Posted-By: auto-faq 2.4ăArchive-name: radio/cb-faq/part3ăăRec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 3: Communication)ă---------------------------------------------------------------ă[Last modified 3/15/92]ăăQuestions discussed in Part 3: (dates indicate last modification)ă* Which 10-codes are most commonly used? (7/91)ă* What are the CB 10-codes? (7/91)ă* Where are 10-codes used? (3/92)ă* What are some of the more common Q-codes? (3/92)ă* What are some tips for communicating with others on the CB? (12/91)ăă--Rec.radio.cb Frequently-asked Questions-----------------------------Part 3--ăă* Which 10-codes are most commonly used?ă----------------------------------------ăăWhen getting started, remember at least the following 10-codes:ăă10-1 Receiving Poorlyă10-4 Ok, Message Receivedă10-7 Out of Service, Leaving Air (you're going off the air)ă10-8 In Service, subject to call (you're back on the air)ă10-9 Repeat Messageă10-10 Transmission Completed, Standing By (you'll be listening)ă10-20 "What's your location?" or "My location is..."ă Commonly asked as "What's your 20?"ăăand maybe also this one...ă10-100 Need to go to BathroomăăAlso, remember that 10-4 only means "message received". If you want to sayă"yes", use "affirmative". For "no", use "negative".ăăă* What are the CB 10-codes?ă---------------------------ăă10-1 Receiving Poorlyă10-2 Receiving Wellă10-3 Stop Transmittingă10-4 Ok, Message Receivedă10-5 Relay Messageă10-6 Busy, Stand Byă10-7 Out of Service, Leaving Airă10-8 In Service, subject to callă10-9 Repeat Messageă10-10 Transmission Completed, Standing Byă10-11 Talking too Rapidlyă10-12 Visitors Presentă10-13 Advise weather/road conditionsă10-16 Make Pickup at...ă10-17 Urgent Businessă10-18 Anything for us?ă10-19 Nothing for you, return to baseă10-20 My Location is ......... or What's your Location?ă10-21 Call by Telephoneă10-22 Report in Person too ......ă10-23 Stand byă10-24 Completed last assignmentă10-25 Can you Contact .......ă10-26 Disregard Last Information/Cancel Last Message/Ignoreă10-27 I am moving to Channel ......ă10-28 Identify your stationă10-29 Time is up for contactă10-30 Does not conform to FCC Rulesă10-32 I will give you a radio checkă10-33 Emergency Traffic at this stationă10-34 Trouble at this station, help neededă10-35 Confidential Informationă10-36 Correct Time is .........ă10-38 Ambulance needed at .........ă10-39 Your message deliveredă10-41 Please tune to channel ........ă10-42 Traffic Accident at ..........ă10-43 Traffic tieup at .........ă10-44 I have a message for you (or .........)ă10-45 All units within range please reportă10-50 Break Channelă10-62 Unable to copy, use phoneă10-62sl unable to copy on AM, use Sideband - Lower (not an officialăcode)ă10-62su unable to copy on AM, use Sideband - Upper (not an officialăcode)ă10-65 Awaiting your next message/assignmentă10-67 All units complyă10-70 Fire at .......ă10-73 Speed Trap at ............ă10-75 You are causing interferenceă10-77 Negative Contactă10-84 My telephone number is .........ă10-85 My address is ...........ă10-91 Talk closer to the Mikeă10-92 Your transmitter is out of adjustmentă10-93 Check my frequency on this channelă10-94 Please give me a long countă10-95 Transmit dead carrier for 5 sec.ă10-99 Mission completed, all units secureă10-100 Need to go to Bathroomă10-200 Police needed at ..........ăăă* Where are 10-codes used?ă--------------------------ăă10-codes originated in the USA and are, apparently, only used in English-ăspeaking countries. However, no matter which codes are used in your country,ăbe aware that there are local dialects in every urban area and region. Youăhave to listen to others to learn the phrases and codes in you area.ăăBe aware that the use of codes specifically to obscure the meaning of a trans-ămission is probably illegal in most countries. The difference is this - codesăwhich are well known and make communications shorter or more efficient areănormally allowed.ăăă* What are some of the more common Q-codes?ă-------------------------------------------ăăQ-codes are used in many kinds of radio communications, including CB sidebandăbut not typically on CB AM. (If your radio doesn't have sideband, don'tăworry about Q-codes.) Q-codes originated with amateur radio but their use inăCB, even more so than 10-codes, can vary depending on who published the list.ăăThe following is an abbreviated list of Q-codes borrowed from amateur radio:ăQRM man made noise, adjacent channel interferenceăQRN static noiseăQRO increase powerăQRP reduce powerăQRT shut down, clearăQSL confirmation, often refers to confirmation cards exchanged by hamsăQSO conversationăQSX standing by on the sideăQSY move to another frequencyăQTH address, locationăăThe following is from a list of Q-codes used by the X-Ray Club (a sideband-ăusers club headquartered in Paradise, California):ăQRL Busy, Stand ByăQRM Man Made InterferenceăQRT Stop Transmit or Shutting Down (same as 10-7 on AM)ăQRX Stop Transmit or Standing ByăQRZ Who is Calling?ăQS Receiving WellăQSB Receiving PoorlyăQSK I have something to Say or Station breakingăQSM Repeat MessageăQSO Radio ContactăQSP Relay MessageăQSX Standing By (same as 10-10 on AM)ăQSY Changing FrequencyăQTH My Location is... or What's your location?ăQTR Correct TimeăăQ-codes may be used to ask questions (QTH?) or to answer them (QTH is 5th &ăIvy Streets.)ăăThe ARRL Handbook and the ARRL operating guides have more complete listingsăof those used for amateur radio. (ARRL is an amateur radio organization.)ăHistorically, the Q signals were instituted at the 'World Administrative RadioăConference' (WARC) in 1912. Because of their international origin, Q-codesămay be more accepted outside English-speaking countries than 10-codes are.ăăă* What are some tips for communicating with others on the CB?ă-------------------------------------------------------------ăăThe following is a list that is generally considered proper procedure orăpolite when using a CB radio. It can also be considered a beginner's survivalăguide. This list was compiled from common problems that have plagued beginnersăsince CBs first became popular.ăă- When two people are talking, essentially they temporarily "own" the channel.ăUS FCC regulations say that they have to give other people opportunities to useăthe channel if they're going to use it more than several minutes. But it isănot up to an outsider to "take" the channel from them.ăă- Take care not to "step on" other units (i.e. transmitting at the same timeăas they are, thereby making both your transmissions unreadable.) This usuallyămeans that you should adjust your break squelch level so that you can hear theăother unit and then only begin to transmit when you can't hear anyone else.ăă- NEVER deliberately key over someone else. Nobody likes that.ăă- If you hear one unit break for another unit, give some time for the unităto respond before you say anything yourself. (Keep in mind that they may haveăto fumble for a microphone in a moving car or dodge furniture enroute to aăbase station.) Remember, the calling unit has the channel.ăă- If you want to talk on a channel that is in use, it is very likely that yourăinitial transmissions will accidentally "walk over" someone elses. So you mustăkeep them short. The word "break" is generally accepted. Try to time it inăa pause in the conversation.ăă- Even when your "break" has been recognized, keep your next transmissionăshort. For example, "Break one-seven for Godzilla" if you're on Channel 17 andălooking for someone whose handle is Godzilla. If Godzilla doesn't answer inăa reasonably short amount of time, it doesn't hurt to say "thanks for theăbreak"ăto the units that stopped their conversation for you.ăă- If you break on an open (unused) channel, you don't have to be as brief. Forăexample, "Break 17 for Godzilla. Are you out there Godzilla?". However, theăshort form is perfectly acceptable, too. Use what fits your style.ăă- If someone speaking to you gets "walked over" so that you can't understandătheămessage, you basically have two options. You can tell the person you wereălistening to, "10-9, you were stepped on", or you can find out what the breakerăwants, "Go ahead break", before returning to your original conversation. Youăshould eventually recognize the breaker and find out what they want.ăă- If two people are talking and you would like to interject a response, youăwill probably just walk over someone. Use the procedure above to properlyăbreak into the conversation.ăă- If someone doesn't answer your breaks after two or three attempts. Stop andăwait for several minutes or, in mobile units, for several highway miles or ăcity blocks. Others may have their radios on and don't want to listen to theăsame break more than three times in succession.ăă- In other circumstances, improvise. Take into account other people's pointsăof view. Give people proper access to the channel and try not to do anythingăto annoy other units.ăă- If you make a mistake in any of the procedures above, don't waste air time onăa busy channel by apologizing. (If the channel isn't busy, it's your choice.)ăJust try to do it right in the future. Everyone takes a little time to learn.ăăOK, now you know how to conduct yourself on the radio. However, there are andăwill probably always be units that don't. Be patient. You don't have auth-ăority to enforce any rules so don't break any by trying.ă