[Elecraft] "Q" signal trivia

[Kevin Rock]

I have always wondered why it is written in the possessive form.  Why not  
write it 73s instead if you want to make it a plural and not possessive?
    Kevin.  KD5ONS




On Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:57:43 -0700, Gary D Krause <n7hts at bresnan.net>  
wrote:

> I think the reason 73's came about is that many of us, myself included,  
> repeat
> it twice at the end of a CW QSO.
>
> Gary, N7HTS
>
>
> On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 19:46:41 -0600
>   "Ken - K0PP" <kengkopp at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> "Q" signals were established to facilitate communication
>> between stations that don't share a common language.
>>
>> In usual usage a "Q" signal without punctuation is considered
>> a statement.  If it's followed by a "?", it's meant as a question.
>>
>> Needless to say, a purist would never use a "Q" signal in voice
>> communications, but we all do. "The home QTH here is ... (;-)
>>
>> Oh ... 73 is correct.  73's isn't.  73's is equivalent to "Good lucks".
>>
>> 73!
>> Ken - K0PP