[Elecraft] "Q" signal trivia

[stan levandowski]

On Mon, Jul 18, 2011 at 1:25 AM, Fred Jensen wrote:

> On 7/16/2011 6:46 PM, Ken - K0PP wrote:
>>
> In that service, "INT" [di di dah dit dah sent as one character] was 
> the interrogatory, and preceded the question you were about to ask. 
> [INT QRL]  The Morse question mark is "di di dah dah di dit] which 
> duplicates the prosign "IMI" meaning either "please repeat last" or "I 
> will repeat last".  Those with commercial radiotelegraph experience 
> may remember this.
>
> INT never made it into ham practice

The interogatory was also standard practice in the US Navy.  And in 
MARS, of course (at least back then).  I'm surprised that the ham 
community did not embrace it.  Personally, I always preferred it because 
it 'sets off' the Q-signal that is to follow and tends to heighten one's 
awareness.

Regarding use of Q signals outside of CW, we used to have a Chief 
Radioman who used an interesting expression.  Whenever someone messed up 
a job, the Chief used an early variation of the commonly heard phrase, 
"What part of that didn't you understand?"

The Chief simply got real close to your face and yelled, "INT QRK what 
the ___?!"

Stan WB2LQF
RM2 USS BOXER 1966-1968