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-
- ***************************************
-
- SWL AND DX ABBREVIATIONS
- - compiled by Al Quaglieri
- AFRICA editor, SPEEDX
-
- ***************************************
-
- Here is an admittedly incomplete compendium of the
- more common abbreviations to be found in bulletins
- of the various SWL clubs in North America. Since
- most SWL clubs operate very close to the bone
- financially, they have found ingenious ways to
- minimize printing costs by squeezing as much
- information as possible into a limited space. As
- a consequence, many of these abbreviations have
- become the de facto "shorthand" of the avid DX'er.
- As you read more and more SWL bulletins and DX
- publications, you will become increasingly
- familiar with this language, and eventually you
- will come to understand it without using this
- listing. Until then, here come the hieroglyphics!
-
- ***************************************
-
- *0000 = station signed on at 0000 UTC
- 0000* = station signed off at 0000 UTC
- 73 = best wishes
- 88 = love and kisses
- // = in parallel with
- @ = at
- a = approximately
- AA = Arabic
- ABC = Radio Australia
- ACE = Ass'n of Clandestine Radio Enthusiasts
- ADN = Allgemeiner Deutscher Nachrichtendienst (E. German News)
- Aer = Aeradio
- aero = aeronautical
- Af = Africa
- AFB = Air Force Base
- AFN = American Forces Network
- AFP = Agencie France Presse
- AFRTS = Armed Forces Radio/TV Service
- AIR = All India Radio
- AK = Afrikaans
- AM = amplitude modulation
- AMTOR = AMateur Telex Over Radio (form of RTTY)
- AN = all night
- ANARC = Assoc. of N. American Radio Clubs
- ancd = announced
- ancr = announcer
- anmt(s) = announcements
- ANO = Africa #1 (Gabon)
- ANSA = Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Assoziata (Italy News)
- AP = Associated Press
- AR = Arabic
- ARO = ham (it's just as easy to say HAM!!)
- ARQ = Automatic Repetition on reQuest (form of RTTY)
- As = Asia
- ASECNA = Agence pour la Securite de la Navigation Aerienne en
- Afrique et a Madagascar
- ASWLC = American ShortWave Listeners Club
- ATA = Agence Telegraphique Albanaise
- AWR = Adventist World Radio
- BBC = British Broadcasting Corp.
- BBCMS = BBC Monitoring Service
- b/c = broadcast
- BCB = broadcast band
- b/cing = broadcasting
- BCC = Broadcasting Corp. of China
- BRT = Belgian Radio & TV
- BSKSA = Broadcasting Service of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- CA = Central America(n)
- CAm = Central America(n)
- CANMIL = Canadian military
- CARACOL = Primera Cadena Radial Colombiana
- Carib = Caribbean
- CBC = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- CBCNQS = CBC Northern Quebec Service
- CC = Chinese
- cd = card
- CE = chief engineer
- cen = central
- CETEKA = Ceskoslovensko Tiskova Kancelar (Czech News)
- CH = Chinese
- ch = channel
- CIDX = Canadian International DX Club
- cl = classical [music]
- Cl. = Club(e) (in Latin American station names)
- cland = clandestine
- clg = calling
- cl mx = classical music
- cmty = commentary
- CNA = Central News Agency Inc. (Taiwan)
- comms = communications
- cont = continuous
- CP = Bolivian
- CPBS = Central People's Broadcasting Station (China)
- CQ = general inquiry HAM call ("I wish to contact anyone")
- CW = Morse code telegraphy ("continuous wave")
- c/w = country music
- C&W Ltd. = Cable & Wireless Limited
- cx = commercial
- DD = Dutch
- de = from
- Dif, diff = difudora, difusao, or diffusion (as in RDif TV
- Senegal, or Radio Diffusion Television du Senegal,
- abbreviation for full station name)
- dj = disk jockey
- DSWCI = Danish Shortwave Club Int'l.
- DW = Deutsche Welle (Voice of Germany)
- dx = long distance reception
- DXLD = DX Listening Digest
- DXO = DX Ontario (publication of Ontario DX Assn)
- E = East(ern)
- EAf = East Africa
- ECNA = East Coast North America
- EE = English
- EG = English
- EMBRATEL = Empresa Brasileira de Telecomunicaciones
- Emis = Emissora
- ES = External Service
- Eu = Europe
- ex = formerly
- exc = excellent
- Ext = external
- EZL = easy-listening (music)
- FAA = Federal Avaition Administration
- FAF = French Air Force
- FAX = facsimile
- FCC = Federal Communications Commission
- f/d = full data
- FDM = Frequency Division Multiplex (form of RTTY)
- FE = far east
- FEBA = Far East Broadcasting Ass'n (Seychelles)
- FEBC = Far East Broadcasting Company (Philippines)
- FEMA = Federal Emergency Management Agency
- FEN = Far East Network (Japan)
- FF = French
- FIBS = Falkland Islands Broadcasting Station
- f/in = fade-in
- f/out = fade-out
- fr = fair
- FR = French
- FRCN = Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria
- freq(s) = frequency(-ies)
- FS = Foreign Service
- FSK = Frequency shift keying (used in RTTY)
- FT = Fine Tuning (publication)
- f/up = follow-up reception report
- gd = good
- GBC = Ghana Broadcasting Corp.
- GDR = German Democratic Republic
- GG = German
- GK = Greek
- GMT = Greenwich Mean Time (now called UTC)
- GOS = general overseas service
- govt = government
- HAC = Heard All Continents
- het = heterodyne, whistle
- hi! = laughter
- HIC = Heard Individual Countries
- HIS = Heard Individual Stations or States
- hrd = heard
- HS = home service
- hvy = heavy
- ID = station identification
- IDed = identified
- IFSS = In Flight Safety Station
- II = Indonesian, Italian
- incl = including
- int(l) = international
- intvw = interview
- IRC = International Reply Coupon
- INA = Islamic Republic News Agency
- irr = irregular
- IS = Interval signal
- IT = Italian
- ITU = International Telecommunications Union
- JANA = Jamahiriyah News Agency
- JJ = Japanese
- JP = Japanese
- KBS = Korean Broadcasting System
- KCBS = Korean Central Broadcasting Station
- KCNA = Korean Central News Agency
- kHz = kiloHertz
- KK = Korean
- KO'ed = knocked out or covered
- KR = Korean
- KUNA = Kuwait News Agency
- kw = kilowatt
- KYODO = Kyodo Tsushin (Japan News)
- L = listed
- LA = Latin America(n)
- LAm = Latin America(n)
- lang = vernacular, slang for any unidentified language
- lcl = local
- LJB = Libyan Jamahiriyan Broadcasting
- LL = language lessons
- LSB = lower sideband
- lt = light
- LT = local time
- ltr = letter
- LV = La Voz (Latin American station names)
- lvl = level
- lw = longwave
- m = measured (when frequency was measured with special equipment)
- M = man
- m = meter
- MAP = Mutuelle Africaine de Presse
- MARS = Military Affiliated Radio System
- mb = meter band
- MCW = modulated continuous wave
- ME = Middle East
- MFA = Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- mHz = megaHertz
- mkr = marker
- mod = modulation
- MOR = middle of the road (music)
- ms = mint stamps
- M/V = motorized vessel (ship)
- mw = mediumwave
- mx = music
- n = nominal frequency
- N = North(ern)
- NA = national anthem
- NA = North America
- Nac = nacional (as in R. Nac de Chile)
- NAf = Northern Africa
- NAS = Naval Air Station
- NASWA = North American Shortwave Ass'n.
- NAVRAD = Naval Radio
- NAWS = Notice to Allied War Ships
- NBC = National Broadcasting Commission
- n/d = no data (QSL)
- net = network
- nf = new frequency
- NHK = Nippon Hoso Kyokai (Radio Japan)
- NU = Numero Uno (publication/club)
- nx = news
- o/ = over
- OA = Peruvian
- oc = open carrier
- ODXA = Ontario DX Ass'n.
- OM = man (leftover from ham jargon; simple "M" preferred)
- orch = orchestral
- ORF = Osterreichischer Rundfunk (R. Austria Int'l.)
- OTH = over-the-horizon radar system
- p = presumed
- PAP = Polska Agencija Prasowa (Polish Press)
- p/d = partial-data (QSL)
- pgm = program
- PNG = Papua New Guinea
- pop mx = popular music
- poss = possible
- PP = Portuguese
- ppc = prepared card
- pr = poor
- prop = propagation
- PT = Portuguese
- PTP = point to point
- PTT = Post Telephone & Telegraph
- QBS = Qatar Broadcasting Service
- QRM = interference
- QRN = static
- QSB = fading
- QSL = verification
- QTH = location
- R = Radio
- RA = Radio Australia
- RAE = Radiodifusion Argentina al Exterior
- RAF = Royal Air Force
- RAI = Radio TV Italiana
- RBC = Radio Beijing, China
- RBI = Radio Berlin International
- RC = Radio Clube
- RCI = Radio Canada International
- RCN = Radio Cadena Nacional
- rcvr = receiver
- RDI = Radio Database International (also called "Passport to
- World Band Radio")
- RDif = Radiodifusion
- RDP = Radiodifusao Portuguesa
- REE = Radio Exterior de Espana
- rel = religious, religion
- req = request
- RFE = Radio Free Europe
- RFI = Radio France International
- RFO = Radio Francaise d'Outre Mer
- RHC = Radio Havana Cuba
- RIAS = Radio In the American Sector (Berlin)
- RIB = Review of International Broadcasting
- RL = Radio Liberty
- RM = Radio Moscow
- RMWS = Radio Moscow World Service
- RN = Radio Nederland
- RNZ = Radio New Zealand
- rp = return postage
- rpt = report
- RR = Russian
- RRI = Radio Republik Indonesia
- RSA = Radio Republic South Africa
- RSP&P = Radio Station Peace & Progress
- RTBF = Radio-Television Belge de la Communaute Francaise
- RTL = Radio-Tele-Luxembourg
- RTM = Radiodiffusion Television Marocaine
- RTTY = radio teletype
- RTV = Radio Television
- RUB = Radio Ulan Bator (Mongolia)
- S = South(ern)
- SA = South America(n)
- SAAM = Soviet Antarctic Meteo
- SABC = South African Broadcasting Corporation
- SAC = Strategic Air Command
- SAf = South Africa(n)
- SAm = South America(n)
- SAs = South Asia
- SASE = self addressed stamped envelope
- SCDX = Sweden Calling DXers
- sce = service
- SEA(s) = South East Asia
- sfc = surface
- SFTS = standard frequency & time station
- SIBC = Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corp.
- SINPO = 5-digit report of reception quality = Signal strength/
- Interference/ Noise/ Propagation (fading)/Overall
- SIO = 3-digit report of reception quality (abbreviated version of
- above system)
- SITOR = ShIp Telex Over Radio (form of RTTY)
- sked = schedule
- SLBC = Sri Lanka Broadcasting Company
- s/off = sign off
- s/on = sign on
- spt = sport(s)
- spur = spurious emission
- SRI = Swiss Radio International
- SS = Spanish
- SSB = single sideband
- stn = station
- svc = service
- SW = shortwave
- SWBC = shortwave broadcast
- SWL = shortwave listener
- SWLD = ShortWave Listeners Digest (R. Canada Int'l.)
- t =tentative
- TANJUG = Telegrafska Agencija Nova Jugoslavija
- TAP = Tunis Afrique Presse
- TASS = Telegrafnoje Agentstwo Sowjetskojo Sojussa (Soviet News)
- TC = time check
- TDM = Time Division Multiplex (form of RTTY)
- TELAM = Telegrafica Americana (Argentine News)
- tent = tentative
- tfc = traffic
- t/in = tune-in
- tk = talk
- tlk = talk
- TLX = telex
- TODELAR = Circuito Todelar de Colombia
- TOR = Telex Over Radio (form of RTTY)
- t/out = tune-out
- tp(s) = time pip(s)
- TRT = Turkish Radio and TV
- TS = time signal
- TT = test tone, test transmission, test tape
- TWR = Trans World Radio
- u/ = under
- unID = unidentified
- unk = unknown
- USAF = United States Air Force
- USB = upper sideband
- USCG = United States Coast Guard
- USIA = United States Information Agency
- USN = United States Navy
- UTE = utility
- v = variable (as in frequency)
- V = Voice
- verie = verification
- vern = vernacular
- vg = very good
- VIC = Verified Individual Countries
- VIS = Verified Individual Stations or States
- VM = voice mirror, voice marker
- VN = vernacular (local dialect)
- VNA = Vietnamese News Agency
- VO = Voice Of (as in station name)
- VOA = Voice of America
- VOFC = Voice of Free China
- VOGAH = Voice of the Greater Arab Homeland (Libya)
- VOIRI = Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran
- VOV = Voice of Vietnam
- v/s = verification signer
- VV = Vietnamese
- W = woman, West(ern), watt(s)
- w/ = with
- WAf = West Africa
- WCNA = West Coast North America
- wk = weak
- wkg = working
- wld = world
- w/out = without
- WOR = World of Radio program
- WRTH = World Radio TV Handbook
- WS = world service
- wx = weather
- XINHUA = New China News Agency
- xmit = transmit
- xmsn = transmission
- xmtr = transmitter
- YL = young lady/woman (ham leftover; simple "W" preferred)