Radio Codes

Radio conversations, both broadcasted and depicted in films, often incorporate complex codes. These codes, initially developed to economize air time and eliminate recurring phrases, can be challenging to comprehend. Morse Code was the initial method due to early radio equipment constraints. Even as radio technology evolved to facilitate voice communication, codes remained a prevalent tool to rapidly transmit customary messages. These codes are frequently employed by policing and firefighting units, and gained prominence during the CB radio phenomenon in the 1970s.

Radio Codes

	900 Codes		10 Codes
900	Radio Silence	10-1	Receiving Poorly
901	Accident	10-2	Receiving Clearly
904	Message Received	10-3	Radio Check
908	Out of Service	10-4	Message Received
909	In Service	10-6	Busy
910	Prowler	10-7	Out of Service
910A	Prowler Still On Scene	10-8	In Service
911	Vehicle Stop	10-9	Repeat Last Message
912	Suspicious Person	10-10	Off Duty
916	Domestic	10-11	Send Back Up
917	Drinking In Public	10-13	Emergency Back Up
918	Person Screaming for Help	10-15	Prisoner
922	Drunk Person	10-15X	Female Prisoner
923	Stand By	10-18	Report Information Needed
924	Go to Station	10-19	Return to Base
926	Your Location	10-20	Location
927	Repeat Your Last Transmission	10-21	Phone Call
935	Registration Inquiry	10-22	Cancel Last Message
936	Stolen Vehicle Inquiry	10-23	Stand By
937	Wanted Person Inquiry	10-27	Check License Status
938	Cancel	10-28	Check Registration Status
939	Wanted Use Caution	10-29	Check for Wants / Warrants
940	Meet Officer At …	10-33	Emergency Radio Traffic Only
945	Ambulance Needed	10-34	Cancel 10-33
946	Tow Truck Needed	10-36	Confidential Information Follows
947	Fire Truck Needed	10-36A	Use CAUTION – Suspect Has Aids or Other Dangerous Disease
950	Take a Report	10-36M	Suspect Has Misdemeanor Warrant
971	Be On The Lookout For …	10-36F	Suspect Has Felony Warrant
999	Officer Needs Help	10-97	Arriving at Assignment
		10-98	Assignment Complete
	Walkie Talkie
	11 Codes
11-10	Take A Report
11-19	In Route To Station
11-41	Ambulance Needed
11-44	Dead Body (Human or Animal)
11-48	Suspicious Vehicle
11-55	Suspicious Person
11-57	Provide Transportation
11-80	Accident With Major Injuries
11-81	Accident With Minor Injuries
11-82	Accident With Property Damage
11-83	Accident No Details
11-85	Tow Truck Needed
11-98	Meet Officer
11-99	OFFICER IN DANGER, NEED HELP NOW!

	Other Codes
A.D.W.	Assault With A Deadly Weapon
A.K.A.	Also Known As
A.O.D.	Assist Other Department
B.A.	Burglar Alarm
B.A.C.	Blood Alcohol Content
B & E	Breaking & Entering
B.O.L.	Be On the Lookout for …
C.A.D.	computer Aided Dispatching
C.C.W.	Carry Concealed Weapon
C.H.P.	California Highway Patrol
C.L.E.T.S.	California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System
C.O.N.	Call Of Nature (restroom break)
C.V.C	California Vehicle Code
C.P.	Command Post
C.R.A.S.H.	Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums
C.Y.A.	California Youth Authority / Cover Your @$$
D.O.A.	Dead On Arrival
D.O.B.	Date Of Birth
D.O.J.	Department of Justice
D.L.	Driver’s License
D.P.S.	Department of Public Safety
D.U.I.	Driving Under the Influence
D.W.I.	Driving While Intoxicated (obsolete)
E.M.T.	Emergency Medical Technician
E.O.W.	End of Watch (death or off duty)
E.P.O.	Emergency Protection Order
E.T.A.	Estimated Time of Arrival
F.I.	Field Interview / Field Interrogation
F.L.I.R.	Forward Looking Infra Red
F.S.T.	Field Sobriety Test
F.T.A.	Failure To Appear (In Court)
F.Y.I.	For Your Information
G.B.H.	Great Bodily Harm
G.B.I.	Great Bodily Injury
G.O.A	Gone On Arrival
G.S.W.	Gun Shot Wound
G.T.A.	Grand Theft Auto
H.B.D	Has Been Drinking (Alcohol)
H & S	Illegal Narcotics / Drugs
I.C.C.	Incident Command Center		I.C. with FEMA
M.O.	Motus Operandi (Method of Operation)
M.V.A.	Motor Vehicle Accident
N.C.I.C.	National Crime Information Center
O.C.	Oleoresin Capsicum (Pepper Spray)
O.I C.	Officer In Charge
P.A.S.	Preliminary Alcohol Screener
P.C.	Penal Code / Probable Cause
P.I.T.	Pursuit Intervention Technique (Maneuver)
P.N.O.	Planned Non Operation (Motor Vehicle)
P.O.P.	Team Problem Orientated Policing (Normally An Anti-Gang Team)
R.O.	Registered Owner
R.P.	Reporting Person
S.W.A.T.	Special Weapons & Tactics
T.A.	Traffic Accident
T.C.	Traffic Collision
V.C.	Vehicle Code (CVC)


Code 1	Respond At Your Convenience
Code 2	Respond Immediately
Code 3	Respond to Emergency!
Code 4	No Further Assistance Needed
Code 5	Stake Out
Code 6	Coffee Break
Code 7	Meal Break
Code 8	Officer’s Residence
Code 9	Officer Needs Immediate Backup
Code 33	Emergency Radio Traffic Only
Code Blue	Heart Attack

Beat	Area Patrol Officer Assigned to Patrol & Answer Calls For Service
Cite	Citation (Ticket)
Crank	Term for Methamphetamine (Meth, Speed, Ice)
Hook	Tow Truck
K-9	Dog
Land Shark	Guard Dog
Wire	Concealed Microphone

Amateur Radio Q Codes

Code	Question		Answer, Advice or Command
QRG	What is my exact frequency?		Your frequency is _____ KHz.
QRH	Does my frequency drift?		Your frequency does drift.
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 poorly? Are my signals weak?		Reception is poor.
QRK	What is my legibility? (1 – 5)		Legibility is _____. (Range of 1-bad to 5-perfect)
QRL	Are you busy?		I am busy or busy with _____.
QRM	Are you receiving interference?		I am receiving interference.
QRN	Are you receiving static?		I am receiving static.
QRO	Do I need more power?		Increase power.
QRP	Should I decrease power?		Decrease power
QRQ	Should I send (code) faster?		Send faster at ___ W.P.M.
QRS	Should I send (code) slower?		Send slower at ___ W.P.M
QRT	Should I quit?		Quit – Off the air.
QRU	Do you have anything for me?		I have nothing for you.
QRV	Are you ready?		I am ready.
QRW	Should I advise _____ that you are calling him on _____ KHz		Please advise _____ that I am on _____KHz.
QRX	Will you call again?		I will call again at _____ hours/day on ____KHz.
QRZ	Who is calling?		You are being called by _____
QSA	What is my signal strength (1-9)		Your signal strength is _____. (1 – 9)
QSB	Does my signal strength vary?		Your signal strength varies.
QSD	Is my code transmission good?		Your keying is poor, signals bad
QSG	Can I send ___ telegrams now?		Send ____ telegrams now.
QSK	Can I send the balance of the messages?		Continue sending messages.
QSL	Can you acknowledge receipt?		Receipt is acknowledged.
QSM	Should I repeat the last message?		Repeat the last message.
QSO	Can you communicate with _____?		I can communicate with _____.
QSP	Will you relay message to _____?		I will relat message to _____.
QSV	Shall I send a series of Vs?		Send a series of Vs.
QSX	Will you listen for _____ on _____KHz?		I am listening for _____ on _____KHz.
QSY	Should I change frequency?		Change frequency to _____KHz.
QSZ	Should I send each word (or group) twice?		Send each word (or group) twice.
QTA	Should I cancel message?		Cancel message.
QTB	Do you agree with my word count?		No. I will repeat the first letter of each word & first figure of each number.
QTC	How may messages do you have?		I have ___ messages to be sent.
QTH	What is your location?		My location is _____.
QTR	What is the exact time?		The exact time is _____.
QST	Do you have an announcement?		General announcement is “………..”.
QRRR	Do you have an emergency?		I have an emergency. The emergency is _____.
	Other Amateur Codes
CQ	Calling any station		Common on HF bands
DE	From		Followed by the callsign

Phonetic Alphabets

Letter	1943 CCB (US-UK)	NATO (Jan 1 – Feb 29, 1956)	NATO (Mar 1, 1956 to Present)	US Army 1916-1939	US Army 1939-1941	US Army 1941-1943	US Army 1943-1955	US Army 1955 – Present
A	Able	Alfa	Alfa	Able	Afirm	Afirm	Able	Alpha
B	Baker	Bravo	Bravo	Boy	Baker	Baker	Baker	Bravo
C	Charlie	Charlie	Charlie	Cast	Cast	Cast	Charlie	Charlie
D	dog	Delta	Delta	Dock	Dog	Dog	Dog	Delta
E	Easy	Echo	Echo	Easy	Easy	Easy	Easy	echo
F	Fox	Foxtrot	Foxtrot	Fox	Fox	Fox	Fox	Foxtrot
G	George	Golf	Golf	George	George	George	George	Golf
H	How	Hotel	Hotel	Have	Hypo	Hypo	How	Hotel
I	Item	India	India	Item	Inter	Inter*	Item	India
J	Jig	Juliett	Juliett	Jig	Jig	Jig	Jig	Juliett
K	King	Kilo	Kilo	King	King	King	King	Kilo
L	Love	Lima	Lima	Love	Love	Love	Love	Lima
M	Mike	Mike	Mike	Mike	Mike	Mike	Mike	Mike
N	Nan	Nectar	November	Nan	Negat	Negat	Nan	November
O	Oboe	Oscar	Oscar	Opal	Option	Option	Oboe	Oscar
P	Peter	Papa	Papa	Pup	Prep	Prep	Peter	Papa
Q	Queen	Quebec	Quebec	Quack	Queen	Queen	Queen	Quebec
R	Roger	romeo	romeo	Rush	Roger	Roger	Roger	Romeo
S	Sugar	Sierra	Sierra	Sail	Sail	Sail	Sugar	Sierra
T	Tare	Tango	Tango	Tare	Tare	Tare	Tare	Tango
U	Uncle	Uniform	Uniform	Unit	Unit	Unit	Uncle	Uniform
V	Victor	Victor	Victor	Vice	Victor	Victor	Victor	Victor
W	William	Whiskey	Whiskey	Watch	William	William	William	Whiskey
X	Xray	X-ray	X-ray	X-ray	Xray	Xray	Xray	X-ray
Y	Yoke	Yankee	Yankee	Yoke	Yoke	Yoke	Yoke	Yankee
Z	Zebra	Zulu	Zulu	Zed	Zed	Zed	Zebra	Zulu
0	Zero				Zero	Zero	Zero
1	Wun				Wun	Wun	Wun
2	Too				Too	Too	Too
3	Thuh-ree				Th-r-ee	Th-r-ee	Thuh-ree
4	Fo-wer				Fo-wer	Fo-wer	Fo-wer
5	Fi-yiv				Fi-iv	Fi-yiv	Fi-yiv
6	Six				Siks	Siks	Six
7	Seven				Sev-ven	Sev-ven	Seven
8	Ate				Ate	Ate	Ate
9	Niner				Ni-yen	Ni-yen	Niner

* Interrogatory was used in lieu of “Inter” in joint Army / Navy (JAN) operations

Letter	US Navy 1908 Ver A	US Navy 1908 Ver B	US Navy 1913-1926	US Navy 1927-1937	US Navy 1938	US Navy WWII	US Navy 1956 – Present
A	Actor	Ash	Able	Afirm	Afirm	Afirm	Alfa
B	Baker	Back	Boy	Baker	Baker	Baker	Bravo
C	Carteen	Chain	Cast	Cast	Cast	Charlie	Charlie
D	Diver	Dog	Dog	Dog	Dog	Dog	Delta
E	Eagle	Egg	Easy	easy	easy	easy	Echo
F	Fisher	Fox	Fox	Fox	Fox	Fox	Foxtrot
G	gangway	Gig	George	George	George	George	Golf
H	Halliard	Horse	Have	Hypo	Hypo	How	Hotel
I	Insect	Ice	Item	Int	Int	Int	India
J	Jockey	Jake	Jig	Jig	Jig	Jig	Juliett
K	Knapsack	King	King	King	King	King	Kilo
L	Lugger	Lash	Love	Love	Love	Love	Lima
M	Musket	Mule	Mike	Mike	Mike	Mike	Mike
N	Neptune	net	Nan	Negat	Negat	Negat	November
O	Oyster	Oak	Oboe	Option	Option	Option	Oscar
P	Pistol	Page	Pup	Prep	Prep	Prep	Papa
Q	Quadrant	Quail	Quack	Quack	Queen	Queen	Quebec
R	Reefer	Raft	Rush	Roger	Roger	Roger	Romeo
S	Shipmate	Scout	Sail	Sail	Sail	Sugar	Sierra
T	Topsail	Tide	Tare	Tare	Tare	Tare	Tango
U	Unload	Use	Unit	Unit	Unit	Uncle	Uniform
V	Vessel	Vast	Vice	Vice	Victor	Victor	Victor
W	Windage	Winch	Watch	William	William	William	Whiskey
X	Xray	Xray	X-ray	X-ray	X-ray	Xray	X-ray
Y	Yeoman	Yacht	Yoke	Yoke	Yoke	Yoke	Yankee
Z	Zebra	Zoo	Zed	Zed	Zed	Zebra	Zulu

Letter	Joint Army / Navy (JAN) 1941-1943	CCB 1943-1955	ICAO 1956-Present	RAF 1921-1942	RAF 1942-1955	RAF 1921-1942
A	Able	Able	Alfa	Apple	Able/Affirm	Alfa
B	Baker	Baker	Bravo	beer	Baker	Bravo
C	Charlie	Charlie	Charlie	Charlie	Charlie	Charlie
D	Dog	Dog	Delta	Don	Dog	Delta
E	Easy	Easy	Echo	Edward	Easy	Echo
F	Fox	Fox	Foxtrot	Freddie	Fox	Foxtrot
G	george	george	Golf	George	George	Golf
H	How	How	Hotel	Harry	How	Hotel
I	Item	Item	India	Ink	Item	India
J	Jig	Jig	Juliett	Jug/Johnnie	Jig/Johnny	Juliett
K	King	King	Kilo	King	King	Kilo
L	Love	Love	Lima	London	Love	Lima
M	Mike	Mike	Mike	Monkey	Mike	Mike
N	Nan	Nan	November	Nuts	Nan/Nab	November
O	Oboe	Oboe	Oscar	Orange	Oboe	Oscar
P	Peter	Peter	Papa	Pip	Peter/Prep	Papa
Q	Queen	Queen	Quebec	Queen	Queen	Quebec
R	Roger	Roger	Romeo	Robert	Roger	Romeo
S	Sail/Sugar	Sugar	Sierra	Sugar	Sugar	Sierra
T	Tare	Tare	Tango	Toc	Tare	Tango
U	Uncle	Uncle	Uniform	Uncle	Uncle	Uniform
V	Victor	Victor	victor	Vic	Victor	Victor
W	William	William	Whisky	William	William	Whiskey
X	X-ray	Xray	X-ray	X-Ray	X-ray	X-ray
Y	Yoke	Yoke	Yankee	Yorker	Yoke	Yankee
Z	Zebra	Zebra	Zulu	Zebra	Zebra	Zulu
0	Zero	Zero	Zero
1	One	Wun	Wun
2	Two	Too	Too
3	Three	Thuh-ree	Tree
4	Four	Fo-wer	Fower
5	Five	Fi-yiv	Fife
6	Six	Six	Siks
7	Seven	Seven	Seven
8	Eight	Ate	Ate
9	Nine	Niner	Niner

Letter	British Army 1904	British Army 1914	British Army 1914-1918	British Army 1918	British Army 1956-Present	Royal Navy 1914-1918	Royal Navy 1921	Royal Navy 1956 – Present
A	Ack	Ack	Apples	Ack	Alfa	Apples	Ac	Alfa
B	Beer	beer	Butter	Beer	Bravo	Butter	Beer	Bravo
C	Cork	C	Charlie	Cork	charlie	Charlie	Charlie	Charlie
D	Don	Don	Duff	Don	Delta	Duff	Don	Delta
E	eddy	E	Edward	Eddy	Echo	Edward	Edward	Echo
F	Freddy	F	Freddie	Freddy	Foxtrot	Freddy	Fox	Foxtrot
G	George	G	George	George	Golf	George	George	Golf
H	Harry	H	Harry	Harry	Hotel	Harry	How	Hotel
I	Ink	I	Ink	Ink	India	Ink	Ink	India
J	Jug	J	Johnnie	Jug	Juliett	Johnnie	Johnnie	Juliett
K	King	K	King	King	Kilo	King	King	Kilo
L	London	L	London	London	Lima	London	Love	Lima
M	Emma	Emma	Monkey	Emma	Mike	Monkey	Monkey	Mike
N	Nuts	N	Nuts	Nuts	November	Nuts	Nan	November
O	Orange	O	Orange	Orange	Oscar	Orange	Orange	Oscar
P	Pip	Pip	Pudding	Pip	Papa	Pudding	Pip	Papa
Q	Quad	Q	Queenie	Quad	Quebec	Queenie	Queen	Quebec
R	Robert	R	Robert	Rovert	Romeo	Robert	Robert	Romeo
S	Esses	Esses	Sugar	Esses	Sierra	Sugar	Sugar	Sierra
T	Toc	Toc	Tommy	Toc	Tango	Tommy	Toc	Tango
U	Uncle	U	Uncle	Uncle	Uniform	Uncle	Uncle	Uniform
V	Vic	Vic	Vinegar	Vic	Victor	Vinegar	Vic	Victor
W	William	W	William	William	Whisky	William	William	Whisky
X	Xerxes	X	X-Ray	Xerxes	X-ray	Xerxes	X-ray	X-ray
Y	Uellow	Y	Yorker	Yellow	Yankee	Yellow	Yoke	Yankee
Z	Zebra	Zed	Zebra	Zebra	Zulu	Zebra	Zebra	Zulu

Letter	NATO	Phonic	APCO 1941	APCO 1967	LAPD	CHP	LV MPD	APCO 1974	ICAO Present
Letter	NATO	Phonic	APCO 1941	APCO 1967	LAPD	CHP	LV MPD	APCO 1974	ICAO Present
A	Alpha	Al Fah	Adam	Adam	Adam	Adam	Adam	Alpha	Alfa
B	Bravo	Brah Voh	Boy	Boy	Boy	Boy	Baker	Bravo	Bravo
C	Charlie	Char Lee	Charles	Charles	Charles	Charles	Charlie	Charlie	Charlie
D	Delta	Dell Tah	David	David	David	David	David	Delta	Delta
E	Echo	Eck Oh	Edward	Edward	Edward	Edward	Easy	Echo	Echo
F	Foxtrot	Foks Trot	Frank	Frank	Frank	Frank	Frank	Foxtrot	Foxtrot
G	Golf	Golf	George	George	George	George	George	Golf	Golf
H	Hotel	Hoh Tell	Henry	Henry	Henry	Henry	Henry	Hotel	Hotel
I	India	In Dee Ah	Ida	Ida	Ida	Ida	Ida	India	India
J	Juliett	Jew Lee Ett	John	John	John	John	John	Juliett	Juliett
K	Kilo	Key Loh	King	King	King	King	King	Kilo	Kilo
L	Lima	Lee Mah	Lincoln	Lincoln	Lincoln	Lincoln	Lincoln	Lima	Lima
M	Mike	Mike	Mary	Mary	Mary	Mary	Mary	Mike	Mike
N	November	No Vember	Nora	Nora	Nora	Nora	Nora	November	November
O	Oscar	Oss Cah	Ocean	Ocean	Ocean	Ocean	Ocean	Oscar	Oscar
P	Papa	Pah Pah	Paul	Paul	Paul	Paul	Paul	Papa	Papa
Q	Quebec	Keh Beck	Queen	Queen	Queen	Queen	Queen	Quebec	Quebec
R	Romeo	Row Me Oh	Robert	Robert	Robert	Robert	Robert	Romeo	Romeo
S	Sierra	See Airrah	Sam	Sam	Sam	Sam	Sam	Sierra	Sierra
T	Tango	Tang Oh	Tom	Tom	Tom	Tom	Tom	Tango	Tango
U	Uniform	You Nee Form	Union	Union	Union	Union	Union	Uniform	Uniform
V	Victor	Vik Tah	Victor	Victor	Victor	Victor	Victor	Victor	Victor
W	Whiskey	Wiss Key	William	William	William	William	William	Whiskey	Whiskey
X	X-ray	Ecks Ray	Xray	X-ray	X-ray	X-ray	X-ray	Xray	X-ray
Y	Yankee	Yang Kee	Young	Young	Young	Yellow	Yellow	Yankee	Yankee
Z	Zulu	Zoo Loo	Zebra	Zebra	Zebra	Zebra	Zebra	Zulu	Zulu
0				ZERO	Zero				Zero
1				WUN	One				Wun
2				TOO	Two				Too
3				TH-R-EE	Three				Tree
4				FO-WER	Four				Fower
5				FIE-YIV	Five				Five
6				SIKS	Six				Six
7				SEV-VEN	Seven				Seven
8				ATE	Eight				Eight
9				NI-YEN	Niner				Niner

Radio Codes

Radio Codes

900 Codes

10 Codes

11 Codes

Other Codes

Amateur Radio Q Codes

Phonetic Alphabets

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