73

Ham radio shorthand for "best regards," traditionally used to sign off a contact or a message. It comes from 19th-century telegraph numeric codes and stuck around in amateur radio long after telegraphy itself faded. Saying "73s" (with an added s) is a mild pet peeve for some old-timers, since 73 already means a plural-ish "regards."

Published 2026-08-28 · Last updated 2026-08-28