Transmitting Morse code can be a lengthy process and operators oftentimes use many of the same words.
As a result, Morse code abbreviations were born and are essentially the LOL’s and WTF’s of an older time.
You can find all Morse code abbreviations and brevity codes for amateur radio in the list below, including basic operating signals, prosigns, and wire signals!
Some are easy to remember— such as TRIX for “tricks”—while others have almost no relevance to their abbreviation. This can help if you want to get a bit more serious about learning Morse code.
Let’s get to it and turn you into a Morse code abbreviation slinging machine!!!
CW Abbreviations
In the modern age, we can’t even be bothered to spell out LOL, and let’s be honest, unless you are highly proficient, communicating in Morse code is a much more tedious task than texting.
Using shortcodes like abbreviations not only speed up Morse code transmissions, but their brevity also increases the accuracy and effectiveness of each transmission.
With the exception of Q codes, below is a complete list of all Morse code abbreviations. However, if you would like more information on Q codes, check out Q Codes & Morse Code Shorthand: The Complete Guide.
Note that some of these abbreviations have multiple meanings.
| Abbreviation | Full Phrase |
| AA | “After all” |
| AB | “All before” |
| ABT | “About” |
| ADEE | “Addressee” |
| ADR | “Address” |
| ADS | “Address” |
| AGN | “Again” |
| AM | “Amplitude Modulation” |
| ANT | “Antenna” |
| BCI | “Broadcast Interference” |
| BCL | “Broadcast Listener” |
| BCNU | “Be seeing you” |
| BK | “Break” or “Break-in” |
| BN | “All between” or “Been” |
| BT | Separation or add a space” |
| BTR | “Better” |
| BUG | “Semi-Automatic key” |
| B4 | “Before” |
| C | “Yes” or “Correct” |
| CFM | “Confirm” or “I confirm” |
| CK | “Check” |
| CKT | “Circuit” |
| CL | “I am closing my station” or “Call” |
| CLD | “Called” |
| CLG | “Calling” |
| CNT | “Can’t” |
| CONDX | “Conditions” |
| CQ | “Calling any station” |
| CU | “See you” |
| CUL | “See you later” |
| CUM | “Come” |
| CW | “Continuous-wave” |
| DA – Day | “Day” |
| DE | “From” or “This is” |
| DIFF | “Difference” |
| DLD | “Delivered” |
| DLVD | “Delivered” |
| DN | “Down” |
| DR | “Dear” |
| DX | “Distance” |
| EL | “Element” |
| ES | “Fine business” or “Excellent” |
| FER | “For” |
| FM | “From” |
| GA | “Go ahead” or “Good afternoon” |
| GB | “Goodbye” or “God bless” |
| GD | “Good” |
| GE | “Good Evening” |
| GESS | “Guess” |
| GG | “Going” |
| GM | “Good morning” |
| GN | “Good night” |
| GND | “Ground” |
| GUD | “Good” |
| GV | “Give” |
| GVG | “Giving” |
| HH | “Error in sending” |
| HI | “The telegraph laugh” |
| HPE | “Hope” |
| HQ | “Headquarters” |
| HR | “Here” or “Hear” |
| HV | “Have” |
| HW | “How” or “How copy?” |
| IMI | “Repeat” or “Say again” |
| INFO | “Info” |
| LID | “A poor operator” |
| LNG | “Long” |
| LTR | “Later” or “letter” |
| LV | “Leave” |
| LVG | “Leaving” |
| MA | “Milliamperes” |
| MILL | “Typewriter” |
| MILS | “Milliamperes” |
| MSG | Prefix to message |
| N | “No”, “Negative”, “Incorrect” or “No More” |
| NCS | “Net Control Station” |
| NIL | “Nothing” or “I have nothing for you” |
| NM | “No more” |
| NR | “Number” |
| NW | “Now” or “I resume transmission” |
| OB | “Old boy” |
| OC | “Old chap” |
| OM | “Old man” |
| OP | “Operator” |
| OPR | “Operator” |
| OT | “Oldtimer” or “Old top” |
| PBL | Preamble” |
| PKG | Package” |
| PSE | Please” |
| PT | “Point” |
| PWR | “Power” |
| PX | “Press” |
| R | “Received as transmitted”, “Are” or “Decimal Point” |
| RC | Ragchew or informal conversation |
| RCD | “Received” |
| RCVR | “Receiver” |
| RE | “Concerning; Regarding |
| REF | “Refer to”, “Referring to” or “Reference” |
| RFI | “Radiofrequency interference” |
| RIG | “Station equipment” |
| RPT | “Repeat” or “Report” |
| RTTY | “Radio teletype” |
| RST | “Readability”, “strength” or “tone” |
| RX | “Receive” or “Receiver” |
| SASE | “Self-addressed” or “stamped envelope” |
| SED | “Said” |
| SEZ | “Says” |
| SGD | “Signed” |
| SIG | “Signature” or “Signal” |
| SINE | “Operator’s personal initials or nickname” |
| SKED | “Schedule” |
| SRI | “Sorry” |
| SS | “Sweepstakes” |
| SSB | “Single side band” |
| STN | “Station” |
| SUM | “Some” |
| SVC | “Prefix to service message” |
| T | “Zero” |
| TFC | “Traffic” |
| TMW | “Tomorrow” |
| TKS | “Thanks” |
| TNX | “Thanks” |
| TR | “Transmit” |
| T/R | “Transmit/Receive” |
| TRIX | “Tricks” |
| TT | “That” |
| TTS | “That is” |
| TU | “Thank you” |
| TVI | “Television interference” |
| TX | “Transmitter” or “Transmit” |
| TXT | “Text” |
| U | “You” |
| UR | “Your” or “You’re” |
| URS | “Yours” |
| VFB | “Very fine business” |
| VFO | “Variable Frequency Oscillator” |
| VY | “Very” |
| W | “Watts” |
| WA | “Word after” |
| WB | “Word before” |
| WD | “Word” |
| WDS | “Words” |
| WID | “With” |
| WKD | “Worked” |
| WKG | “Working” |
| WL | “Well” or “Will” |
| WPM | “Words Per Minute” |
| WRD | “Word” |
| WUD | “Would” |
| WX | “Weather” |
| XCVR | “Transceiver” |
| XMTR | “Transmitter” |
| XTAL | “Crystal” |
| XYL | “Wife” |
| YL | “Young lady” |
| YR | “Year” |
Prosigns
The term prosign is short for “procedural signals” and is the first group of abbreviations created for Morse code to make it more efficient.
However, unlike the Morse code abbreviations above that communicate short messages, prosigns are used specifically for simplifying communications regarding radio operations.
For example, transmitting AR signifies the “end of transmission.”
Prosigns are also transmitted slightly differently than traditional Morse code letters and do not include intercharacter spacing. Rather prosigns letters run together with no pause or spacing between the letters.
Additionally, when prosigns are typically written or typed out with an overline. If an overline isn’t possible, angle brackets <AR> or underlining AR can be used as alternatives.
Below is a list of Morse code prosigns.
| AR | “End of transmission” |
| AS | “Wait” |
| BK | Invite receiving station to transmit |
| BT | “Pause” or “Break for text” |
| KA | “Beginning of message” |
| KN | “End of the transmission” |
| CL | “Going off the air” |
| CQ | “Calling any amateur radio station” |
| K | “Go” Invite any station to transmit |
| KN | “Go only” Invite a specific station to transmit |
| R | “All received” or “OK” |
| SK | “End of contact” |
| VE | “Understood” |
Wire Signals
Last up are Morse code wire signals.
Wire signals were first developed in 1859 to reduce bandwidth and congestion while improving the speed and accuracy of transmissions. They accomplish this by assigning a number code to frequently used phrases.
For example, Code 88 means “Love and Kisses.” See Morse code numbers guide to check out the specific dot and dash combination for each number.
The most used and well-known series of wire signals are the 92 Code, also known as the 1859 Western Union code.
Below are some of the more known wire signals. However, Code 73 and Code 88 are the most commonly used among amateur radio operators.
| Code 1 | “Wait a Minute” |
| Code 2 | “Very Important” |
| Code 3 | “What Time is it?” |
| Code 6 | “I am Ready” |
| Code 7 | “Are You Ready?” |
| Code 12 | “Do You Understand?” |
| Code 13 | “Understand?” |
| Code 14 | “What is the Weather?” |
| Code 18 | “What is the Trouble?” |
| Code 22 | “Wire Test” |
| Code 24 | “Repeat Back” |
| Code 73 | “Best Regards” |
| Code 88 | “Love and Kisses” |
Check out our Morse Code Decoder for direction translations of any letters or number combinations.