<VV> Ham's term 73

[Larry Forman]

Hi Dave,
Ouch, I forgot all about XYL.  Shame on me!
Mandatory Corvair content.  Since I was just starting out in Ham Radio in high school about the time my parents had purchased a 63 Monza convertible, I added a little short wave converter box ahead of the AM radio and could tune in hams that used AM at that time.  It was a simple one transistor converter and I could not easily copy morse code since it did not have a beat frequency oscillator to provide the note to listen to.

As for the term 73,  my curiosity got to me, I checked our international ham organization, The American Radio Relay League, ARRL, at their web site, www.arrl.org, and found some additional history of the term "73", which I was not aware of:

73

The traditional expression "73" goes right back to the beginning of the landline telegraph days. It is found in some of the earliest editions of the numerical codes , each with a different definition, but each with the same idea in mind--it indicated that the end, or signature, was coining up. But there are no data to prove that any of these were used.

The first authentic use of 73 is in the publication The National Telegraph Review and Operators' Guide, first published in April 1857. At that time, 73 meant "My love to you!" Succeeding issues of this publication continued to use this definition of the term. Curiously enough, some of the other numerals then used have the same definition now that they had then, but within a short time, the use of 73 began to change.

In the National Telegraph Convention, the numeral was changed from the Valentine-type sentiment to a vague sign of fraternalism. Here, 73 was a greeting, a friendly "word" between operators and it was so used on all wires.

In 1859, the Western Union Company set up the standard "92 Code". A list of numerals from one to 92 was compiled to indicate a series of prepared phrases for use by the operators on the wires. Here, in the 92 Code, 73 changes from a fraternal sign to a very flowery "accept my compliments," which was in keeping with the florid language of that era. 

Over the years from 1859 to 1900, the many manuals of telegraphy show variations of this meaning. Dodge's The Telegraph Instructor shows it merely as "compliments." The Twentieth Century Manual of Railway and Commercial Telegraphy defines it two ways, one listing as "my compliments to you;" but in the glossary of abbreviations it is merely "compliments." Theodore A. Edison's Telegraphy Self-Taught shows a return to "accept my compliments." By 1908, however, a later edition of the Dodge Manual gives us today's definition of "best regards" with a backward look at the older meaning in another part of the work where it also lists it as "compliments."

"Best regards" has remained ever since as the "put-it-down-in-black-and-white" meaning of 73 but it has acquired overtones of much warmer meaning. Today, amateurs use it more in the manner that James Reid had intended that it be used --a "friendly word between operators."

-- Larry AJ6G

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Keillor" <dkeillor@ultrex.com>
To: "'Larry Forman'" <larry@forman.net>, "'Sadek Charles H DLVA'" <SadekCH@NSWC.NAVY.MIL>, "VirtualVairs AA" <VirtualVairs@corvair.org>
Subject: RE: <VV> Ham question-No Corvair
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 08:45:41 -0600

> 
> Yes, Larry is correct.  73 is used at the end of message as a "sign-off".
> Not all females are YLs, a married woman is an XYL.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Larry Forman [mailto:larry@forman.net]
> Sent: Thursday, December 23, 2004 8:44 AM
> To: Dave Keillor; 'Sadek Charles H DLVA'; VirtualVairs AA
> Subject: RE: <VV> Ham question-No Corvair
> 
> 
> Actually, as I recall, 73 means "best regards" and it is the plural form, so
> the term 73s is technically incorrect.  Also, all guys are OM for Old Man
> and all females are YL for Young Lady.
> 
> --Larry - AJ6G
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dave Keillor" <dkeillor@ultrex.com>
> To: "'Sadek Charles H DLVA'" <SadekCH@NSWC.NAVY.MIL>, "VirtualVairs AA"
> <VirtualVairs@corvair.org>
> Subject: RE: <VV> Ham question-No Corvair
> Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 08:14:30 -0600
> 
> >
> > 73 is ham radio lingo for "goodbye" (origins were in the days when most
> ham
> > radio was code).  As a bonus, 88 = hugs and kisses.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Sadek Charles H DLVA [mailto:SadekCH@NSWC.NAVY.MIL]
> > Sent: Thursday, December 23, 2004 7:35 AM
> > To: VirtualVairs AA
> > Subject: <VV> Ham question-No Corvair
> >
> >
> > What does "73" mean when used as a signature to a message?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Chuck S
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