diff --git a/varicode.cpp b/varicode.cpp
index 0dd331b..3f2d1b5 100644
--- a/varicode.cpp
+++ b/varicode.cpp
@@ -43,12 +43,22 @@ QString alphanumeric = {"0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ /@"}; // callsign
 
 QMap<QString, int> directed_cmds = {
     // any changes here need to be made also in the directed regular xpression for parsing
+    // ?*^&@
 
     {" SNR?",     0  }, // query snr
+    {"?",         0  }, // compat
+
     {" QTH?",     1  }, // query qth
+    {"@",         1  }, // compat
+
     {" QTC?",     2  }, // query station message
+    {"&",         2  }, // compat
+
     {" GRID?",    4  }, // query grid
+    {"^",         4  }, // compat
+
     {" STATUS?",  6  }, // query idle message
+    {"*",         6  }, // compat
 
     {">",     5  }, // relay message
     {"#",     8  }, // all or nothing message
@@ -101,7 +111,7 @@ QMap<int, int> checksum_cmds = {
 };
 
 QString callsign_pattern = QString("(?<callsign>[@]?[A-Z0-9/]+)");
-QString optional_cmd_pattern = QString("(?<cmd>\\s?(?:HEARTBEAT (ACK|REQ)|AGN[?]|QSL[?]|HW CPY[?]|APRS[:]|QRZ[?]|SNR[?]|QTC[?]|QTH[?]|GRID[?]|STATUS[?]|(?:(?:ACK|73|YES|NO|SNR|QSL|RR|SK|FB|QTH|QTC|GRID|ACTIVE|IDLE)(?=[ ]|$))|[#> ]))?");
+QString optional_cmd_pattern = QString("(?<cmd>\\s?(?:HEARTBEAT (ACK|REQ)|AGN[?]|QSL[?]|HW CPY[?]|APRS[:]|QRZ[?]|SNR[?]|QTC[?]|QTH[?]|GRID[?]|STATUS[?]|(?:(?:ACK|73|YES|NO|SNR|QSL|RR|SK|FB|QTH|QTC|GRID|ACTIVE|IDLE)(?=[ ]|$))|[?*^&@#> ]))?");
 QString optional_grid_pattern = QString("(?<grid>\\s?[A-R]{2}[0-9]{2})?");
 QString optional_extended_grid_pattern = QString("^(?<grid>\\s?(?:[A-R]{2}[0-9]{2}(?:[A-X]{2}(?:[0-9]{2})?)*))?");
 QString optional_num_pattern = QString("(?<num>(?<=SNR|HEARTBEAT ACK)\\s?[-+]?(?:3[01]|[0-2]?[0-9]))?");