The Elmer Factor !
When you transmit, remember that many people are listening. Some are hams and some are not. There are a lot of monitors and scanners out there these days. Give the listening audience a good impression of our Amateur Radio Service, in this day and age the Police scanner more so than the shortware receiver is often the first flirtation with Amateur Radio.
Below are some pointers, reminders and comments from our observations regarding the local VHF+ FM scene both on and off repeaters as to what we have observed taking place and what's good, bad and illegal:
1. Loss of face: Don't have any QSO that you would be embrassed to have your parents, better half or clergy person overhear.
2. IDing: Don’t forget to ID at least every ten minutes and at the end of the QSO. Regardless of traffic when mobile or interesting conversation subjects and the frequent interruptions from those joining or dropping out of the QSO, time passes fast when you’re having fun and Part 97 requires an ID at 10 minute intervals.
3. Please don’t "kerchunk" (key up the repeater without identifying): This is an unidentified transmission in accordance with FCC Part 97.119(a) and although you may think that it is anomynous, take our word for when we tell you that will today's monitoring equipments and techniques, each and everytime you kerchunk, you leave an RF finger print.
Testing: If you are making a test transmission or calling another party, this is a one-way transmission. Since it has no "length" as there is no QSO taking place, you should identify each time you make a call or a test transmission.
Can you hear me now ?: If you are unsure how well you are making it into the repeater, DO NOT kerchunk the repeater. Any time you key up the repeater, you should identify, even if you are just testing to see if you are making the machine. "N2XYZ test" is sufficient. Do not use the repeater as a "target" for tuning or aiming antennas, checking your transmitter power, etc. Use a dummy load where appropriate, or test on a simplex frequency. If you need someone to verify that you are making the repeater OK, ask for a signal report such as "N2XYZ, can someone give me a signal report?"
4. Take pause: After you key your mike, WAIT a second or two before you speak, especially when you are first announcing your presence on the repeater (as in CALLSIGN listening). This is essential if you want to be heard on a linked system, expecially an Internet linked system as there are many delays in the system that will cause your first syllables to be dropped when you speak immediately after keying the mike.
5. Linquistly speaking: Use plain English when you speak (or any language, although you do need to ID in English!). The kind of English that would be suitable for prime-time television, not R rated movies. CB has its own language style and so does Amateur Radio, but the two are not the same. Amateurs have "names", not "personals". Although many new hams have graduated from the CB ranks, let's try to keep CB lingo off the Amateur bands. Avoid phonetics on FM unless there is a reason for using them, such as the other station misunderstanding your callsign. When phonetics are needed, stick to the standard phonetic alphabet.
6. Take a breath: Come up for air during a QSO as repeaters have a time-out timer of no more than 3 minutes, the maximum allowed by FCC Part 97. If you exceed the time-out timer length, the repeater will "Time Out" and shut down. It will automatically come back online when you unkey, at which time you will be embaressed.
7. How's my modulation ?: Check your transmitted audio quality. Learn how far from the mouth to hold the mike (perhaps at an angle, if breath pops are a problem) and how loud to speak. Too loud means you over-deviate your FM transmitter – the most frequent cause of distortion. You may want to do this test on a simplex frequency. Some repeaters’ receivers will simply refuse to pass over-deviated signals, which results in lost syllables. This is often a problem when you purchase that new state of the art radio and have not yet learned how sensitive its microphone may (or may not) be to your voice. It's best if you ask for someone to comment on your audio if you do not have recording/playback equipment.
8. Listen, listen, listen: Listen before you talk, don't just jump on the air, take some time to monitor before jumping into a QSO get a feel for the type of traffic and operating mannerisms of that particular stations. Some times you will find very free-wheeling activity where there are people jumping in and out of conversations constantly.
9. Joining a QSO: If there is a conversation taking place which you would like to join, simply state your callsign when one user unkeys. This is the reason for having a courtesy tone: to allow other users to break into the conversation. One of the stations in QSO, usually the station that was about to begin his transmission, will invite you to join, either before making his own transmission or afterwards. Don't interrupt a QSO unless you have something to add to the topic at hand. Interrupting a conversion is no more polite on a repeater than it is in person.
10. Minimum RF power necessary: Use the minimum amount of RF power necessary to complete a QSO. However, the minimum power necessary doesn't just mean you are barely tickling the repeater receiver squelch. If someone says that you are noisy, increase power or relocate or take whatever measures you can to improve your signal. Continuing to make transmissions after being told your signal is noisy is inconsiderate to those listening.
11. Cross Band Repeating: Today many Amateurs make use of dual-band radios on 2 meters and 70cm meters that support "Cross Band" operation to extend the range of their weak hand held radio signal for various reasons.
This capability is a very useful tool during public service events and Emergency communictions scenarios, however, before setting up a temporay cross-band repeater capability, make sure you are familiar with the FCC Part 97 regulations which govern repeaters and so called "remote bases" regarding Station Control and Station Identification.
Below are two representations of the use of Cross Band repeating of signals in both Simplex and Repeater operations to extend hand held radio range using a UHF mobile remote scenario.
The above graphics are from the Chester County Pennsylvania ARES/RACES web site at: (http://www.inthedark.com/rak/corssband_operation.htm)
When using a temperory Cross Band operation to access your local repeater with an HT, make sure the
repeater sponsor permits such operation. Then, when permitted, it is best if only your weak HT signal is
being re-transmitted and that you listen to the output of the repeater direct. This avoids repeating the
output of the repeater by your station transmitter and elimnates the need for the repeater to drop before
your can transmit.
With respect to FCC Part 97 and cross band operation, your operation must be above 222.150Mhz as
per FCC Part 97.201.
It is NOT recommended to use standard simplex frequencies, especially the national calling frequency
of 446.000Mhz on 70cm as many have been found to do, as you will interfere with normal communications.
For more information see the ARRL band plan (http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/bandplan.html).
Rather, it is recommended to use the same linking sub bands as would be used for a permenant repeater RF
link such as the range of 223.64-223.70Mhz on 1.25m and 433.00-435.00Mhz on 70cm. However, you should
first check to make sure the frequency chossen is clear of regular use, the linking sub band vary around the
country according to the local freqneucy coordination band plans. In the New Jersey area that would mean
referring to the MetroCor (http://www.qsl.net/metrocor/)
and ARCC (often you need to try again) (http://www.arcc-inc.org/) band plans. Most
of today's dual band radio's will transmit down to 430Mhz in the 70cm band to facilitate this.
If you are not physically at the transmitter acting as the Control Operator (FCC 97.109b), the transmitter
must have an automatic ID per FCC Part 97.119 and you must have a means of being able to turn the
transmitter off remotely in accordance wtih FCC Part 97.201, 97.213. Many of today's newer radios
have CW ID and DTMF control built in to facilitate this.
If you are going to repeat signals on your chossen frequcency above 222.150Mhz then your transmitter
have a 3 minute time out timer active in accordance with FCC Part 97.213b. Many of today's newer
radios have time out timers built in to facilitate this.
You should also use full CTCSS or DCS for access control on your chossen frequency
to keep the transmissions of other stations from activating your link and causing a problem
in accordance with FCC Part 97.213c. Most of today's newer radios have full CTCSS
and some even have DCS built in to facilitate this.
For more information refer to the ARRL's FCC Rule Book, 12th Edition, Chapter 3, "Special Operations",
"Making it Legal".
12. Simplex Repeater: The Radio Shack Simplex Repeater (RS 190-0345) and other dedicated digital store
and repeat devices or a PC computer with parrot software that have come along ove the last few years are
handy for various public service and Emergneyc communications situations.
Such devices are not repeaters in the sense that it does not receive and transmit simultaneously on two
frequencies. Such devices should only be used on one frequency and not set up to occupy a standard
repeater pair.
As these digital store and repeat devices are not repeaters, they can not be operated under automatic
control, if you the control operator is NOT physcially at the control point of the device, it can NOT be
used. You can NOT leave one of these systems on 24 hours a day unattended !
As it is not a true repeater and as it is being used on on frequency, these devices do not come under
the rules of repeater operation. However, it is recommended that you operate such a system using a
form of access control such as CTCSS or DCS.
For more information refer to the ARRL's FCC Rule Book, 12th Edition, Chapter 3, "Special Operations",
"Making it Legal".
13. Simplex Autopatches: There are devices on the market that are advertised and sold as a
"Simplex Autopatch". However, they are illegal for use below 222.150Mhz unless a licensed
control operator is at the point of control or a form of auxilliary control is being used. Thus a
2 meter simplex autopatch when no ham is there and no form of auxilliary control is being
used is illegal.
For more information refer to the ARRL's FCC Rule Book, 12th Edition, Chapter 3, "Special Operations",
"Making it Legal".
14. The Internet and VoIP systems: The marriage of Amateur Radio and Voice Over IP with such systems
as EchoLink and IRLP have become very popular of late and have found their way to both repeaters and
simplex. To read our separate VoIP and FCC Part 97 page please click here.
NOTE:
The willful and/or malicious interference of any type with a repeater station is a violation of Federal Law. This includes unidentified transmissions, attempts to access repeater controller functions, the playing of music or other forms of broadcasting, keying down on a QSO, obscene language, willful transmission of a falsified emergency calls and any other use of a repeater that is illegal.
Should you experience any malicious interference, such as kerchunking, touch-tones, rude comments, obscenity etc. DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT! Continue the QSO in a normal fashion. If the interference gets to the level where it is impossible to carry on the QSO, simply end the QSO as you normally would. However, take as many mental and physical notes as possible and provide a full report on the events to the club trustee, even if you think or know that someone else will do the same thing, this way we can gather the required information to build a case against the perpertraitor(s).
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