Ten Codes

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HSS

#199605 Wed, 22 Feb 06 06:14 AM

As a thirty-five-year old timer in ham radio, I'm familiar with the expression, "That's a big 10-4," or, "That's a 10-4," although we don't use it --- it's a citizen's band radio jargon. I'm curious to know what other ten code may be used in general conversations, or understood by general people.

Hiro

Sendai, Japan

HSS

Joined on Wed, Nov 16 2005

Sendai, Japan

Regular Member (501)

JH7JHH, First Class ham radio operator. N9COW in the US.

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Clive

#200050 Thu, 23 Feb 06 06:17 AM

Hi Hiro,

None, I'd say. The CB radio fad has been finished for a very long time.

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (22,571)

El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

HSS

#200153 Thu, 23 Feb 06 01:31 PM

But you'd sometimes hear ten-four, wouldn't you? Particularly, in the talk of police, investigators, negotiators etc.?

Hiro

Sendai, Japan

HSS

Clive

#200170 Thu, 23 Feb 06 02:15 PM

Hi Hiro,

I seldom if ever talk to such people, so I don't know. I've only ever heard anyone say '10-4' on TV or in the movies.

Perhaps you hear it a lot becuase of your interest in radio?

Clive

Kajjo

#200222 Thu, 23 Feb 06 04:56 PM

Hi Hiro,
only very rarely ten codes are used in general conversations, however if you are interested in them, maybe the following links might help:
[link]
[link]

So at least you will be able to decode the TV crime movies where quite a lot are used, but never need to be understood.

Kajjo

Kajjo

Joined on Sun, Dec 18 2005

Full Member (150)

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HSS

#200378 Fri, 24 Feb 06 05:00 AM

Ham radio operators never use the ten codes, but only a few of them could understand what '10-4' means, as they may have been CB operators before. Not me. Yes, we hear it on TV and in films; it looks like we don't have to know the ten codes. Maybe only 10-4 so we know they are saying okay in the dramas and films.

Hiro/ Sendai, Japan

HSS

Anonymous

#200659 Sat, 25 Feb 06 02:47 AM

Occasionally, the police will use the ten codes, but the other public safety organizations are trying to get away from them. With the exception of 10-4, They're not really standard like the Q codes that we use on the ham bands. You see them used on TV a lot, but they have little application for practical use anymore. Why say "10-4" when a plain English word, such as "copy" or "understood," will do? The only ten code that's commonly used today is "10-4."

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Anonymous