Gary

None of these are correct!

One thing from the outset, as mentioned in one of the other replies, "73's"
is "best regards's" as 73 means "best wishes".

The code two digit coding goes back to the days of railway signaling when
the signal lines were also used for sending telegraphs by morse code.  As
time was money, even in those days, several companies came up with the idea
of using abbreviations to convey maximum data in shortest time.

The two which are most commonly used on the ham bands nowadays are 73 and 88
- you may even hear 161.
73 = best wishes
88 = hugs and kisses
161 = both of the above and is usually sent from one guy to another whose
partner he knows.

Further than this, the shortened speak used in text messages also emanates
from the old telegraphers of 150 or so years ago.  A few examples:

Cul
Cuagn
Bcnu
Sn

H I = laughter.

From a personal standpoint, I abhore their use on SSB as the spoken voice
should convey the sense, whereas in CW this is not so easy!

73

David W Wood 

-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Gary Tillinghast
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2014 2:39 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: 73 debate

Hi all, Got into this on a local repeater one night.  The phrase 73  =
means what?  I have had some say it means =E2=80=9CBest =
regards=E2=80=9D.  Others say it is a hold over from the =
=E2=80=9CCB=E2=80=9D days which means =E2=80=9CHave a nice day=E2=80=9D. =
 Which is wright???  Gary KB2YAA