Repeater
Usage Requirements
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Adopted
February 19, 2016
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The Coal Fields Amateur Radio Association
(CFARA)) owns and operates many
repeaters This is an open repeater
and its use is encouraged by all legally
licensed amateurs.
The CFARA has
existed a long time and consists of
professional operators who know how to
handle and pass emergency and
non-emergency traffic. This
professionalism is due largely to their
code of conduct on the air and what we
will call "Proper Repeater
Etiquette". We must remember that
not only will our repeater be heard by
other hams in the area, but will also be
heard by the general public listening in
on scanners and other receiving
equipment. Our club is judged by
what is heard on the air. Individual
operators and their on-air activity are
also judged.
All amateurs using
the CFARA repeater will be required to
adhere to the following usage
practices. It is recommended they be
used when talking on other repeaters as
well.
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1
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Listen, Listen,
and Listen
One
of the best ways for new hams to become
accustomed to the hobby is to listen to
those who have been around a while. Always
listen before you begin a new QSO.
Don't just turn your rig on and begin
calling a station. Be
considerate! There may be someone
else using the repeater. If you want
to join a conversation, wait for a break,
sign your call, and wait to be recognized
and invited. Most amateurs are happy
to have others join in. If you have
an urgent need to use the repeater, say
“break”, sign your call, and again wait to
be recognized. State your need to
make a separate contact. Users are
expected to yield to any and all urgent or
emergency traffic. When you finish
your contact, sign your call and turn use
back to the original users. Remember
interrupting someone on the air is as
impolite as doing it in person.
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2
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Identify
Properly
Be
sure to identify properly. FCC Part
97.119 requires each station to identify
at the end of a QSO and every 10 minutes
during each QSO.
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3
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"Kerchunking"
Transmitting
without identifying is considered
illegal! Please do not "kerchunk"
the repeater, it could be on a wide
coverage system. If you want to test
your equipment do it legally by giving
your call followed by the word "testing"
(Example W1AW
testing...). Know where your
microphone is at all times. You would be
surprised how many embarrassing comments
have been made when the mike is open
without your knowledge.
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4
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Language on the
Repeater
Bad
language of any type including swearing,
off color jokes, and/or any other
inappropriate behavior will not be
tolerated. Do not gossip. If
you have a complaint about club
business or a problem with another member,
then contact that person and work out your
difficulties! Remember that
others are listening!
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5
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Organized
Activities
An
organized activity such as a net or a
training drill of any kind will take
priority over any other
regular/non-emergency repeater use!
When you know a net is about to begin,
stay off the air so that "net control" can
call the net.
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6
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Power
Please
use only the amount of power you need to
effectively and clearly get your
transmission out to the repeater.
FCC regulation 97.313(a) requires you to
minimize the possibility of accessing
distant repeaters on the same frequency.
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7
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Music over the
air
Remember
to turn down the music in the car when you
decide to transmit. Not only is
music over the air unprofessional, but it
is also illegal (FCC97.113).
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8
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CB vs. Ham Radio
Please
remember that CB has its own language and
therefore Ham Radio does as well.
When talking on the repeater, please use
plain English not CB jargon!
Remember that we are still governed by FCC
law
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9
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Be Courteous
While
on the air, all club members should strive
to be friendly! Remember the times
when you threw out your call over a
repeater or asked for directions and no
one answered? Well, the only cure
for this is our willingness to respond.
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Prohibited
Communications
The following
communications are prohibited on the CFARA
repeater:
- Derogatory
comments towards any person or group
of people
- Threats of any
kind, veiled or otherwise.
- Discussion of
sensitive or questionable topics
- Communications
using inappropriate language, lingo,
jargon, and other non-common language
- Discussion of
topics considered to be in poor taste
for a public forum or resource
- Discussion
involving activities deemed illegal
under Federal, State or Local Statutes
- Discussion of
activities meant to avert Federal,
State or Local law enforcement efforts
- Other
communications that the control
operator deems inappropriate and/or
inconsistent with CFARA goals.
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Disciplinary
Action
NOTE: The
frequencies used by repeaters belong to
the public, but the actual repeater is
private property. FCC Regulation
97.205(e) states that limiting use of
repeaters to only certain users is
permissible. Failure to follow any
of the rules of the CFARA and the FCC
regulations will result in repeater
privileges and club membership, if
applicable, being revoked.
If disciplinary
action is required, as determined by the
repeater trustee in consultation with
CFARA officers, the following actions
will be taken:
1
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Initial Notice of
Violation of the rules either
verbally or by First Class Mail. |
2
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If violations
continue, Final Notice will be
sent by First Class Certified
mail, Return Receipt Requested. |
3
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Notice to Permanently
Cease Operation on the CFARA
Repeater and membership revocation
will be by Registered Mail. |
Disciplinary
action is permanent, final and
non-negotiable.
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Referral to
Authorities
Copies
of all documents pertaining to a Notice
to Permanently Cease Operation on the
CFARA repeater, sources, and any
background correspondence leading to the
disciplinary action will be forwarded to
the Federal Communications Commission.
This document may
be revised as needed.
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