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10-4

10/4/2019

2 Comments

 
Ten-codes are signals used by radio operators and police officers to convey information using the number ten and then another number following it (hence the name). For example, 10-18 was assigned to mean "urgent", and 10-42 meant an officer was going off duty. Some of these phrases seeped into pop culture over time, especially due to cop shows' increasing popularity. What's your twenty to mean "where are you" emerged due to 10-20 being the code asking for location, and 10-4 is commonly used to mean "affirmative" or "roger", which is the same in the ten-codes (this is sometimes suffixed by good buddy, which was common slang among ham radio enthusiasts). All forms of those phrases peaked in usage sometime between the sixties and the eighties, but they're definitely around and kicking.
2 Comments
Kim Bo
10/9/2019 01:23:59 pm

No self-respecting "ham" or radio amateur would ever suffix an over with Good Buddy nor use the 10 code. We have a separate system called the Q-Code e.g. QTH (location). QSOs (contacts) are ended 73s (best wishes). I think you are confusing use with CB radio 😱

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Adam Aleksic link
10/9/2019 01:31:49 pm

Thank you for the feedback, I was indeed mistaken. I don't know anything about the field, sorry.

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