One more radio and it's a collection.
Q codes originated in maritime radio over a century ago as a way to communicate efficiently across language barriers. While they're more common in ham radio, several Q codes appear regularly in GMRS conversations. You'll also hear plain-language abbreviations and a few CB-era holdovers.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| QRZ | Who is calling me? / Who is on frequency? Used when you hear someone but didn't catch their callsign. |
| QSL | I acknowledge receipt. Equivalent to "I copy" or "confirmed." |
| QSY | Change frequency. "Let's QSY to channel 17" means switch to that channel. |
| QTH | My location is... "My QTH is Philadelphia" means "I'm located in Philadelphia." |
| QRM | Man-made interference. "I'm getting QRM" means another signal or electronic device is causing interference. |
| QRN | Static noise, usually from natural sources like thunderstorms. |
| QSO | A conversation or contact. "Had a nice QSO with a station in Jersey." |
| QRT | Stop transmitting / I'm shutting down. "Going QRT for the night." |
| QRX | Stand by / wait. "QRX one minute" means wait briefly. |
Tip: You don't need to memorize all of these to get on the air. Most GMRS operators use plain language. But knowing what QSY, QTH, and QRT mean will help you follow conversations.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Roger | I received and understood your last transmission. |
| Copy | Same as roger — I heard and understood you. |
| 10-4 | Acknowledgment, originally from the ten-code system. Widely understood but less formal than "roger." |
| Over | I'm done talking, waiting for your reply. |
| Out | I'm done and ending the conversation. Never say "over and out" — they're contradictory. |
| Break | Used to interrupt an ongoing conversation, usually for urgent traffic. "Break, break" for emergencies. |
| Radio check | A request for someone to confirm they can hear you. "WRYZ123, radio check." |
| 5 by 5 | Your signal is loud and clear (5 out of 5 on both strength and readability). |
| Clear | I'm done transmitting and leaving the frequency. |
| Monitoring | I'm listening on this channel but not actively in a conversation. |
When someone asks for a radio check, you can give a signal report. The simplest system is a 1-5 scale:
"You're coming in 5 by 5" means full strength and full readability. "3 by 3" means moderate on both counts. In practice, most GMRS operators just say "loud and clear" or "you're breaking up."