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AMATEUR RADIO OPERATING CUSTOMS AND PROCEDURES |
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Over the years our operating procedures have changed quite dramatically. In order to understnad the changes we need to know what they were. This section, when completed, will discuss the
reason we used to use standard operating procedures and the reason we don't use those today. It will also cover the best understood procedures of today, and how to use them, on both phone and CW,
including on VHF/UHF repeaters. Check back often, for this subject will be updated and added to frequently. This section is not meant to cover the rules and regulations. It is dedicated
to operating procedures, but as a side trip to that, it may have to refer occasionally to rules, either present or past. So come back soon! The intent is to start on this in mid-April and
continue it through the summer. Ed |
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JOINING A GROUP OR ROUNDTABLE IN PROGRESS By Ed Brooks, W5HTW Someone asked about joining an in-progress group. I do this frequently
on 75 meters, and occasionally on 20 meters.
First, if this is a group you do not know, and that does not know you, the main consideration is "Why?" Are they having an interesting
conversation? Why is it interesting? Do you know something about it? Do you have something to add? Or perhaps a question? If the group is talking about Power Stroke diesel engines, do you want to know
something about that engine? Or maybe you want to compare that engine to some other engine.
I liken round-tables or 'groups' to a group of men standing at the bus stop. They are talking about sports.
You arrive at the bus stop and overhear their conversation. But you know none of these men. However, you do know something about sports, so you want to join in. You wait for the right opportunity and then
you say "How about dem Cowboys?" Or whatever sports comment is appropriate.
It's the same thing on ham radio. This is a group of people talking about a subject. If you listen for a few
minutes, the subject may switch from Power Stroke engines to fishing boats. That's OK. Maybe you like those, too! In other words, be pertinent. Don't pick a group that is talking about digital photography
and hop in there with "Any of you guys rebuilding Power Stroke engines?"
Having determined you have a reason for breaking into a conversation, you need to pick the time. Some of the round
tables go pretty quickly, with none of the operators "dragging their feet" to listen for newcomers. So you have to be ready for a pause that is longer than a second. If not, you are going to be
doubling with someone, and that won't earn you points. See if you can pick up the rhythm of the conversation. Usually one fellow, and maybe a couple, will be a bit slower on the uptake than the rest, and you
will recognize this. But if not, sooner or later there will be a brief moment of silence. And that's where you fit in! Be ready! Don't be off feeding the dog or fixing a snack.
Say your call sign,
once only, clearly, and no phonetics! You have only one or one and a half seconds to get it in, so make it count. Be sure you are right on their frequency, and let's pray you didn't tune up there!
Recognize that not everyone in the group may have heard you, depending upon propagation, QRN, etc. But someone probably did. If you are immediately acknowledged, great! Someone will say "was there a
breaking station in there?" Well, yes, by gosh, there was and you're "it." Now you can return with "This is (call) and the name is (name) in (location). I heard you guys talking about
that fishing boat and I have one. (Or I plan to buy one. Or mine sank.)" But keep it short! One sentence if possible. I recommend still not using phonetics for your call sign until and unless you are
asked to clarify it.
You are in. Next go around you will be included, and someone will probably comment directly to you even at this point. "Oh, your boat sank, Joe? Was it overloaded with
fish?" You are on your way. But don't get long winded and tell a long, tall tale. Make your transmissions short, conversational the way they would be if you were standing around the room chatting with
these guys. (In AM operation, yeah, make your tale long!)
Suppose you weren't heard? Or no-one acknowledged you. Wait a few moments, perhaps through three or four other guys transmitting, then try it
again. Still not acknowledged? Wait again, and try it a third time, after perhaps three more transmissions. Trust that if you can hear all of them, certainly some of them, if not all, can hear you. So if you
aren't allowed in, or acknowledged, in three tries, find another group.
On CW? Similar reasons and similar techniques, except you have to be faster on the break, especially if CW is at 15 wpm or more.
The "old" way was to wait for one guy to turn it to the other, and quickly insert "BK" (the prosign) and hope you were quickly enough to be heard. Chances are you were. If not, try it
again next transmission.
More recently one technique I hear is to use what is generally accepted in net procedures; to simply insert a character. Like as Station A turns it to Station B, and sends
"K" you just send "M" for example. Doesn't have to be a letter from your call sign. If they heard you, someone will send "M?" and you are in. If the QSO you want to break is
slow enough, you can drop in your call sign instead of a letter. The station who is picking it up will hear you and wait.
CW roundtables are not so common anymore, where multiple CW stations are
having a common ragchew. In most cases when it was more common all stations were using full breakin (QSK) so any station could hop in at any time, including a new station. I haven't heard a CW roundtable in
years, so it probably isn't very applicable today.
Tailgating is. That is waiting until a QSO is ending, as as the stations sign with each other, pick the one you want and call him, a one by one call.
(his call once, DE, and your call once. No long calls here, either.)
Getting into group discussions (yeah, Doc) on SSB can be very enjoyable and can form long term friendships. Remember, those groups
you hear every night may consist of some guys who have never met the others in person, yet have been talking for years. You can become a member. You just have to 'fit in,' and that means you have to have
something to contribute, something to say that interests the group.
Have fun!
Ed |
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TALK LIKE A HAM! In recent years a very large percentage of new hams have come into the hobby as former (or continuing) CB operators.Many of
these appear to want to keep their CB operating style and just use it on the ham bands. I'm not sure why, unless it is simply indicative of the new society of people coming into anything and thinking
their way is better than the old ways. For example, all the Hispanics coming into our nation and refusing to learn English, but instead wanting us to learn Spanish. These CBers feel they have a
right to their traditions of "CB lingo" and operating habits, yet they try to deny ham radio the right to its own lingo and traditions. I personally feel they come not to join but to corrupt.
There! Having gotten rid of that political note, we can move along to what it means to be a ham and to actually sound like one. We can address what is standard operating procedure, that is, has been a
ham radio tradition for many years. You can sound like a ham, instead of like a displaced CBer. First, we don't use ten-codes. While there is no rule against standard ten-codes, they have not been a
part of the ham radio tradition. Having settled that, let's move on! CALLING CQ. A CQ call is a general call invitiing anyone to reply. A CQ call can also be
directed at a particular area or purpose, but the idea of calling CQ is to look for someone - anyone - with whom to hold a contact. On sideband, SSB, a typical call might be (I will use my own
call or previous calls, in examples) as follows, spoken aloud and clearly. CQ HELLO CQ CQ THIS IS W5HTW WHISKEY FIVE HOTEL TANGO WHISKEY, W5HTW, CALLING CQ HELLO CQ CQ FROM W5HTW IN NEW MEXICO ANYONE
AROUND? Under rough conditions, the call could be made somewhat longer. It can also be made somewhat shorter and repeated more frequently until an answer is received. Very long CQ calls on
voice are not necessary and may actually prevent someone from answering as he becomes bored listening. The CQ call may be varied in other ways. Thought it certainly doesn't need to be done,
often it is mentioned in the CQ on what band one is operating, that is: CQ CQ CQ TWENTY METERS THIS IS W5HTW ... A directional CQ may also be used: CQ HELLO CQ DELAWARE, CQ DELAWARE,
THIS IS W5HTW WHISKEY FIVE HOTEL TANGO WHISKEY W5HTW CALLING CQ DELAWARE CQ CQ THE STATE OF DELAWARE THIS IS WHISKEY FIVE HOTEL TANGO WHISKEY, W5HTW LISTENING Another form of a specific CQ call:
CQ CQ ANY PENNSYLVANIA QSO PARTY STATION, CQ CQ ANYONE IN THE PENNSYLVANIA QSO PARTY, THIS IS W5HTW, WHISKEY FIVE HOTEL TANGO WHISKEY W5HTW LISTENING. Note the use of standard phonetics in the above
examples. We will discuss phonetics later, but in all of my instruction, only standard phonetics will be used, and the reasons will be given when we get to that segment.
QRZ THE FREQUENCY? You will hear this often! A station gets on the air and uses the above phrase as a way of asking if the frequency is busy. This has been done for many years by
some hams, but it is not really an approved way of asking. The Q-signal QRZ? means "What station is calling me?" If you are simply checking to see if the frequency is in use, NO station is
calling you! The more accepted method of asking if the frequency is in use is, wonder of wonders, "IS THE FREQUENCY IN USE? THIS IS W5HTW" //MORE TO COME - CHECK BACK EVERY WEEK //
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THE NEWCOMER'S GUIDE TO CW OPERATING(or CW "almost" made easy!) Ok, you've learned the dreaded Morse code, you've
passed the test, and you have in your hands the FCC license. The rig is set up, is warmed up, and is ready to go. The key is plugged in, and the 'cans' (headphones) are on your head. Your hand is
poised above the surplus J-38 key that is older than your grandfather, and you can almost see the perspiration dripping from your fingers onto the knob. But you have tuned the rig (if it needed tuning)
and you are listening for someone, someone please, who is sending code at what you hope is your speed! What to do, what to do? THE CQ You can, of course,
call CQ. How would you go about doing that? There are the technical aspects of that, like switching the rig to the transmit mode. It may do that automatically when you press the key, or, if
you have an older type of "boat anchor" rig, you may have to throw a switch to go from receive to transmit. Whatever you have to do, it is time to "just do it!" You press the key. Wow! The
receiver has gone silent, and now you hear your own signal. Well, not really. What you are hearing is your 'sidetone', an internally generated tone that allows you to monitor your code. For
most purposes, though, it is as good as hearing your own signal. You did it! You sent a "dah" out there onto the air. Better do something now, like a "dit." Hey, do you
remember that the letter "C" is "dah-dit-dah-dit?" Of course you do, so send it. And follow it with the "Q" which is "dah-dah-di-dah." Your first CQ. You are 'ON THE AIR."
What do you say? For starters you need to get that CQ call completed. Here's what it should look like:. I'll use my call, but please YOU don't use my call! You use your call!
CQ CQ CQ DE W5HTW W5HTW W5HTW K Yes, sure, you have read that it should be a "3 x 3" call, which is the above line (without the "K") repeated three times. Like this: CQ CQ CQ DE W5HTW W5HTW W5HTW CQ CQ
CQ DE W5HTW W5HTW W5HTW CQ CQ CQ DE W5HTW W5HTW W5HTW K Well, at five words per minute, that is going to take you a very long time! Anyone listening to you is likely to get bored. After the
first part, they are hoping you'll stop and let them call you. But after all, you are looking for someone who is pretty slow, like you, so you are thinking it may take them a couple of times to
understand your call. And you may be right. So you can vary the call, like this: CQ CQ CQ DE W5HTW W5HTW W5HTW CQ CQ DE W5HTW K There. You cut it short, yet you repeated some of the stuff so
someone listening has a better chance of getting your call sign correct. But ... no-one there. You listen a bit. Nope, can't hear anyone calling you. So you repeat it again. CQ CQ
CQ DE W5HTW W5HTW W5HTW CQ CQ CQ DE W5HTW W5HTW K This time you made it a little bit longer. And you sent it at a speed that you know you can copy if someone comes back to you at that same speed.
And someone does! You hear your call in the noise. W5HTW W5HTW W5HTW DE W3GAB W3GAB W3GAB K Wow, W3GAB is calling you! (W3GAB is one of my own former call signs, and is not yet reissued,
so for the moment I'll use it here.) And you actually got his call. You are sure of it. Now your hand is REALLY sweaty! He has sent "K" so he is waiting for you. And you are
shaking. Well, my friend, we have all been there. You get past the shakes, or at least you get them somewhat under control. You send: W3GAB DE W5HTW R TNX OM FOR THE CALL (BT) NAME IS
ED ED (BT) UR SIGS RST 579 579 (BT) QTH IS MCINTOSH NM (?) MCINTOSH NM (BT) HW CPY? W3GAB DE W5HTW K Now let's explain. TNX is short for Thanks. Some use TKS. Doesn't matter,
both mean the same thing. OM is Old Man. The tradition has long been any ham whose name you don't know is OM (unless you can plainly see it is a woman.) I put the (BT) in parens, to
show it is sent as one character, the B and the T run together, like "dah-di-di-di-dah." UR is short for YOUR, SIGS short for Signals, and RST short for the standard Readibility (1 to 5) Strength
(1 to 9) and CW Tone (Also 1 to 9) QTH is the international "Q" signal for "My location is xxxs." I repeated the QTH as it isn't awfully easy to get the name of a strange city in one
try. Then, HW (short for How) and CPY (short for Copy - some use CPI) Then the other fella's call sign, the international prosign DE which means "THIS IS" and the call of your
station. You follow that with "K" which is the international prosign to tell the other guy to transmit now, it's his turn. Now you will listen, and you will expect the same kind of info
back from him: Like this: W5HTW DE W3GAB RR TKS ED (BT) SOLID COPY (BT) NAME HR IS BOB (?) BOB (BT) QTH MIXINGUP VA (?) MIXINGUP VA ES UR RST 589 ? 589 (BT) WX CLR ES CLD, TEMP ABT 26F (BT) AGE
HR 31 ? 31 ES BN A HAM ONLY 7 MONTHS (BT) HW NW RON? W5HTW DE W3GAB (KN) Let's see what he said. Of course, he said "RR" which really is like "roger, roger" though it meant back in the early days of
CW "received" and was only sent once. It has become habit by many hams to send it two or even three times, but once is enough. Then he says TKS, which we recall is "thanks." HR is "here"
and he repeated his name by inserting a question mark after the first one. He did the same with his QTH, and again with your signal report. WX means "weather" CLR means "clear" and "CLD" means
cold. Temp is temperature, while ABT is "about." Note the "ES." In Morse operations "ES" is a prosign that stands for "and." It is known throughout the world, so feel free to use
it. He used "BN" for been. Then he asked HW NW for "How Now?" He closed his transmission with the prosign KN instead of K. That is the letter K and the letter N sent all as one
letter: Dah-di-dah-dah-dit. That means he wants you to transmit and he will not be listening for any other station. ONLY you, no one else. So now you will go back to him and tell
him your age, that this is one of your first contacts, and then about your weather and maybe even what kind of rig you are running. Coming next! The Rigs: The Goodbyes:
Come back soon! Ed |
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THE RIGS AND OTHER GOODIES In the old days, a ham described his rig to the guy on the other end as he wanted to compare conditions and signal strengths. Most hams build
their own radios, and knowing how the radio sounded was important to them. By the late 1930s some commercial rigs were hitting the market (A few were even sold by Sears & Roebuck & Company!)
but the quality of the signal was still of interest to hams. The receiver was important as if you had a poor receiver you may would not think the other guy's signal was very good, when actually it
was pretty strong. The transmitter and antenna told the other guy what you were using to communicate to him, and that helped him give you an honest signal report. Was your rig working OK?
Could it be better? How was the relative strength? What about the tone of the signal? So hams began talking about their radios. Certainly if I told you I was running a kilowatt to a
diple 80 feet up in the air, you would expect a big signal, and I know I would expect you to give me a good signal report. If you did not, I would know something was wrong, but I may not would know if
it was at my end, such as a broken antenna, or at your end, such as a poor receiver. As commercially made gear began to really permeate the ham bands, one would expect, if I were using a
Collins 32V2 and you were also, and we were both on dipoles, we should probably have comparable signal reports. And since the antenna and receiver are part of the equation, we would mention those, too.
It became the custom, then, to say what kind of rig you were running. Many hams did not mention the receiver, just the transmitter and antenna, but by the 1960s it had become more of a brag
line, so the receivers were also mentioned. Today we are mostly transceivers. It is simple enough to say "I'm running a Kenwood TS520." Everyone knows what that is, and they know the
approximate power output of it. In any case, telling the other fellow about your rig is a part of the QSO. You have now established contact, so why not tell him about your radio? It's
short and easy. W5HTW DE W3GAB BT RIG HERE KNWD TS520, ABT 100 WTS, ES ANT IS DIPOLE UP 35 FT. No need to go further with that. He doesn't need to know about your external speaker, your unused power
supply on the floor, or the rig in the car. You have told him what he wants to know. He'll come back and tell you about his rig: W3GAB DE W5HTW R FB ON UR RIG BT RIG HERE ICOM 706
100 WATTS TO VERTICAL BT UR RIG SOUNDS FB (Fine Business, which is ham talk for OK, good, and hot diggity) At 5 wpm, that takes quite a bit of time, so exchanges between you and your friend are going to
be slow and drawn out. But you'll get there! Now you come back again! W3GAB DE W5HTW FB ON UR RIG BT SOUNDS GOOD BT JUST GOT ON THE AIR LAST WK ES U R MY THIRD QSO BT BN A HAM FOR TWO YEARS BUT GOT
MY FIRST HF RADIO LAST WK BT W3GAB DE W5HTW K W5HTW DE W3GAB R CONGRATS ON THIRD QSO BT GLAD TO BE THERE BT BEEN A HAM HERE FOR 31 YEARS BUT WELCOME TO THE CW BANDS BT W5HTW DE W3GAB K R W3GAB DE
W5HTW R HAVE TO QRT NW AS DINNER IS ON THE TABLE BT HOPE TO CUAGN SN BT TNX FOR QSO ES 73 W3GAB DE W5HTW CL CL is the ham prosign for 'closing station' It means I will not be listening for any
other calls. Now you can go eat dinner. You should, though, listen a few seconds to see if the other guy has anything further and if not, go ahead and turn off the radio.
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