`	I have been unable to break in on your transmission.
`QSJ`	What charge must be collected to the stated destination, including your internal charge?
`QSK`	Can you hear me between your signals, and may I break in?
`QSL`	Can you acknowledge receipt?
`QSM`	Should I repeat the last telegram, or a specified earlier telegram?
`QSN`	Did you hear me, or the named station, on the stated frequency?
`QSO`	Can you communicate with the named station directly or by relay?
`QSP`	Will you relay to the named station without charge?
`QSQ`	Do you have a doctor aboard, or is the named person aboard?
`QSR`	Should I repeat the call on the calling frequency?
`QSS`	Which working frequency will you use?
`QSU`	Should I send or reply on this frequency, or on the stated frequency?
`QSV`	Should I send a series of V characters on this frequency, or on the stated frequency?
`QSW`	Will you transmit on this frequency, or on the stated frequency?
`QSX`	Will you listen for the named station on the stated frequency?
`QSY`	Should I change to another transmission frequency?
`QSZ`	Should I transmit each word or group more than once?
`QTA`	Should I cancel the stated telegram or message?
`QTB`	Do you agree with my count of the words?
`QTC`	How many telegrams or messages do you have to send?
`QTD`	What has the rescue vessel or rescue aircraft recovered?
`QTE`	What is my true bearing from you?
`QTF`	Will you provide my position from the bearings taken by the direction-finding stations you control?
`QTG`	Will you send two ten-second dashes, or a carrier, followed by your call sign, repeated as specified, on the stated frequency?
`QTH`	What is your position in latitude and longitude?
`QTI`	What is your true track?
`QTI`	What is your true course?
`QTJ`	What is your speed?
`QTK`	What is your aircraft’s speed relative to the Earth’s surface?
`QTL`	What is your true heading?
`QTM`	What is your magnetic heading?
`QTN`	At what time did you leave the stated place?
`QTO`	Have you left the dock or port?
`QTP`	Are you about to enter the dock or port?
`QTQ`	Can you communicate with my station by the International Code of Signals?
`QTR`	What is the correct time?
`QTS`	Will you send your call sign for tuning or frequency-measurement purposes now, or at the stated time and frequency?
`QTT`	The identification signal that follows is superimposed on another transmission.
`QTU`	During which hours is your station open?
`QTV`	Should I keep watch for you on the stated frequency during the stated period?
`QTW`	What is the condition of the survivors?
`QTX`	Will you keep your station open for further communication until further notice or the stated time?
`QTY`	Are you proceeding to the incident position, and when do you expect to arrive?
`QTZ`	Are you continuing the search?
`QUA`	Do you have news of the named station or person?
`QUB`	Can you report, in order, surface-wind direction and speed, visibility, present weather, and cloud amount, type, and base height at the stated place?
`QUC`	What is the number or identifier of the last message you received from me or the named station?
`QUD`	Have you received the urgency signal sent by the named mobile station?
`QUE`	Can you use radiotelephony in the stated language, with an interpreter if needed, and on which frequencies?
`QUF`	Have you received the distress signal sent by the named station?
`QUG`	Will you be forced to alight or land?
`QUH`	Will you provide the current barometric pressure reduced to sea level?
`QUI`	Are your navigation lights operating?
`QUJ`	Will you indicate the true track required to reach you or the named position?
`QUK`	What sea condition did you observe at the stated place?
`QUL`	What swell did you observe at the stated place?
`QUM`	May normal working resume?
`QUN`	Will vessels nearby state their position, course, and speed?
`QUO`	Should I search for the stated aircraft, vessel, or survival craft?
`QUP`	Will you show your position with a searchlight, black smoke, or pyrotechnic lights?
`QUQ`	Should I direct my searchlight almost vertically at a cloud and, when your aircraft is seen, deflect the beam upwind and onto the water?
`QUR`	Have the survivors received survival equipment, been picked up by a rescue vessel, or been reached by a ground rescue party?
`QUS`	Have you seen survivors or wreckage?
`QUT`	Is the incident position marked?
`QUU`	Should I home a vessel or aircraft to my position?
`QUW`	Are you within the designated search area?
`QUX`	Are any navigation warnings or gale warnings in force?
`QUY`	Is the survival craft’s position marked?
`QUZ`	May restricted working resume?

Verification and Editorial Notes

Preserved Legacy Differences

Items retained from the source page but clarified against ITU-R M.1172
Item	Legacy-page wording retained above	Verified clarification
`QSC`	Asks whether the station is a cargo vessel.	The 1995 ITU-R M.1172 table asks whether it is a low-traffic ship station. The legacy wording is preserved so no source-page entry disappears.
`QSD`	Asks whether keying is defective.	That wording is established in amateur usage. ITU-R M.1172 uses the broader maritime wording “signals mutilated.”
`QTI`	Appears twice: once for true track and once for true course.	Current ITU-R M.1172 assigns `QTI` to true course. The request for the true track needed to reach a station is represented by `QUJ`. Both legacy rows remain visible above.
`QST`	No row appears.	No `QST` row appears in the legacy QRA–QUZ list or the Q-code table in ITU-R M.1172, so one has not been invented for this rebuild.
`QUV`	No row appears.	No `QUV` row appears in the legacy QRA–QUZ list or the Q-code table in ITU-R M.1172, so one has not been invented for this rebuild.
`QRSS`	Appears in the informal amateur table.	It is deliberately retained as common amateur shorthand for extremely slow CW, but it is four letters and is not one of the ITU three-letter groups.

References

The international Q-code / Amateur radio informal Q-code. Giangrandi.org. Legacy page created October 1999 and last updated October 2013. Accessed 10 July 2026. https://www.giangrandi.org/electronics/radio/qcode.shtml
Recommendation ITU-R M.1172: Miscellaneous abbreviations and signals to be used for radiocommunications in the maritime mobile service. International Telecommunication Union. 1995. Accessed 10 July 2026. https://www.itu.int/rec/R-REC-M.1172/en
Detailed Service Regulations appended to the International Radiotelegraph Convention (London, 1912). His Majesty’s Stationery Office; digital scan by the ITU Library and Archives Service. Published 1913. Accessed 10 July 2026. https://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/1.3.48.en.100.pdf
International Radiotelegraph Conference (London, 1912). International Telecommunication Union, History of ITU Portal. Conference held 4 June–5 July 1912. Accessed 10 July 2026. https://www.itu.int/en/history/Pages/RadioConferences.aspx?conf=4.37
International Radiotelegraph Conference (Washington, 1927). International Telecommunication Union, History of ITU Portal. Conference held 4 October–25 November 1927. Accessed 10 July 2026. https://www.itu.int/en/history/Pages/RadioConferences.aspx?conf=4.39
International Radio Conference (Atlantic City, 1947). International Telecommunication Union, History of ITU Portal. Conference held 16 May–2 October 1947. Accessed 10 July 2026. https://www.itu.int/en/history/Pages/RadioConferences.aspx?conf=4.62
Handbook on Amateur and amateur-satellite services. International Telecommunication Union. 2026 edition. Accessed 10 July 2026. https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-r/opb/hdb/R-HDB-52-2026-PDF-E.pdf
Ham Radio History. American Radio Relay League. Historical overview of amateur operating language and Q-signals. Accessed 10 July 2026. https://www.arrl.org/ham-radio-history
Q-codes. Crypto Museum. Historical overview; used cautiously for the commonly cited pre-1912 origin. Accessed 10 July 2026. https://www.cryptomuseum.com/ref/qcodes/

July 9, 2026July 12, 2026RHG Articles

Portable Measurement Baselines and Troubleshooting

Portable Measurement Baselines and Fast Field Troubleshooting

When you are out in the field, every minute and every tool counts. From quick checks of matching networks to sweeping coax for common-mode current, a compact kit and a tight process can turn frustrating guesswork into fast, confident decisions.

Use the 8-Minute Script View the Park Kit

This guide is designed for park activations, club demonstrations, antenna days, emergency exercises, and portable HF/VHF testing. The goal is simple: establish a repeatable baseline, identify obvious losses or common-mode problems, make a quick correction, and log the final result.

Field Measurement Benefits

Measure at the Feedpoint

Start where the antenna system begins. A feedpoint reading helps separate antenna problems from feedline or station-side issues.

Check Common-Mode Fast

A snap-on RF current clamp lets you inspect the coax shield without cutting, soldering, or rebuilding the feedline in the field.

Fix, Retest, Log

Install a choke, tighten a connector, retest the baseline, and record the final readings before operating or demonstrating.

Practical Devices: Budget to Pro

The best analyzer is the one you know how to calibrate, read, and trust under field conditions. These options cover budget, mid-price, and more traditional analyzer workflows.

Budget VNA

SeeSii NanoVNA-F V2 / Mustool NanoVNA-F V2 / NanoVNA-F V2

These compact vector network analyzers are versatile for SWR, S-parameter views, Smith chart insight, and basic choke or antenna checks. However, they require calibration and some VNA literacy to get the most accurate results.^[1]^[2]

Field Friendly

RigExpert Stick 230, Stick Pro, and Stick XPro

Dedicated handheld analyzers provide built-in displays and straightforward SWR and impedance readouts. They are rugged, quick to deploy, and often easier to use during portable events than a small VNA screen.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Classic Tools

RigExpert AA-55 and MFJ-269CPRO

Classic antenna analyzers remain useful because they have familiar controls, broad amateur radio support, and proven workflows for HF and beyond.^[6]^[7]

Device Selection Table

Tool	Best field use	Typical strength	Field note
SeeSii NanoVNA-F V2 / Mustool NanoVNA-F V2 / NanoVNA-F V2	Budget VNA work, antenna checks, S-parameter checks, Smith chart review	Small size, flexible measurements, low cost	Calibrate for the frequency span and measurement plane before trusting the reading.^[1]^[2]
RigExpert Stick 230	HF through VHF quick antenna and cable checks	0.1 to 230 MHz handheld workflow	Good for demonstrations where simple SWR, return loss, R, X, Z, L, C, magnitude, and phase readings are enough.^[3]
RigExpert Stick Pro	HF/VHF/UHF portable checks	0.1 to 600 MHz coverage	Use when the deployment needs more range than the Stick 230 and a handheld interface.^[4]
RigExpert Stick XPro	Wider-range analyzer checks and cable tools	0.1 to 1000 MHz coverage with TDR and cable-tool modes	Useful when UHF work, distance-to-fault checks, or broader analyzer functions matter.^[5]
RigExpert AA-55	Classic HF antenna and cable testing	60 kHz to 55 MHz, familiar analyzer workflow	Good for HF events where a larger handheld instrument is acceptable.^[6]
MFJ-269CPRO	Legacy HF/VHF/UHF analyzer workflow	Antenna, feedline, tuner, filter, trap, choke, and inductor checks	Good where club members already know the MFJ menu, knobs, and meter behavior.^[7]
Tekbox TBCP2 or Com-Power CLCE-series RF current probe	Common-mode current checks on coax and cable bundles	Snap-on inspection without cutting the line	Slide the probe along the cable to find current hot spots and retest after choking.^[8]^[9]^[10]

Clamp Probe Pick: Find the Feed-line Acting Like an Antenna

Snap-on RF current clamps, such as Tekbox/TBCP2 or Com-Power CLCE-series probes, let you sweep coax runs and look for common-mode current without soldering onto the feedline. For low-cost experimenting, an ARRL-style DIY clamp can also be built and used as a practical field indicator.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]

Minimal Park/Test Kit Essentials

Keep the kit small enough to carry, but complete enough to isolate common portable antenna problems quickly.

Analyzer, VNA, or handheld
RF current clamp
50 Ω dummy load
Short N/SMA jumpers
Anderson Powerpole leads
Small chokes / FT-240-43 cores
Good multimeter
CoaxSeal and heat-shrink

The 8-Minute In-Field Script

Use this script when time is tight, daylight is fading, or the group needs a repeatable troubleshooting routine.