Prosigns for Morse code 5648649 224588830 2008-07-09T15:26:29Z Pne 51049 AWDH likely for "auf Wiederhören", i.e. not "see you again" but "hear you again". In [[Morse code]], '''prosigns''' or '''procedural signals''' are dot/dash sequences that have a special meaning in a transmission. They are normally written as if they were composed of one, two or three ordinary alphabetic characters but they are sent "run together", omitting the normal inter-character spaces that would occur if they were being sent as normal text. These [[ligature]]s are properly represented in print by a ligating bar or overline above the letters, indicating that they are linked and sent as one contiguous character. {| class="wikitable" |+'''Prosigns''' |- !Sign!! Code !!Meaning!!Comment |- |<span style="text-decoration: overline">AC</span>||'''<code>·--·-·</code>'''||@ symbol used in email addresses || '''AT''' is more common |- |<span style="text-decoration: overline">AR</span>||'''<code>·-·-·</code>'''||Stop (end of message)||Often written '''+''' |- |<span style="text-decoration: overline">AS</span>||'''<code>·-···</code>'''||Wait (for 10 seconds)||Respond with C (yes). AS2 means wait 2 min, AS5 5 min, etc. For pauses of 10 min or longer, use QRX (see [[Q code]]) |- |<span style="text-decoration: overline">BK</span>||'''<code>-···-.-</code>'''||Break||Often indicates "back-to-you".Used for fast exchange between two stations. |- |<span style="text-decoration: overline">BT</span>||'''<code>-···-</code>'''||Separator within message||Often written '''='''. In practice, indistinguishable from <span style="text-decoration: overline">TV</span>, and sometimes written thus |- |<span style="text-decoration: overline">CL</span>||'''<code>-·-··-··</code>'''||Going off the air||"Clear" or "Closing down" |- |<span style="text-decoration: overline">DO</span>||'''<code>-··---</code>'''||Shift to [[wabun code]]|| |- |<span style="text-decoration: overline">KN</span>||'''<code>-·--·</code>'''||Invitation to a specific named station to transmit|| |- |<span style="text-decoration: overline">SK</span>||'''<code>···-·-</code>'''||End (end of contact)||In practice, indistinguishable from <span style="text-decoration: overline">VA</span>, and sometimes written thus |- |<span style="text-decoration: overline">SOS</span>||'''<code>···---···</code>''' ||Serious distress message and request for urgent assistance ({{Audio|SOS morse code.ogg|listen}})||Not to be used unless there is imminent danger to life or destruction of property. See [[SOS]] |} Although these are not really prosigns, an error may be indicated by some series of <span style="text-decoration: overline">E</span>s: {| class="wikitable" | '''<code>·······</code>''' || Error, correct word follows (six or more dots in a row) |- | '''<code>· · ·</code>''' || Error (easily identifiable by "broken" rhythm) |} <span style="text-decoration: overline">K</span>, <span style="text-decoration: overline">KN</span>, and <span style="text-decoration: overline">SK</span> are also commonly used in text modes such as [[RTTY]] and [[PSK31]]. Notably, <span style="text-decoration: overline">SK</span> ("stop keying") is also used by [[Telecommunications device for the deaf|TTY/TDD]] users, though "GA" ("Go Ahead") is typed rather than "KN". == An amateur radio conversation in Morse code == Having sensible and efficient conversations in Morse code involves more than simply knowing the alphabet. To make communication efficient, there are many internationally agreed patterns of communication. A sample CW conversation between station 1 (S1) and station 2 (S2) might go roughly like this: S1: ''' CQ CQ CQ DE S1 S1 K Calling anyone (CQ), this is (DE) S1, listening (K) S2: ''' S1 DE S2 S2 K''' Calling S1, this is S2, back-to-you (K) (Now we have a connection) S1: ''' S2 DE S1 = GA DR OM UR RST 599 HR = QTH TIMBUKTU = OP IS JOHN = HW? S2 DE S1 <span style="text-decoration: overline">KN</span>''' Good afternoon dear old man. You are [[RST code|RST]] 599 here. (Very readable (5), very strong signal (9), very good tone (9)) I'm located in Timbuktu. The operator's name is John. How do you copy? Go ahead S2 (<span style="text-decoration: overline">KN</span> means you are inviting only the named party to go ahead) S2: ''' S1 DE S2 = TNX FB RPRT DR OM JOHN UR 558 = QTH HIMALAYA = NAME IS YETI <span style="text-decoration: overline">AR</span> S1 DE S2 K''' Thanks for the nice report dear old man John. I read you 558. I am in the Himalayas. My name is Yeti. That's all for this transmission (<span style="text-decoration: overline">AR</span>), go ahead (K without the N potentially invites other callers to break in). S1: ''' S2 DE S1 = OK TNX QSO DR YETI = 73 ES HPE CUAGN S2 DE S1 K''' Okay, thanks for this conversation, dear Yeti. Best regards and hope to see you again. S2: ''' S1 DE S2 = R TU CUAGN 73 S1 DE S2 <span style="text-decoration: overline">SK</span>''' Understood. Thank you. Best regards. Signing off (<span style="text-decoration: overline">SK</span>) S1: ''' E E''' A couple of dits typically ends the contact. In practice, S1 and S2 would be conventional amateur callsigns uniquely identifying each of the parties to the contact. With heavy use of the [[Q code]], prosigns and [[Morse Code Abbreviations]], surprisingly meaningful conversations can be had with relatively short transmissions, rather like "TXT speak" using SMS on mobile phones. Note that very few full English words have been used in the conversation ("is" and "name"), with most words and phrases abbreviated. S1 and S2 might not even speak the same native language, merely learning to translate their native tongue into the correct Morse abbreviations. Of course, real rag-chewing (lengthy conversations) cannot be done without a common language, a ''lingua Franca''. On the worldwide amateur bands this is most often English but long Morse contacts may occasionally be heard in French, German, Spanish, Russian etc. Likewise, common words in these languages have their own abbreviations, such as "MCI" for "merci", "AWDH" for "auf Wiederhören" and "DSW" for "do svidaniya". It is considered courteous to use such simple non-English abbreviations when completing a contact with a non-English speaker. [[Contesting|Contesters]] often use an even shorter, sylised format for their contacts. Their purpose is to complete as many contacts as possible in a limited time (e.g. at a rate of 100–200 contacts per hour). They typically omit superfluous procedural signals and repeats unless the band is noisy and/or the other party seems likely to have trouble copying correctly. Accuracy is particularly important, especially for callsigns, to avoid points being deducted during the scoring process so good Morse operators regulate their style according to conditions and the other party (e.g. matching their speed). ==See also== *[[Train whistle#Whistle code|Train whistle (Whistle Code)]] {{Morse code}} [[Category:Amateur radio]]