In article , "Ian White, G3SEK"
writes:

Avery Fineman wrote:
The dit-dah-dit of "R" has a nice little pattern to it and
is intuitive for that. It continued on into radio after 1896..."R"
meaning
"okay" or "all right."

"R" takes on extra significance in meteor-scatter and moonbounce
communication. Meteor-pings can be so fleeting, and moonbounce is
generally so weak, there have to be specialist QSO procedures.

Roger that, Ian. :-)

I meant no disrespect for moonbouncers or scattered scatterers, was
just ruminating on the mass of jargon and phrases that have become
commonplace in radio communications in many radio services, both
civilian and government. "Roger" as an affirmation word has been
with us for six decades and seems entrenched as an equal to "okay"
over radio.

Using "roger" instead of the word "okay" (common in several
languages, not quite as common as "hamburger") seems a sort of
tribal speak kind of exclusive jargon. The same with vocalized "73"
instead of saying just "best regards." Same number of syllables
and takes about the same time to pronounce. :-)

Len Anderson
retired (from regular hours) electronic engineer person

Dennis Howdy wrote in message ...
Serious question. What does "73" mean?

"Best regards"

It derives from landwire telegraph usage, and appears as early as 1857
in a list of abbreviations. Some of these telegraph abbreviations were
transitioned into radio use and have survived because of their obvious
utility.

In 1859, Western Union standardized on the "92 code" in which the
numbers from 1 to 92 were assigned meanings. It was in this list that
73 got its present meaning. Later more numbers were added. Here's a
partial list:

1 Wait a moment
2 Important Business
3 What time is it?
4 Where shall I go ahead?
5 Have you business for me?
6 I am ready
7 Are you ready?
8 Close your key; circuit is busy
9 Close your key for priority business (Wire chief, dispatcher, etc)
10 Keep this circuit closed
12 Do you understand?
13 I understand
14 What is the weather?
15 For you and other to copy
17 Lightning here
18 What is the trouble?
19 Form 19 train order
21 Stop for a meal
22 Wire test
23 All copy
24 Repeat this back
25 Busy on another wire
26 Put on ground wire
27 Priority, very important
28 Do you get my writing?
29 Private, deliver in sealed envelope
30 No more (end)
31 Form 31 train order
32 I understand that I am to ...
33 Car report (Also, answer is paid for)
34 Message for all officers
35 You may use my signal to answer this
37 Diversion (Also, inform all interested)
39 Important, with priority on thru wire (Also, sleep-car report)
44 Answer promptly by wire
73 Best regards
88 Love and kisses
91 Superintendant's signal
92 Deliver promptly
93 Vice President and General Manager's signals
95 President's signal
134 Who is at the key?

"19" and "31" refer to train orders of two different types (absolute
and permissive). They were so well known that the terms "19 order" and
"31 order" were still in railroad use in the 1970s, after the
telegraph was gone from railroad operations.

The Morse code used in US wire telegraphy was the "American" Morse
code, which shares some codes with the "Continental" code we still use
today. (The continent referred to in the name is Europe, and it became
the standard code for radio work early in the 20th century).

The abbreviation "es" for "and" derives from the American Morse
character "&" which was dit dididit. The prosign "SK" with the letters
run together derives from the American Morse "30", which was
didididahdit daaaaaaaah (extra long dah is zero in that code).

There are some urban legends about Winchester rifles and such, but
they do not stand up to historical fact.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Dennis Howdy wrote in message ...
Serious question. What does "73" mean?

"Best regards"

It derives from landwire telegraph usage, and appears as early as 1857
in a list of abbreviations. Some of these telegraph abbreviations were
transitioned into radio use and have survived because of their obvious
utility.

In 1859, Western Union standardized on the "92 code" in which the
numbers from 1 to 92 were assigned meanings. It was in this list that
73 got its present meaning. Later more numbers were added. Here's a
partial list:

1 Wait a moment
2 Important Business
3 What time is it?
4 Where shall I go ahead?
5 Have you business for me?
6 I am ready
7 Are you ready?
8 Close your key; circuit is busy
9 Close your key for priority business (Wire chief, dispatcher, etc)
10 Keep this circuit closed
12 Do you understand?
13 I understand
14 What is the weather?
15 For you and other to copy
17 Lightning here
18 What is the trouble?
19 Form 19 train order
21 Stop for a meal
22 Wire test
23 All copy
24 Repeat this back
25 Busy on another wire
26 Put on ground wire
27 Priority, very important
28 Do you get my writing?
29 Private, deliver in sealed envelope
30 No more (end)
31 Form 31 train order
32 I understand that I am to ...
33 Car report (Also, answer is paid for)
34 Message for all officers
35 You may use my signal to answer this
37 Diversion (Also, inform all interested)
39 Important, with priority on thru wire (Also, sleep-car report)
44 Answer promptly by wire
73 Best regards
88 Love and kisses
91 Superintendant's signal
92 Deliver promptly
93 Vice President and General Manager's signals
95 President's signal
134 Who is at the key?

"19" and "31" refer to train orders of two different types (absolute
and permissive). They were so well known that the terms "19 order" and
"31 order" were still in railroad use in the 1970s, after the
telegraph was gone from railroad operations.

The Morse code used in US wire telegraphy was the "American" Morse
code, which shares some codes with the "Continental" code we still use
today. (The continent referred to in the name is Europe, and it became
the standard code for radio work early in the 20th century).

The abbreviation "es" for "and" derives from the American Morse
character "&" which was dit dididit. The prosign "SK" with the letters
run together derives from the American Morse "30", which was
didididahdit daaaaaaaah (extra long dah is zero in that code).

There are some urban legends about Winchester rifles and such, but
they do not stand up to historical fact.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Len wrote:

Roger that, Ian. :-)

I meant no disrespect for moonbouncers or scattered scatterers

Don't worry, Len, I never imagined that for even a moment.

, was
just ruminating on the mass of jargon and phrases

Likewise... although this really isn't a topic for r.r.a.homebrew.


--
73 from Ian G3SEK

Len wrote:

Roger that, Ian. :-)

I meant no disrespect for moonbouncers or scattered scatterers

Don't worry, Len, I never imagined that for even a moment.

, was
just ruminating on the mass of jargon and phrases

Likewise... although this really isn't a topic for r.r.a.homebrew.


--
73 from Ian G3SEK

On 09 Mar 2004 22:37:12 GMT, (Avery Fineman)
wrote:

Using "roger" instead of the word "okay" (common in several
languages, not quite as common as "hamburger") seems a sort of
tribal speak kind of exclusive jargon. The same with vocalized "73"
instead of saying just "best regards." Same number of syllables
and takes about the same time to pronounce. :-)


An old G3 chum of mine goes *nuts* if anyone uses these CW
abreviations on phone.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

On 09 Mar 2004 22:37:12 GMT, (Avery Fineman)
wrote:

Using "roger" instead of the word "okay" (common in several
languages, not quite as common as "hamburger") seems a sort of
tribal speak kind of exclusive jargon. The same with vocalized "73"
instead of saying just "best regards." Same number of syllables
and takes about the same time to pronounce. :-)


An old G3 chum of mine goes *nuts* if anyone uses these CW
abreviations on phone.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

Avery Fineman wrote:
In article , Dennis Howdy
writes:


Serious question. What does "73" mean?

I have a stack of "73"mags. I'm not a ham however.
If I was, I of course would know.

Anybody? I know it's a stupid question, but I don't know.


After 1844 (the year of the first commercial telegraph service in the
USA, Baltimore, MD to Washington, DC), the blazing speed of the
early electromechanical sounders made it necessary for
commercial telegraphers to to use abbreviations for standard
phrases in telegrams. It gave telegraphers a chance to send more
telegrams during a workday, increase their profits, etc., etc.

A whole bunch of different two-number sub-codes were invented
and used. Few survive to today since morse codes have survived
only in amateur radio.

One of the enduring sub-codes is "73" meaning "Best regards."
Hams use it on voice, as well. It has become traditional jargon.

Morse code did NOT begin as the character = dot-dash group
but was originally ALL numbers! Morse got a financial and lab
mentor in railroad heir Alfred Vail who is reported to have suggested
a change from the all-number code to one where each letter,
number, and common punctuation mark has a unique dot-dash
group. This latter improvement, along with a way to increase the
distance of a landline by using a "relay" of an electromagnet whose
magnetically-coupled switch substituted for a telegrapher's key in
an unmanned telegraph line relay station. Up to three such
"relays" could be used on a wired telegraph circuit. That may or
may not be the etymological origin of the word "relay" as the
component we know today.

The final version of morse code coding still doesn't allow much real
speed in communication so a number of abbreviations were used as
well as telegraphers' own jargon. One of those latter was the "R"
sent as or after simple queries, meaning "okay?" or "okay"
respectively. The dit-dah-dit of "R" has a nice little pattern to it and
is intuitive for that. It continued on into radio after 1896..."R" meaning
"okay" or "all right." With WW2's widespread use of radio of all kinds,
operators on voice followed suit with the phonetic alphabet "R" or
"Roger." "Roger" as an affirmative caught on and became common
jargon on voice. In spoken language it has found its own niche in
military use exemplified by "roger that!" meaning very affirmative. :-)

"Q codes" are an example of three-letter sub-codes to mean whole
phrases, either as queries (followed by a question mark) or as
responses (followed by answer information). Those came about in
radio since the letter "Q" was seldom used in English words...and
the transistor hadn't been invented yet. :-) "QSY" was a query as
to the exact frequency of a station (with spark transmitters that was
more of a guess) but stayed around until WW2 when it was used on
voice and teleprinter as a command to change frequency. "QSY
Frisco George to 6885" would be an abbreviated command on either
a telephone or teleprinter military radio order wire in the 1950s.
"QTH" is another that stuck around in other radio services referring
to a location.

Of course there are the "10 codes" used by the various police in
the USA during the late 1940s and 1950s. Dirty, Evil CBers
picked up on those and used them as short-form jargon, much to
the outrage of licensed amateurs, most of whom where not born in
1958 when CB on 11 meters was created. :-)

Some of the CB'ers (and quite a few of the hams on some of the 2 meter
repeaters) in NYC were using the un-offical 10 code of 10-100.
It meant, I have to go to the bathroom.

Avery Fineman wrote:
In article , Dennis Howdy
writes:


Serious question. What does "73" mean?

I have a stack of "73"mags. I'm not a ham however.
If I was, I of course would know.

Anybody? I know it's a stupid question, but I don't know.


After 1844 (the year of the first commercial telegraph service in the
USA, Baltimore, MD to Washington, DC), the blazing speed of the
early electromechanical sounders made it necessary for
commercial telegraphers to to use abbreviations for standard
phrases in telegrams. It gave telegraphers a chance to send more
telegrams during a workday, increase their profits, etc., etc.

A whole bunch of different two-number sub-codes were invented
and used. Few survive to today since morse codes have survived
only in amateur radio.

One of the enduring sub-codes is "73" meaning "Best regards."
Hams use it on voice, as well. It has become traditional jargon.

Morse code did NOT begin as the character = dot-dash group
but was originally ALL numbers! Morse got a financial and lab
mentor in railroad heir Alfred Vail who is reported to have suggested
a change from the all-number code to one where each letter,
number, and common punctuation mark has a unique dot-dash
group. This latter improvement, along with a way to increase the
distance of a landline by using a "relay" of an electromagnet whose
magnetically-coupled switch substituted for a telegrapher's key in
an unmanned telegraph line relay station. Up to three such
"relays" could be used on a wired telegraph circuit. That may or
may not be the etymological origin of the word "relay" as the
component we know today.

The final version of morse code coding still doesn't allow much real
speed in communication so a number of abbreviations were used as
well as telegraphers' own jargon. One of those latter was the "R"
sent as or after simple queries, meaning "okay?" or "okay"
respectively. The dit-dah-dit of "R" has a nice little pattern to it and
is intuitive for that. It continued on into radio after 1896..."R" meaning
"okay" or "all right." With WW2's widespread use of radio of all kinds,
operators on voice followed suit with the phonetic alphabet "R" or
"Roger." "Roger" as an affirmative caught on and became common
jargon on voice. In spoken language it has found its own niche in
military use exemplified by "roger that!" meaning very affirmative. :-)

"Q codes" are an example of three-letter sub-codes to mean whole
phrases, either as queries (followed by a question mark) or as
responses (followed by answer information). Those came about in
radio since the letter "Q" was seldom used in English words...and
the transistor hadn't been invented yet. :-) "QSY" was a query as
to the exact frequency of a station (with spark transmitters that was
more of a guess) but stayed around until WW2 when it was used on
voice and teleprinter as a command to change frequency. "QSY
Frisco George to 6885" would be an abbreviated command on either
a telephone or teleprinter military radio order wire in the 1950s.
"QTH" is another that stuck around in other radio services referring
to a location.

Of course there are the "10 codes" used by the various police in
the USA during the late 1940s and 1950s. Dirty, Evil CBers
picked up on those and used them as short-form jargon, much to
the outrage of licensed amateurs, most of whom where not born in
1958 when CB on 11 meters was created. :-)

Some of the CB'ers (and quite a few of the hams on some of the 2 meter
repeaters) in NYC were using the un-offical 10 code of 10-100.
It meant, I have to go to the bathroom.

We sign with SK at the end of a CW QSO. Not VA.

SK: ... _._

VA: ..._ ._

They sound very similar.

73 is used because of the way it sounds....

dah dah di di dit di di dit dah dah

dit dit

"Paul Burridge" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 15:29:35 -0600, Dennis Howdy
wrote:


Yes, but why "73", why not "74", or even "69".

When keyed in Morse code it has a certain characterstic 'ring' to it
that few other two-number combinations do. Another one is "VA"
(message ends). Keen CWers will no doubt be able to think of a few
more that fall into that category...
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.