|
Some Repeater Do's and Don'ts
From the Ol’ Pro
Do’s
·
Identify your station at
least every 10 minutes and at the termination of your contact. Although
it is not an FCC requirement, it is helpful to identify your station at
the beginning of a contact.
·
Monitor the repeater for
at least 30 seconds prior to your initial transmission. When you key
up, take a short breath before speaking, allowing the repeater to
properly key up.
·
Wait at least a couple of
seconds after the end of the squelch tail before transmitting. This
will allow another station with an emergency to break in or others to
join the QSO.
·
Use the minimum amount of
power required to maintain contact. (FCC requirement)
·
Use simplex whenever
possible.
·
Keep each transmission
short. (Less than 3 minutes)
·
ALWAYS use ITU phonetics
when checking in to a net.
Don’ts
·
Don’t “timeout” the
repeater. (Keep each transmission to less than 3 minutes)
·
Don’t “kerchunk” the
repeater to see if it is active or if you are making the machine. Use
your call sign and listen for a squelch tail.
·
Don’t use the word “break”
when wanting to join an existing QSO unless you have an emergency. NEVER
use “break,break, break” unless you have a life-threatening emergency.
To join an existing QSO just transmit your call sign.
·
Don’t add the words “for
ID” after your call sign. What other purpose does your call sign
serve? (OK, it does look neat on your QSL card, auto license plates,
coffee cup, cap…..)
·
Don’t break into an
existing QSO unless you have something of value to add.
·
Don’t discuss politics,
religion, sex or the gory details of your latest operation, you never
know who might be listening. Please save them for an “eyeball QSO”.
·
Don’t overuse the “Q”
signals on FM. Save them for CW.
·
Don’t go overboard trying
to “sound like a ham radio operator”. Remember, you are one!
And last but not least, coffee cups have
handles – people have names!
|
