What 73 Means in Ham Radio

73 means “best regards” in ham radio, a friendly sign-off used when a contact, net, or organized activity is ending. You may hear it spoken as “seven three” or “seventy-three,” see it in a text message or email, or receive it in Morse code. It is a courtesy, not a signal report, secret code, or frequency number.

What 73 Means in Ham Radio

Modern amateur-radio operators treat 73 as part of their shared etiquette. The expression’s concise, traditional form helps keep a closing polite.

A ham might end a casual conversation with:

> “Thanks for the contact. 73.”

It works much like “best wishes,” “take care,” or “have a good day,” but it carries a long-standing radio tradition. It can be used between people who know each other, strangers who have just made contact, and participants in a formal net.

Think of 73 as the radio equivalent of a friendly handshake at the end of a conversation.

How to End a Ham Radio Contact With 73

Use this quick guide to choose a closing that fits the situation.

Situation	Use 73?	Example Closing
One-to-one conversation	Yes	“Good talking with you. 73.”
Brief contact or signal exchange	Yes	“Thanks for the contact. 73.”
Formal net or organized activity ending	Yes, once the activity is closing	“Thanks to net control and everyone listening. 73.”
Email, chat, or handwritten note to another ham	Yes	“73”
Urgent or active emergency traffic	Usually wait	Give the needed information plainly first.

Step 1: Finish the Actual Exchange

Use 73 when there is nothing important left to pass. Make sure the other station has the information you were discussing, such as a name, location, equipment detail, or a planned next contact.

A closing is clearest when it follows a natural end to the conversation rather than interrupting a question or an unfinished exchange.

Step 2: Give a Brief Friendly Sign-Off

Say your closing in ordinary language, then add 73. There is no need to make it complicated.

Examples:

• “Thanks for the chat. 73.”
• “I appreciate the contact. 73 and take care.”
• “Have a good evening. 73.”
• “Thanks, everyone. 73.”

On a group net, 73 can be appropriate when net control has ended the activity or when you are clearly signing out. It is not limited to casual one-to-one QSOs.

Step 3: Write It as 73, Not 73s

When typing or writing a closing, use 73, not “73s.” The number stands for a complete expression, “best regards”, so adding an “s” is like writing “best regardses.”

A simple written closing looks like this:

> 73

People will understand “73s,” and some operators use it informally, but 73 is the traditional form.

Where 73 Came From

73 did not begin as an amateur-radio term. It came from nineteenth-century telegraph shorthand, when operators used short numerical codes to speed up routine messages.

In an early standard telegraph glossary, 73 meant “my compliments to you.” As telegraph practice influenced early radio operators, the code stayed in use and gradually acquired its modern ham-radio role.

That history explains why a number can carry a full social message. It was a practical shortcut before voice radio, email, and instant messaging existed.

Why It Matters in Morse Code

Ham radio inherited more than the number itself; it inherited the culture of efficient Morse communication. In CW, the digit 7 is sent as --... and the digit 3 as ...--.

Placed together, the pattern reads the same forward and backward:

--... ...--

That symmetry has made 73 especially memorable to CW operators. When it is sent at the end of a Morse contact, it is heard as a warm closing, not as the number seventy-three.

When 73 Fits and When It Can Wait

73 is a familiar amateur-radio courtesy. It is appropriate after a relaxed rag-chew, a quick contact, a digital-mode exchange, an email, or the conclusion of a net.

It is less useful when the exchange is still active. If someone is waiting for information, needs acknowledgment, or is handling urgent traffic, pass the important details first. In emergency or public-service communication, clear status, location, instructions, and confirmation matter more than a traditional sign-off.

After the needed information has been passed, 73 can still be appropriate in serious settings.

Related Ham Radio Numbers and Sign-Offs

88 Means Love and Kisses

88 is another old telegraph-derived sign-off. It traditionally means “love and kisses,” so it is more affectionate and personal than 73.

Use 88 only when that tone makes sense between the people involved. It is not a general replacement for 73 in an ordinary first contact or formal net.

72 Is a QRP-Inspired Sign-Off

72 is an informal sign-off associated with QRP operation, meaning low-power amateur radio. In this context, QRP refers to operating with less than 5 watts of output power.

Some QRP enthusiasts use 72 as a playful variation on 73. It is understood by many hams, but it is not as universal as 73 and is best treated as a hobby-specific custom rather than a required operating practice.

Not Every Number Has One Universal Meaning

Ham radio has many number codes, abbreviations, signal reports, and local traditions. A number may mean one thing in historic telegraph shorthand, another thing in a club’s informal language, and nothing special at all in a different context.

If you hear an unfamiliar number, listen to the surrounding conversation before assuming it is a standard code.

How to Recognize and Respond to a 73 Sign-Off

A 73 usually tells you the other operator considers the contact complete. Common clues include:

• They have thanked you for the conversation.
• They have said they need to leave or are ending their operating session.
• They have given a final farewell.
• Net control has formally closed the net.
• There is no open question or unfinished exchange.

If you also want to end the conversation, a short reply is enough:

> “Thanks for the contact. 73.”

If you need to keep talking, do not treat 73 as a hard cutoff. You can politely continue with the information that still needs to be exchanged. It is a courtesy signal, not a command to leave the frequency.

Listen for it, return it if you are also signing off, and use clear plain language whenever the conversation still has important information to carry.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Is 73 Written?

Write it as 73, without an apostrophe or an added “s.” It can stand alone, such as “73,” or be followed by a name in an email or message. The traditional form is singular because it represents the complete phrase “best regards.”

Does 73 Mean Goodbye?

73 means “best regards,” but it often functions like a friendly goodbye at the end of a ham-radio contact. It does not necessarily mean the operator will never return; it only signals that the present exchange is ending.

What Does “73 and a Half” Mean in Ham Radio?

“73 and a half” is a playful extension of 73 rather than a standard ham-radio code with a fixed meaning. It may be used as an exaggerated friendly farewell, but it does not have the broad, settled meaning that 73 does. In a formal contact or net, plain 73 is the clearer choice.

When should you use 73 in ham radio?

Use 73 as you finish a non-urgent contact or when a group net is ending. Put it at the close of your transmission rather than using it to open a conversation or repeating it during the exchange.