diff --git a/decodedtext.cpp b/decodedtext.cpp
index 60b795e..4ffb3d4 100644
--- a/decodedtext.cpp
+++ b/decodedtext.cpp
@@ -146,10 +146,21 @@ bool DecodedText::tryUnpackHeartbeat(){
     }
     compound_ = cmp.join("/");
 
-    auto to = "@ALLCALL";
-    auto hborcq = isAlt ? Varicode::cqString(bits3) : Varicode::hbString(bits3);
-    message_ = QString("%1: %2 %3 %4 ").arg(compound_).arg(to).arg(hborcq).arg(extra_);
-    frameType_ = type;
+    if(isAlt){
+        auto sbits3 = Varicode::cqString(bits3);
+        message_ = QString("%1: @ALLCALL %2 %3 ").arg(compound_).arg(sbits3).arg(extra_);
+        frameType_ = type;
+    } else {
+        auto sbits3 = Varicode::hbString(bits3);
+        if(sbits3 == "HB"){
+            message_ = QString("%1: @HB HEARTBEAT %2 ").arg(compound_).arg(extra_);
+            frameType_ = type;
+        } else {
+            message_ = QString("%1: @HB %2 %3 ").arg(compound_).arg(sbits3).arg(extra_);
+            frameType_ = type;
+        }
+    }
+
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/mainwindow.cpp b/mainwindow.cpp
index e49cb31..367b6de 100644
--- a/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -4916,7 +4916,7 @@ void MainWindow::processDecodedLine(QByteArray t){
             // convert HEARTBEAT to a directed command and process...
             cmd.from = cd.call;
             cmd.to = "@ALLCALL";
-            cmd.cmd = " HB";
+            cmd.cmd = " HEARTBEAT";
             cmd.snr = cd.snr;
             cmd.bits = cd.bits;
             cmd.grid = cd.grid;
@@ -7589,6 +7589,12 @@ void MainWindow::prepareHeartbeatMode(bool enabled){
     ui->actionModeJS8HB->setEnabled(canCurrentModeSendHeartbeat());
     ui->actionHeartbeatAcknowledgements->setEnabled(enabled && ui->actionModeAutoreply->isChecked());
 
+    if(enabled){
+        m_config.addGroup("@HB");
+    } else {
+        m_config.removeGroup("@HB");
+    }
+
 #if 0
     //ui->actionCQ->setEnabled(!enabled);
     //ui->actionFocus_Message_Reply_Area->setEnabled(!enabled);
@@ -8204,9 +8210,13 @@ void MainWindow::sendHeartbeat(){
     QStringList parts;
     parts.append(QString("%1:").arg(mycall));
 
+#if JS8_CUSTOMIZE_HB
     auto hb = m_config.hb_message();
+#else
+    auto hb = QString{};
+#endif
     if(hb.isEmpty()){
-        parts.append("HB");
+        parts.append("HEARTBEAT");
         parts.append(mygrid);
     } else {
         parts.append(hb);
@@ -10950,7 +10960,7 @@ void MainWindow::processCommandActivity() {
 
         // we're only responding to allcalls if we are participating in the allcall group
         // but, don't avoid for heartbeats...those are technically allcalls but are processed differently
-        if(isAllCall && m_config.avoid_allcall() && d.cmd != " HB"){
+        if(isAllCall && m_config.avoid_allcall() && d.cmd != " HB" && d.cmd != " HEARTBEAT"){
             continue;
         }
 
@@ -11294,7 +11304,7 @@ void MainWindow::processCommandActivity() {
 
         // PROCESS ACTIVE HEARTBEAT
         // if we have hb mode enabled and auto reply enabled <del>and auto ack enabled and no callsign is selected</del> update: if we're in HB mode, doesn't matter if a callsign is selected.
-        else if (d.cmd == " HB" && canCurrentModeSendHeartbeat() && ui->actionModeJS8HB->isChecked() && ui->actionModeAutoreply->isChecked() && ui->actionHeartbeatAcknowledgements->isChecked()){
+        else if ((d.cmd == " HB" || d.cmd == " HEARTBEAT") && canCurrentModeSendHeartbeat() && ui->actionModeJS8HB->isChecked() && ui->actionModeAutoreply->isChecked() && ui->actionHeartbeatAcknowledgements->isChecked()){
             // check to make sure we aren't pausing HB transmissions (ACKs) while a callsign is selected
             if(m_config.heartbeat_qso_pause() && !selectedCallsign.isEmpty()){
                 qDebug() << "hb paused during qso";
diff --git a/varicode.cpp b/varicode.cpp
index 048c9ff..d90a99a 100644
--- a/varicode.cpp
+++ b/varicode.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ QString alphanumeric = {"0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ /@"}; // callsign
 QMap<QString, int> directed_cmds = {
     // any changes here need to be made also in the directed regular xpression for parsing
     // ?*^&@
+    {" HEARTBEAT",    -1 }, // this is my heartbeat (unused except for faux processing of HBs as directed commands)
     {" HB",           -1 }, // this is my heartbeat (unused except for faux processing of HBs as directed commands)
 
     {" SNR?",          0  }, // query snr
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ QRegularExpression directed_re("^"                    +
                                optional_cmd_pattern   +
                                optional_num_pattern);
 
-QRegularExpression heartbeat_re(R"(^\s*(?<callsign>[@](?:ALLCALL)\s+)?(?<type>CQ CQ CQ|CQ DX|CQ QRP|CQ CONTEST|CQ FIELD|CQ FD|CQ CQ|CQ|HB)(?:\s(?<grid>[A-R]{2}[0-9]{2}))?\b)");
+QRegularExpression heartbeat_re(R"(^\s*(?<callsign>[@](?:ALLCALL|HB)\s+)?(?<type>CQ CQ CQ|CQ DX|CQ QRP|CQ CONTEST|CQ FIELD|CQ FD|CQ CQ|CQ|HB|HEARTBEAT)(?:\s(?<grid>[A-R]{2}[0-9]{2}))?\b)");
 
 QRegularExpression compound_re("^\\s*[`]"              +
                                callsign_pattern        +
@@ -288,6 +289,8 @@ QMap<quint32, QString> cqs = {
 };
 
 // status flags in HB messages are deprecated as of 2.2, later versions will likely repurpose these flags
+// keep in mind if you change any of these to not start with HB you'll have to address the packHeartbeatMessage
+// and how the function computes the isAlt flag.
 QMap<quint32, QString> hbs = {
     { 0, "HB" }, // HB
     { 1, "HB" }, // HB AUTO