Fun Trivia : Amateur Radio & DX

Structure Sub-topic of: Radio Quizzes Interesting Questions, Facts and Information There are a total of 10 general entries.

Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information

Amateur Radio & DX

When radio amateurs are trying to solicit a new contact, what two-letter phrase do they use?

Amateur (Ham) Radio Jargon


CQ. CQ sounds like "Seek You" - get it? WX means "weather" DE means "from" CX is the common callsign prefix for hams in Uruguay.



In amateur radio parlance, what does the two-letter phrase "DX" stand for?

Amateur (Ham) Radio Jargon


distance. DX is often used to indicate a station in a country outside one's own, regardless of "distance".



When radio amateurs discuss a "Yagi", what are they talking about?

Amateur (Ham) Radio Jargon


antenna. "Yagi" is the shortened name for a "Yagi-Uda Antenna". In 1926, Shintaro Uda of Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, with the collaboration of Hidetsugu Yagi developed the antenna. Mr. Yagi published the first English-language article about it in 1928 so his name got associated with it, though he was always quick to credit Mr. Uda.



What do radio amateurs mean by a "silent key"?

Amateur (Ham) Radio Jargon


a deceased radio amateur. A "telegraph key" (or simply "key") is a device used to send Morse code. A key goes silent when its owner has passed on.



Operating your radio "barefoot" means to operate it...?

Amateur (Ham) Radio Jargon


without an amplifier. Generally, barefoot operating means using 10 watts to 100 watts. An amplifier would typically boost that to approximately 1000W.



What organization is the ultimate authority for radio amateurs in the United States?

Amateur (Ham) Radio Jargon


FCC. The Federal Communications Commission, FCC regulates amateur radio in the USA. The ARRL is the American Radio Relay League - the national organization for radio amateurs in the US. http://www.arrl.org The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have little to do with ham radio!



What does "73" mean in radio lingo?

Amateur (Ham) Radio Jargon


Best regards. "73" means "best regards". So, technically, "73's" or "73s" means "best regardses" - some sticklers get worked up about that kind of grammar. "88" means "love (or hugs) and kisses".



What is a "radio contest"?

Amateur (Ham) Radio Jargon


an operating event. Radio contesting is a highly popular sub-hobby in which amateurs, during some predetermined time period (like a weekend) try to make as many contacts with a variety of places as quickly as possible. It can cause a bit of chaos on the bands.



What is a "lid" in ham radio lingo?

Amateur (Ham) Radio Jargon


a poor operator. No one can really say from where the term originated but to be called a lid is generally the ultimate insult. An unlicensed operator is called a variety of things - pirate, bootlegger, slim, but he may operate respectfully otherwise so not qualify as a true "lid".



Which best matches what the term "QSL" means in ham radio talk?

Amateur (Ham) Radio Jargon


a card confirming a contact. There are many Q-signals employed by radio amateurs and the original meanings are often stretched in daily use. Technically, they should only be used during Morse code communications, but they have become part of the general vocabulary. "QSL" means to confirm or acknowledge something (similar to "roger" in voice communications). Quite often it means specifically a card confirming a contact (these cards are often highly sought for awards). A "QSO" is a contact; "QRO" means to turn up the power and can also mean operation with an amplifier; "QTH" means location.