Calling CQ for the FIRST TIME on Ham Radio

[@michaelzimmerman9194]

My first time calling CQ was just a few weeks ago. Using a 2m HT I managed to reach out 30 miles from that mountain top overlooking Hell’s Canyon in Oregon. The owner of the repeater I hit was super gracious, kept with me telling me I was barely audible until I moved a level up the fire lookout tower, and then we had a great conversation. He even offered to activate his remote repeater that would reach down into the Imnaha River where we were camping. He was so welcoming. An awesome first contact experience.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Wow. What a wonderful experience!!

[@timprice1284]

I myself am a rather large talker but not everyone is. This video is very good to let new hams get into the swing of radio! 73s ND4A

[@peterlowrie1216]

I remember many many years ago on 10m FM I was calling CQ and got a reply from a 5B4 who said he'd never heard such a happy and enthusiastic CQ and felt he needed to respond. Since that day I've knocked that on the head and became a grumpy, miserable auld bugger.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

HAHA Peter, loved that comment!! LOL!

[@jaym1301]

One more thing: if you're a new ham looking for your first contact on HF, say so! "CQ CQ CQ, this is DW7SMP, Delta Whiskey Seven Sierra Mike Papa. Brand new ham here, looking for my first ever contact and standing by." You may well find yourself handling a pileup with all the other hams wanting to welcome you to the hobby.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Probably! Nice comment :)

[@union310]

That happened to me

[@ferdinandwp4rjl377]

Great info Lord Callum, it is always nice to hear fellow hams give out great advice. 73

[@olivierconet7995]

Calum, you are perfectly right. We should never forget that a QSO is a communication between humans 😁

[@exterC0ffx]

Mate, how real is this! Thank you Callum well said mate. I remember calling CQ for the first time back in 1995 and a station Portland Oregon returned the call and said that there was just no way he could ignore this CQ. So true how important it is, don't be humdrum in our approach. Sound like you are an announcer on the BBC, put the cans on turn up the monitor and listen to yourself and you'll see what he our gentleman is talking about. So I agree totally, enjoy your air time, plan for it pick your day your time your MUF for that time of day and your weapons of choice, and you will succeed! Thank you Callum nice work mate enjoy the YT and greeting from VK2EAT regards daryl

[@DXCommanderHQ]

... your choice of weapon! Love it :)

[@jamescady723]

Thank again! These videos are more helpful than people realize.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Diamond!

[@M0RMY]

Brilliant - it's always about human context. 1. Be enthusiastic. 2. People will rarely answer a "dull-sounding" person. Have some chutzpah! 3. There is always someone listening. 4. IF you are listening - reply!! 5. Ask youself - "Why have I got the radio on? Am I just earwigging or shall we all have a bit of radio fun?" 6. Be kind - you may have 4000 DL or G calls logged but so what - they are a new contact, have a quick chat. 7 Enjoy having the privelidge of a licence to talk over the airwaves to the world.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Amen Tom!

[@fredbissnette3104]

my first cq call came back from w1aw , I had my licence for over a year before I was able to operate so once I had my station setup I had no experience, when I punched the call into qrz I had a good laugh as I was unaware who had the w1aw callsign, it was the arrl headquarters , talk about a neat first contact and it goes to show you you never know who is on the band when you call!

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Man, that's so cool!

[@Juttutin]

Random comment from someone with only fractionally above zero interest in the topic, but oh my between your made-for-radio voice and the audio quality in this video, I think I finally understand why KZbinrs spend money on quality microphones.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Justin, thanks for dropping by! Yes, there's JUST a whisker difference from $50 to $500. But it makes the difference :)

[@sclerismockrey8506]

Your videos are always -- without fail -- entertaining and educational, and I have been enjoying the hell out of 'em. Thanks Callum! 73 de N0TLD

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Thank you!

[@andreVE4BK]

Great comments and examples Cal! I used to call CQ ONCE when I operated from Syria in ‘91… pileup from that point on 😁 Stay safe my friend

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Goodness me!

[@Martin_Lynch]

Excellent video Callum. Always enjoy content for the new hams. We need to encourage more people into this wonderful world of Amateur Radio.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Oh yes!

[@itsawsome1234]

KD8SYI from the US. Honestly love your videos!! Have learned quite a bit from watching you. 73s! From across the pond!

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@JJH0326]

Been listening on different bands for over a year, had my tech passed for about 9 months now. FCC still hasn't given me my callsign yet so I have to wait til I can make my first contact, but the only frequency band I've ever heard a conversation on was 20 meters. I have 70cm, 2, 10, 20, 40, and 80 meters antenna options that I run a lot. I've only ever heard anything on 20 meters, and in this last year I've only heard one conversation in the day on 20, and two on 20 meters at the evening. The last one was almost two months ago. I keep hearing that HAM isn't dead - but I've spent over 1500 dollars on equipment, built plenty of my own antennas, learned a TON thanks to apps like ham study and watching all of these videos.... but I'm also kinda still waiting on my FCC callsign so I can't really see for myself... it just... doesn't really seem like there's anybody out there... I'm not gonna lie..... I'm gonna give it a couple a more months and if I dont get a callsign - I'm gonna get another FRN number and try it one more time,.... after that I believe I'll have to sell my stuff.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

OK.. Sounds like the antenna.. 40m SHOULD be busy early evening. 20m during the day.

[@Gumby1978]

I was shy calling CQ. I will change my approach. Thank you

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Great stuff!

[@stevegriffin9552]

Hey Callum great video I need to start doing that. Calling CQ. I hope you and your family are doing OK I saw on the news that y’all are having a heat wave. We’ve been 35°C or 38°C on a continuing basis here and the lakes and rivers are drying up. If you have to work outside please stay hydrated take care my friend and thank you for the video. From the Texas hill country. 73 WD5ENH Steve

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Yeah Steve, it's a wee bit hot, even overnight. The kitchen this morning is sitting at 27C. It'll peak at around 40C today. However, we get rain tomorrow!

[@JesterHellsingborg]

Have fun in the sun but stay hydrated....and im enjoying my Poc radio... 🤙🙏

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Rock on!

[@mewrongwayKOCXF]

Awesome Callum!

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Legend!

[@siti7797]

Totally love this video. It's so true. So guys and dolls get up and do your best Brian Blessed into the mic. Then enjoy the qso's

[@DXCommanderHQ]

So true!

[@Pilgrim420]

Cool channel 👍great info, thanks @DX much appreciated brother,

[@DXCommanderHQ]

No problem 👍

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Cal, Excellent primer for that first time CQ. You and the family stay safe. 73 WJ3U

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Thanks Don! 👍

[@renevertommen7669]

Der is a vk7hh with almost the same video about calling cq but he is faling to sleep ,your video is mutch better 😂😂

[@Random-JK]

Thanks for the video Callum.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Any time!

[@YLRaisa]

Callum, thanks for the great video!!! You advice are excellent!!! I am sure they will help someone to make a first CQ 😉.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

I hope so too!

[@mattblack133]

Super video... from a green ham. 73

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Many thanks!

[@SurvivingTheApocalypse]

I hear a fella from Liverpool on 40m quite often and he must say ‘CQ’ 10-15 times.

[@____.__._.._]

I was calling cq on 20 m from the club station. The conditions rapidly got worse, but after few minutes a HZ station responded. I got a bit ashamed of not being able to copy him properly, despite him obviousely running a kW station, and also the callsign was exotic to me, so after some "come again" I gave him the frequency, and gone somewhere else. Just after we ended, the pile up was already there.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Yesw, I have done that too.. Unusual callsigns STILL do thsat to me..

[@foxonem7dfh257]

Thanks Cal, great video and good technique I'll give it a try

[@Bob814u]

I was activating a park here in the US. I was activating on 14.014.14 mhz. It looked cool. After 10 CW contacts the water hole dried up. I log on paper so when I went to input them on the computer I was amazed that only Extra class operators were answering. Then it hit me, I was in the Extra portion of our band. I am an extra but people have to also realize privileges are not everyone's. Sorry for the rant. 73 de KE5ES

[@DXCommanderHQ]

That's OK! ALways a pleasure to read your comments!

[@haroldskinner1783]

Call like you mean it, great advice

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Right on!

[@Kim_Darkman]

Good video and topic, once again, thanks for this. This subject has been one of the main issues for me almost the whole time I've been doing ham radio. My ham shack is in an apartment building or similar, where the neighbor is almost behind your equipment. You have to pay a lot of attention to the use of your voicelevel. You can imagine a situation where early morning/late night dx is heard in a band and you want to do it but you can't do it in a whisper :D. the acoustics must be improved. There are many changing factors (room echo etc..). these are the basics, but they can often be forgotten. it's good to practice and find a suitable technique, the distance to the microphone and how loud to shout :D. I take advantage of various KiwiSDR etc services to find better settings for TX sound. Of course it doesn't sound the same somewhere in Manchester, but it gives an indication. I'm also big mic swinger, so the conditions are always different, hi! (need a headset for sure).. 73' de Kim/OH7FDY

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Have you considered recording your voice - and playing your callsign back in a nice "loud" manner directly from computer to radio..? Watch out for a video soon on this subject.

[@Kim_Darkman]

@@DXCommanderHQ I have recorded few clips,. but defo should rec few more, where repeating my call, with using different emphases.F and Y are often misheard so need to be more specific in presenting them. Havent try out from PC to TRX, how it sounds. I have an easier DX CALL but haven't used it yet (OG7G)..

[@YLRaisa]

When I am calling CQ I feel always like First Time 😂

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Awe Raisa! You are an expert! :)

[@nathancasey2128]

Hi, Great bit of advice, enjoyed the video thanks

[@DXCommanderHQ]

No problem 👍

[@temporarilyoffline]

See, I knew it was you that taught me this!

[@DXCommanderHQ]

HAHA!

[@bamsefarkanstrup8468]

Hello from Denmark oz1kai, hope to here you on the amatør band,

[@gmrjinx27]

My 1st qso was sometime in 1982 after I earned my novice license. 40m cw. Very nervous but I got through it. Using a n sb301 and sb401. Had a folded dipole out of tv twin lead wire. No idea what my swr or power was. The transmitter loaded up just fine. I made quite a few contacts on 40. One operator I talked to on cw about 2.5 hours. When he started he said he first used spark- gap transmitter. He was in his 80s at the time.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Spark Gap... Woah! :)

[@kishor_VU2MZT]

Cool tips

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Thanks!

[@patrickmolloy6994]

ThanksCal. I'm one of those too shy to get on the air. I need to knock a whole through the wall for the antenna cable. .. which I confess has been my excuse for a couple of years now! FFS I need a KICKING !

[@DXCommanderHQ]

FFS Pat, get a move on! You need a long drill bit, probably a masonary one. Do a 12mm hole and shove some 10mm coax through it. You'll be on in no time. Consider this an official kick! :)

[@DonzLockz]

More solid info... so I just need to imitate Callum?! Haha.😄👍

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Oh goodness, don't do that :)

[@DominicMazoch]

Use the 12, and 17M

[@andyd9199]

Thx!!

[@richb.4374]

He could try checking in to a net. On a net frequency there will be several hams all over the country listening to that same frequency at the same time thereby increasing the chances of being heard. Not sure how many nets if any exist in the UK, but here in America there are many nets on all of the bands, it's easy to get heard on them when you know what time and frequency they are on.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

"He" could? Who ever he is but yes.. We don't really have nets in the UK.. Strange but true!

[@richb.4374]

@@DXCommanderHQ The "He" I was referring to is the fellow who emailed you about not getting out. I'm a bit surprised you don't have net's in the UK. Anyway, I was just trying to help, have a great day!

[@jethrobrowne2942]

Sound advice :)

[@OctavMandru]

Jeez Calum, stop teaching the pick-up lines to the newbies! :)

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Too late LOL!!! :)

[@K5KTM]

I am stuck working 10m (US tech license) the only thing I have found is to be perky on the air, make your CQ calls a little longer (they show up on scopes better) and call often. I can usually get someone or multiples to answer as long as the band is open. I wish the US did the same as the UK and Aussie foundation licensing with the band plan. Being restricted to 10m, VHF and UHF absolutely kills ham in my opinion. There is no reason Techs, Foundation etc can’t work 20 and 40m…just bloody snobbery in my opinion. We would encourage a lot more hams to get licenses and work the bands if we actually allowed them onto bands that we could use for more than 30 mins a week.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

You make two GREAT points!

[@Den-ml7zg]

whats keeping you on 10m, will the man hunt you down if you go 20 or 40. Newb here just curious

[@bluzman00]

Call CQ POTA any day….guaranteed QSO’s and good practice operating.

[@62chevrolet]

Just call on 14.300! You’ll be scolded for clogging up the maritime emergency frequency, but you’ll know if you’re getting out 😉

[@DXCommanderHQ]

HAHA BRILLIANT!

[@Subdood04]

Great advice, if I may ask though, as a new Ham I only have a small HT in 2m and 70cm. I am in a rural area in Alabama and I have verified I can hit the local repeaters. Is it a big deal if you can’t give signal reports etc as I’m on an HT.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

OK, so if you CAN hear the repeater and folks ask for a signal report through it, by all means just say, "Hello, I am in Town XYZ and you are fully quietning the repeater and your audio sounds great" (or frankly what ever you like as long as it's honest. Often, they just want a quick chat and to make sure their toy is still working! I am sure the folks on the other end would be appreciative of your shout.

[@mm3nrx]

Who is this Mike Shi? he is everywhere...

[@DXCommanderHQ]

He's very annoying :)

[@bornodnoc1034]

I've gone from watching a few vids on radio to watching this. I think I've skipped a few steps.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

HAHA yes, maybe! But you need to jump in the pond somewhere!

[@bornodnoc1034]

@@DXCommanderHQ Yep but I'm drowning now.

[@Beanie1984]

I had more contact before I got my licence. As soon as I got a licence, hello, CQ CQ CQ CQ, hello, is anybody there? CQ CQ. 30 mins later.. CQ CQ lol

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Woops! There are plenty of Ham Radio *AND* CB ops..

[@DominicMazoch]

Also try some nets. They want contacts.

[@DominicMazoch]

And good net ops will help with suggestions to improve your signals. And those cases where the defecation meets ventilation, if you are in a emergency situation, and you check in, they will bend over backwards to get you help.

[@apartmentamaturen2dbi176]

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂 he said what do I do

[@matty41144]

Im not an ham radio but im an cb operator (cb is only 1 mhz below 10 meters) and i dont know how say cq,cq probably (i just say something and hope for a contact). The cb bands are open (hearing foreign stations on the band) so the 10 meters should be open as well. Have you tried making contact on 10 meters on qrp like 10 watts (or lower) ?

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Yes, 10W on 10m works just the same as 11m. Good question.

[@YeatesBoyd]

Martin Jessica Smith Linda Thomas Jose

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Linda Thomas Jose is on KZbin with 2 followers :)

[@seandrake7534]

Do you know how to listen for people calling CQ on echo link app for mobile phones

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Yes.. Listen.. :)

[@seandrake7534]

@@DXCommanderHQ where in the app do you listen

[@tropicvolt7008]

Any updates on the Signature 9.5 antenna model you mentioned in an April video?

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Ship in the Med right now...!

[@simonclarke2198]

Hi Callum Radio Amateur Bands, are there any designated calling channels? As I am just about to do my foundation license in the next two weeks, I am new to amateur radio, So can you suggest anything?

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Not on HF no.. Only VHF has a "calling channel" although if you are up a mountain and clear line of sight for 200 miles, you can call anywhere..

[@simonclarke2198]

thank you very much Simon

[@Michael.G-1871]

☝👍

[@nikonman3971]

ya your wierd all right

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Yes, I'm Autistic and ADHD and I'm on meds fopr it, now go and fuck off.

[@davidhelmes9587]

Thanks for the videos. Great stuff! Still working on my 1st phone contact as a tech. KD2ZSV 73

[@DXCommanderHQ]

I'm sure you will be fine

[@SmokeSignalsRF]

Excellent points! Vy 73s W1FYG

[@DXCommanderHQ]

TNX!