FCC Ham “Call Book”

Download our PDF Call Book (~56 MB zip file) listing all active FCC ham licenses sorted by city & state. If you can retrieve your wallet license right now, then you already know why this niche PDF exists. It supports ham radio enthusiasts who suffer little-to-no internet bandwidth while chasing QSOs — or when your favorite search site goes down for (un)scheduled maintenance. We’ll update it roughly every other month in February, April, June, August, October, and December.
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This PDF call book pays homage to the foundational directories of the 1920s when the Dept. of Commerce and the iconic Flying Horse Radio Amateur Callbook helped operators find each other for almost eighty years. Ye Olde typesetting machines have given way to Python scripts & FCC databases, yet the core mission endures: “Helping the amateur radio community to connect, share information, and advance the craft.” Cue the Victrola and fire up that beautiful Collins! Happy hunting…

FCC charts & graphs for instructors

One of our members does some interesting analyses of FCC call signs and he creates a lot of charts & graphs. We use some of these charts when we teach, and now you can use them too! Some charts are customized for the license class you’re teaching, the state you live in, and the region code you’re in. Include these charts in your course materials with our compliments!

FCC databases in .CSV format

Do you vibe-code? We produce “comma separated values” (CSV) files from the FCC’s database releases. Feel free to download the amateur radio call signs CSV or the GMRS call signs CSV and get coding!

General Ham-Related Information

The Amateur Radio Q-Code

Signal Question Answer, Advice or Order
QRA What is the name (or call sign) of your station? The name of my station is [my name / callsign].
QRG Will you indicate my exact frequency in kilocycles? Your frequency is … kc.
QRH Does my frequency vary? Your frequency varies.
QRI How is the tone of my transmission? The tone of your transmission is …
1. Good.
2. Variable.
3. Bad.
QRJ Are you receiving me badly? Are my signals weak? I cannot receive you. Your signals are too weak.
QRK What is the legibility of my signals (1 to 5)? The legibility of your signals is … (1 to 5).
QRL Are you busy? I am busy (or busy with….). Please do not interfere.
QRM Are you being interfered with? I am being interfered with.
QRN Are you troubled by static? I am troubled by static.
QRO Must I increase power? Increase power.
QRP Must I decrease power? Decrease power.
QRQ Must I send faster? Send faster … (words per min.).
QRS Must I send more slowly? Transmit more slowly … (w.p.m.).
QRT Must I stop transmission? Stop transmission.
QRU Have you anything for me? I have nothing for you.
QRV Are you ready? I am ready.
QRW Must I advise … that you are calling him on … kc? Please advise … that I am calling him on … kc.
QRX When will you call again? I will call you again at … hours (on … kc.).
QRZ By whom am I being called? You are being called by …
QSA What is the strength of my signals (1 to 5)? The strength of your signals is … (1 to 5).
QSB Does the strength of my signals vary? The strength of your signals varies.
QSD Is my keying correct? Are my signals distinct? Your keying is incorrect; your signals are bad.
QSG Must I transmit … telegrams (or one telegram) at a time? Transmit … telegrams (or one telegram) at a time.
QSK Shall I continue the transmission of all my traffic? I can hear you between my signals. Continue: I shall interrupt you if necessary.
QSL Can you acknowledge receipt? I am acknowledging receipt.
QSM Shall I repeat the last telegram I sent you? Repeat the last telegram you sent me.
QSO Can you communicate with … directly (or through…)? I can communicate with … direct (or through…).
QSP Will you relay to …? I will relay to … free of charge.
QSV Shall I send a series of VVV….? Send a series of VVV.
QRW Will you transmit on [frequency]? I will transmit on [frequency].
QSX Will you listen for … (call sign) on … kcs? I am listening for … on … kcs.
QSY Shall I change to … kilocycles without changing the type of wave? Change to … kc. without changing type of wave.
QSZ Shall I send each word or group twice? Send each word or group twice.
QTA Shall I cancel nr … as if it had not been sent? Cancel nr … as if it had not been sent.
QTB Do you agree with my word count? I do not agree with your word count; I shall repeat the first letter of each word and the first figure of each number.
QTC How many telegrams have you to send? I have … telegrams for you or for ….
QTH What is your position (location)? My position (location) is ….
QTR What is the exact time? The exact time is ….
QTV Shall I stand guard for you? Stand guard for me.
QTX Will you keep your station open for further communication with me? I will keep my station open for further communication.
QST General call preceeding a message address to all amateurs and A.R.R.L. Members. This is in effect “CQ ARRL”.
QUA Have you news regarding [event]? I have news regarding [event].
QRRR Official A.R.R.L. “land SOS.” A distress call for emergency use only.