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Visitor glossary

Radio terms without the fog

A friendly reference for visitors who are new to amateur radio, QSL cards, station logs, and satellite operating.

Why this page exists

This site uses real amateur-radio language because the station records are real. The glossary keeps those words readable for admissions officers, friends, developers, and curious visitors.

Quick read

If you remember only one thing: a QSO is a contact, a QSL confirms it, and the logbook is the public record of when and how the contact happened.

Radio basics

On-air language

Callsign
Identity
A licensed radio identifier, like BD1DMB or KD3CSB, used instead of a normal username on the air.

The site shows two callsigns because the same operator can hold licenses in different countries.

QSO
Contact
A completed radio contact between two stations. It can be voice, Morse code, digital, or satellite-assisted.

The logbook lists QSOs with date, time, band, mode, country, grid, and signal reports.

Band
Frequency
A named slice of radio spectrum, such as 20m, 2m, or 70cm. Different bands behave differently.

Band statistics show where the station is most active and which propagation paths are working.

Mode
Method
The way information is sent over radio, such as FM voice, SSB voice, CW Morse, or digital modes.

Mode filters help visitors understand whether a contact was voice, Morse, satellite FM, or another method.

Logs and cards

Confirmation language

QSL
Confirmation
A confirmation that a radio contact or listening report happened. It can be a paper card or electronic record.

The QSL page accepts confirmed QSO requests, SWL reports, and collector-card requests.

SWL
Listening
Short-wave listener. An SWL may hear a station without transmitting and can send a reception report.

SWL reports have their own QSL request type because they are different from two-way QSOs.

RST
Signal report
A compact signal report for readability, strength, and tone. Voice contacts often use just RS.

RST sent and received fields record how each station judged the signal during a contact.

ADIF
Data format
A standard file format for exchanging amateur-radio logbook records between programs and services.

The logbook can import and export ADIF so records can move between station software and online services.

Maps and services

Where contacts go

Grid square
Location
A short Maidenhead locator that describes an approximate station location, such as OM89 or FM29.

Grid squares power the map and help satellite operators understand whether two stations share a footprint.

DXCC
Award entity
A country/entity list used for a major amateur-radio award. It is close to countries, but not identical.

Country and DXCC statistics show how far the station has reached across the world.

Satellite pass
Orbit window
The short time when an amateur satellite is above the horizon and can relay signals between stations.

Satellite QSO records may include the spacecraft name, mode, and notes about the pass.

QRZ / LoTW / eQSL
Online service
Common services for station profiles, lookup, and electronic confirmation of radio contacts.

External links may point to QRZ, while future integrations can connect confirmations and award tracking.

Visitor Glossary · BD1DMB · KD3CSB