Radio Lingo and 10-Codes

Radio has its own vocabulary. Some of it is genuinely useful, some of it is tradition, and some of it is CB-era nostalgia that will get you side-eyed on a GMRS repeater. Here's what people actually say on the air in 2026.

Everyday terms you'll use

These show up in nearly every GMRS conversation and are worth knowing from day one:

Term	What it means
Copy	"I heard and understood you." The most common acknowledgment on GMRS. "Copy that" works too.
Roger	Same as copy. Slightly more formal. Either one is fine.
Over	"I'm done talking, your turn." Used between transmissions in a back-and-forth conversation.
Out	"I'm done and leaving." Signals the end of the conversation, not just a pause. Never say "over and out" - they mean opposite things.
Break	"I need to interrupt." Used to cut into an ongoing conversation. "Break, break, break" signals an emergency.
Go ahead	"I'm listening, transmit your message." Often follows someone calling your callsign.
Stand by	"Wait a moment." You heard them but can't respond right now.
Monitoring	"I'm listening on this channel." Used when you're present but not actively in a conversation.
Radio check	"Can anyone hear me?" A request to confirm your radio is working. Always identify: "WRYZ123, radio check."
Loud and clear	Your signal sounds great. The plain-English version of "five by five."
Full quieting	A perfect, static-free signal. Stronger than "loud and clear" - specifically means zero background noise.
You're breaking up	Your signal is cutting in and out. Move to higher ground or try a different channel.
Scratchy	Plain-English description of a weak signal with audible static.
73	"Best regards" / sign-off. Borrowed from amateur radio. Singular - never "73s."
Clear	"I'm done, leaving the conversation." Less final than "out." Example: "WRYZ123 clear."

10-codes: the short list

The original police 10-code system has over a hundred entries, but only a handful crossed into everyday radio use. Plain English is actually FCC-recommended for GMRS - it's clearer in emergencies and doesn't require everyone to share a dialect. You'll still hear these, especially from older operators or clubs with law-enforcement roots:

Code	What it means
10-4	"Acknowledged." The most famous radio code in the world thanks to CB culture and Hollywood. Everyone knows it.
10-6	"Busy" / stand by. "I'm 10-6, give me a minute."
10-7	"Out of service" / signing off. "I'm 10-7 for the night."
10-8	"In service" / back on the air, monitoring. The opposite of 10-7.
10-9	"Say again" or "repeat." Used when you didn't catch the last transmission.
10-20	"What's your location?" Often shortened to "what's your twenty?"
10-33	Emergency. Worth recognizing even if you never use it - if you hear it, clear the channel.

Note that the FCC permits 10-codes on GMRS per 95.1733(a)(3), which specifically exempts them from the "coded messages" prohibition.

Repeater & technical terms

Term	What it means
Simplex	Direct radio-to-radio, no repeater involved. GMRS channels 1-7 and 15-22 work simplex.
Kerchunk	Briefly keying PTT without saying anything - testing if you can hit the repeater. Considered bad etiquette without identifying.
Doubling	Two stations transmitting at the same time, audio collides. "I think we doubled there."
Tail / hang time	The brief period after you release PTT where the repeater keeps transmitting. Wait for the tail to drop before keying up so others can break in.
PL / tone / CTCSS	The sub-audible tone that opens a repeater's squelch. "What's the PL?" = "What tone do I need?"
DPL / DCS	Digital version of PL. Same purpose, different encoding. Some repeaters use one, some the other.
Picket fencing	Signal that rapidly fades in and out as you move, like passing behind fence posts. Common when mobile.
Courtesy tone	The beep after each transmission on a repeater. Wait for it before keying up.
Stepping on	Transmitting over someone else. Same idea as doubling.
Machine	Slang for a repeater. "The machine on channel 20" means the repeater on that frequency.
Squelch tail	The brief burst of static you hear when a signal drops. Normal.

Identification

Term	What it means
Callsign	Your FCC-issued station identifier (e.g., WRYZ123). Required by law every 15 minutes during use and at end of conversation. Use the NATO phonetic alphabet to spell it out clearly.
ID / IDing	The act of stating your callsign. "I need to ID before I sign off."
CW ID	The Morse code automatic identification that repeaters send periodically. You'll hear it as a beeping pattern even when no one is talking.

QSO terms

Term	What it means
QSO	A radio conversation. From amateur radio Q-codes. "Nice QSO."
Ragchew	A long, casual conversation. "Just ragchewing on the repeater."
Calling	Initiating contact. "WRYZ123 calling WRYZ456."

See the full Q-code guide for more Q-codes you might hear on the air.

CB holdovers: use with caution

These come from 1970s CB radio culture. Some GMRS operators use them casually, but they can sound out of place on a GMRS repeater, especially around operators who take the hobby more seriously. Know what they mean, but plain English is usually the better call.

Term	What it means	Better alternative
Breaker, breaker	Requesting to use the channel	Just say your callsign
What's your handle?	What's your name?	"What's your name?" (GMRS uses callsigns, not handles)
Good buddy	Fellow radio operator	Just address them by callsign or name
Smokey / bear	Police	Don't. Just don't.
Negatory	No	"Negative" or just "no"
That's a big 10-4	Emphatic yes	"Copy" or "understood"

How experienced operators actually talk

Listen to an active GMRS repeater for an hour and you'll notice: the operators who sound the most competent use the least jargon. A typical exchange sounds like this:

No Q-codes, no 10-codes, no CB slang. Just clear communication with proper identification. That's the standard to aim for.