No CB Lingo on Ham Band

CB Lingo, “Q” codes and excessive phonetics.

Amateur Radio operators find the sound of CB lingo worse than fingernails on a blackboard. The main thing to remember is to just talk normally. Talk just like you would to someone in the same room. There's nothing different about talking over the radio.

Using any of the “Q” codes and phonetics is helpful on modes like CW to shorten transmissions or provide clarity in marginal voice modes, but they are not necessary on a good communication channel like a repeater. Occasional use of Q signals or phonetics can be a reasonable style, but talking in normal sentences is preferred because there may be new hams or prospective hams who won’t understand the codes.