A compact radio cheat sheet that was shared online could make the equipment more practical in an emergency.
Here's what to know
On Reddit's r/preppers community, a poster shared a one-page guide that pulls together several kinds of radio shorthand, including the Western Union Telegraph 92 Code, amateur radio Q codes, phonetics, prosigns, and a basic emergency listening schedule.
A radio would be useful in the kind of situations preppers plan for. These can include something as drastic as the total breakdown of society, but common incidents like short power outages and severe weather conditions that make travelling outside difficult are also concerns. In the latter cases, a radio could still be used to receive updates or send for help if phone lines are down.
According to the sheet, the "92 code" goes back to 1859 and G. M. Dodge's Telegraph Instructor, when per-word telegram pricing encouraged operators to shorten common messages into numbers. In that system, "92" meant "deliver promptly," and two well-known examples that later carried into ham radio are "73" for "best regards" and "88" for "love and kisses."
The card also highlights everyday examples such as "1" for "Wait a minute," "9" for "Priority business," "24" for "Repeat this back," and "30" for "No more — the end."
It also warns that these definitions are not consistent everywhere, and notes that APCO/FEMA guidance since 2006 has favored plain language during multi-agency incidents. Brevity codes can still be useful among people who already know them, but plain English is often the safer choice when agencies or members of the public need to understand each other fast.
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"This is clean, the layout makes it stupid easy to print and stick in a go-bag," one commenter wrote. "Thanks for sharing."
"Wow! Saved it and am going to print out for my emergency cabinet and next to my two weather radios and my Zoleo satellite communicator," another added.
More background
The sheet also lays out a "3-3-3 radio plan" for emergency check-ins, recommending monitoring at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock, AM and PM, and using a basic check-in line rather than long conversations.
For those check-ins, it lists channel 3 on CB (26.985 MHz), FRS (462.6125), and MURS (151.940). It also suggests a simple fallback for keeping time: AM stations identify themselves at the top of each hour, which can help people sync up if they do not have a watch.
It may also be useful for studying. On the second side, the guide points to ITU Q codes such as "QRZ?" meaning "who is calling me?" that could give newer operators a bridge between beginner curiosity and the language used in actual operation.
What can be done?
The purpose of a card like this is to support better communication, but proper training is still important.
It ends with two short reminders: "Turn on and listen." And when it is time to make contact, keep it short: "This is me, just checking in."
Where can I learn more?
These stories cover ham radio operators supporting emergency response and the batteries and solar setups people are using to get through blackouts more safely.
• Across Canada, officials are enlisting amateur radio operators to back up communications during extreme weather.
• Homeowners weighing blackout plans say solar can outlast generators when fuel access disappears.
• Energy experts say home batteries are replacing generators for quieter, safer outage backup.
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