CW QSO Protocol ⚡ Tutorial

Standard CW QSO Protocol

This is the most basic form of CW QSO and will become your foundation.

In this sample-QSO we exchange protocol 1 & 2 then formally end.

QSOs can go longer or shorter. But, a vast majority of my QSOs are similar to this one.

I made this tutorial following what I feel is most common. But, variations are fine.

The Standard QSO Protocol Reference Sheet can be found on the Long Island CW Club Website in the Academic Downloads tab at the top of the page.

For more information on CW QSO Protocol please consider:

The Long Island CW Club

73, Jim
W6JIM

==========
Abbreviations and Pro-Signs used in this video:

GM - Good Morning GA - Good Afternoon GE - Good Evening
ES - And HW? - How Copy? DE - From or "This is"
WX - Weather FER - For RPRT - Report
TU - Thank You TNX - Thanks
K - Go, invite any station to transmit
CUAGN - See You Again

Pro-Signs:
AR - End of message
SK - End of contact

==========
Note: I am one of the few CW operators that accidentally learned to send on a paddle in reverse. I am right handed, but I send "Dits" with my forefinger and "Dahs" with my thumb. This is reverse from normal. Be aware in case you are just learning a paddle.
===================

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Overview
00:20 W6JIM Protocol-1
02:20 WO6W Protocol-1
04:24 W6JIM Protocol-2
06:38 WO6W Protocol-2
09:01 W6JIM Ending
10:16 WO6W Ending
11:28 W6JIM Final Dits
11:42 Resource Info

[KOVNX]

I'm from Fresno, so glad to see something good come out of Fresno (besides me!), so used to seeing only strange or bad news, so finally good HAM news!

[GMascelli]

Thanks! great refresher after 26 years away. I'm having fun picking up my receive speed and shedding the rust.

[Mil]

Thank you, as a new CW op your videos are great help for me! 73!

[darrinpearce]

Excellent, thanks for posting and the document is now hanging in the shack !!. 73's from VK3

[Larrymar]

Jim- Thanks for teaching this to newbies like me

[boortzfan]

Tnx Jim, this is a great video as it allows me to listen to the code and see it in print at the same time. I'll look for more of your videos.

[careycraig]

Very Helpfull !! Well presented and carried out! Thank You!

[limaglass]

Спасибо за Вашу работу! Учусь по Вашим видео.

[thequarantinecatholic]

Thank you for posting this video! And, beautiful

[ryanv]

Well done sir, great example/tool! Run throughs are exactly what we need after learning the characters. Cheers!

Edit: just saw your note on learning 'backwards', didn't know that! Saw it in the video, but was wondering if I had learned in reverse. But that's because I have keys wired differently, since one was used when I got it; cause a bit of confusion on my end, haha. I put a switch in my 1980s keyer, so it accommodates both now. Interestingly, I can send code pretty comfortably with my left hand, throwing the switch so that the dits/dahs are on the same digits (mirrored). Wonder if others experience this too? It'll be good for me since I seem to have some carpal tunnel in the right wrist.

[Oscaro]

What brand and model is the key with the wooden paddles? Great video, very helpful as I am learning cw now

[alexeizhiltsov]

Thank you very much, very helpful! A new encouraging

[TeologiaArtesanal]

It's awesome! Tnx! 73 fom Brazil! (PY4IM)

[vLxcZF]

Tx for making this protocol come to life! What speed is this?

[Steven-uw]

That's what it's all about having fun. Mors is a very good form of communication. That's what it's all about. Having fun and enjoy to your heart's content 73s G0HDA

[BlaineJacks]

My understanding is the K at the end will invite anyone to answer. The correct method is KN which invites a specific operator to answer? I'm just asking.

[SteveHacker]

Why is there no spacing between the A and R (AR) at the end of some lines like there is spacing between letters in other words?

[davidgrey]

Hi, I have no one to compare my Morse learning progress to but I could follow all that what was sent with the actual text being shown. Can you please advise me the next steps that I should concentrate on I really want to be able to have a QSO via CW and enjoy the friendships developed from meeting other Hams using g this mode. 73's for ZL1BMA.

[solomioist]

Good impression thx. But one question: why do you use AR and not BK?

I thought that AR is the end of a message and BK is a break of transmission.

But giving eg the Rapport, QTH and Name you usually have more to say (as shown here -> rig, ant, etc) but you BK and let the other station come.

(Just want to understand your intention, since I am new to CW)

[usernamemykel]

The first key is of which manufacture/model, and source, please, thank you! 73 de N4ANO