# Q Code



## Tai Pan (Mar 24, 2006)

I am reading a book, its a who dun it, called Enigma by Robert Harris. It takes place at Bletchley Park. In it he describes the rxs used, Hallicrafters AR88s and HRO. Antenna systems Beveride and Periodics correctly, however on reading an intercept he quotes the following Q codes.
QSA. QTC QRJ QRO QRX all ok but then has QXH QZE QWP QXA QXH. I have never heard of them, has any one else ?. Uboat frequency is quoted as 4610 kcs.


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## G4UMW (May 30, 2007)

John,

See here (towards the bottom of the page).

I'm used to using QRJ in connection with link calls, but a friend who was an operator with the Diplomatic Wireless Service knew it as the code for "Your signals are too weak", as per "Enigma". Funnily enough, we were both regular operators of amateur radio station GB2BP at Bletchley Park.

Rob


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## Tai Pan (Mar 24, 2006)

Thanks Bob. the enigma is solved. I waited ten years to send QUQ but never did! john


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## charles henry (May 18, 2008)

John Garner said:


> I am reading a book, its a who dun it, called Enigma by Robert Harris. It takes place at Bletchley Park. In it he describes the rxs used, Hallicrafters AR88s and HRO. Antenna systems Beveride and Periodics correctly, however on reading an intercept he quotes the following Q codes.
> QSA. QTC QRJ QRO QRX all ok but then has QXH QZE QWP QXA QXH. I have never heard of them, has any one else ?. Uboat frequency is quoted as 4610 kcs.


Dont know about the Hallicrafters but they did have HRO which (Thank God)
were changed for AR88 receivers. (At least they had a frequency dial). That first bunch of Q codes are from every day usage, dont remember the last batch. (Google will provide a COMPLETE list). We also used Z codes the only one I remember is ZST (Send slips twice on high speed auto sending),there was also five letter codes Dadro Upbag etc, which have long been put in my memory "delete" bin, regards de chas(Pint)


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## Roger Bentley (Nov 15, 2005)

*Cable and Wireless Circuit Code*

This was the code that used the five letter combinations. I have a copy dated April 1932 reprinted with amendments June 1946. They described the code as follows "This code contains a terminal index within itself. The necessity of requesting repetitions is reduced to a minimum, as in most case the correct spelling of the mutilated word can be ascertained by reversing the squence of the letters and finding the word, or the nearest corresponding word , to the resultant group, e.g. : -
Page 23 DOLEG page 31 GELOD, page 32 GITAG page 30 GATIG, page 66 TACKA Page 7 AKCAT."

DADRO MEANT REPLY BY WIRE......(OR SECTOR) ......) CONGESTION HERE.
UPBAG MEANT FOR YOUR INFORMATION. The book also contains the circuit Z codes The last two letters helping to indicate the message eg ZAL - *A*LTER YOUR WAVE*L*ENGTH, ZAN - WE CAN RECEIVE *A*BSOLUTELY *N*OTHING - I'm sure many of the contributors to this site will remember the last one! Also the operator's slang phrase ZAN ZAN the GUHOR man! Regards.


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