Ham Radio General Class Practice Test

What does the expression "CQ DX" indicate?

1. A general call for any station

2. The caller is listening for a station in Germany

3. The caller is looking for any station outside their own country

4. A distress call

The correct answer is: The caller is looking for any station outside their own country

The expression "CQ DX" is a standard call used in amateur radio to indicate that the operator is seeking to make contact with any station located outside of their own country. The term "CQ" is a general call to all operators, and attaching "DX" specifies that the caller is interested in long-distance contacts, typically with stations in different countries. This distinction is significant for amateur radio operators who may be aiming to make international contacts, participate in contests, or simply expand their communication horizons beyond local or domestic stations. In this context, the other options do not accurately convey the specific intent of "CQ DX." A general call for any station would simply be "CQ." Mentioning a specific country, such as Germany, does not fit the broad nature of "CQ DX," as it indicates a preference for international communication rather than focusing on one nation. Likewise, a distress call would typically utilize specific distress signals and would not resemble the "CQ DX" expression, which is intended for regular operational communications.