Repeater Etiquette (037)

[@ijontichy6070]

Hello dr OM Ralph ! Thank You for very simple explain of hamspirit during work on repeaters . In my case -I am not using repeaters because our local repeaters are on our building and antennas are in a few meters to my antennas on this same roof. You can understand me I know that my signal absolutly can block our repeaters and I am sure - I am not an idiot to use this mode of communication hi! But I agree to everything what is in content of Yours YT-film and Thank You very much! By the way I am almost 68 old man ,and one year ago i am back on ham radio after long- long break since 1975 dr OM! .But my for me - best emission was and still is the King in radiocommunications -only CW. It is now amazing for me - how my old brain can still decode CW ! It is big pleasure for me to can listen CW and making QSO*s on CW ! Hope to meet You on the bands (40 m is the best)All the best for You and Your Family ! vy 73! Matt SP3FYI

[@eie_for_you]

You are very welcome! We are the same age, you and me. I would love CW, too, if I could get myself to spend the time. I am very, very slow.🙃

[@jerrysolonsmith8471]

Excellent, excellent excellent format and info.... I am guilty of calling cq on local 2m and 70cm repeater. New technician here. W4GGZ. Thank you. 73.

[@eie_for_you]

Yep, I did that, too, when I was first getting into using repeaters. One of the local hams where I was living at the time gently corrected me. I am glad that that the video was helpful. 🙂

[@poorman-trending]

Ive been told its fine to call CQ on a repeater - by multiple people. And in fact thats about the only way I actually get other hams responding. I stopped announcing as “listening” or “monitoring” unless thats actually what i want to do .. just listen/monitor.

[@eie_for_you]

As I said in the video, what I presented here is a compilation of several repeater/ham radio clubs' published repeater etiquette documents from all over north America. So, this isn't just me speaking out of my preferences. All of this also agrees with what I was told early on by yet another group when I first started using repeaters back in the late 1990s. If all I want to do is listen, then I do not need to announce that I am listening. Announcing that you are "listening" or "monitoring" is repeater speak for CQ.

[@poorman-trending]

@@eie_for_you maybe its just my area. Ive yet to receive a single response without calling “CQ” or specifically saying im looking for a contact. When i talked to few local hams about why noone responds they told me to say “CQ” . My understanding was as youve said: “monitoring” or “listening” means youre open/looking for a contact. My experience has been opposite of that though.

[@eie_for_you]

@@poorman-trending Yeah ... it is sad that this lack of response seems to be all over the place. It used to be very different.

[@ijontichy6070]

WOW! Thank You for comment . It is no problem, because I Am also not a "Speedy Gonzales"hi! For example I had very very nice about 30 minutes long QSO with EA6AOL/3 using speed 6 WPM! But my main problem is in my equipment .I am using a Xiegu 90- very nice low price and low power hi! tcvr and a home made HF 20a antenna, located about 35 mtrs. up over the ground on our apartment building about 33 mtrs high. Last winter i have had some Qso*s with W and K -stations and I will be very happy to QSO with You and I hope to be lucky man and we will meet on hf ! Vy 73!

[@Methodizations]

How long did it take you to get your call sign? Is 6-9 months kinda average? I listen a lot, only ever heard two conversations though. That was on 20 meters. Anyway, coming up on 10 months since i passed my tech. I've learned allot, but i really want to use my radio.

[@eie_for_you]

First 🙂==WELCOME TO HAM RADIO== 🙂 Well..I honestly do not remember how long it took me to get my first license. I got my original license (Novice, WN2PUX) in 1970 ... this was a while ago. The biggest hurdle was learning the required (at that time) Morse Code. THAT took time to get even to 5 words-per-minute. Everyone is so different as far as how long it takes. The only thing that matters in the end is that you got it ... you achieved your goal. For that you deserve a pat on the back for sticking with it! 🙂 I *highly* recommend getting your General class license because it opens up a *HUGE* world of radio to you. When you do, I recommend taking in my video on HF operations. It'll give you a big leg up on the whole HF world. www.youtube.com/watch?kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4LQmmmwlJeaqcU Hope this helps! 🙂

[@MrTikie9405]

New to the radio world … but I got my GMRS license , made a few transmissions and was called “noisy” on the repeater.. what does that mean ?

[@eie_for_you]

Good question. I am going to give you a very full rounded answer that should help you do better all around. GMRS uses Frequency Modulation, which means that stuff that *normally* affects the amplitude of the signal (like static crashes from lightning) does not affect the audio. This is referred to as being "full quieting" = a good signal. HOWEVER, if your signal weak into the repeater, the normal background noise that exists in the R.F. world starts to affect the audio quality. Your signal becomes "noisy." You are no longer "full quieting." This can sometimes be "fixed" by just moving your antenna a little bit, maybe standing up if you were sitting down, taking a half-step to the right or left, standing on one foot with your radio in the air and your tongue hanging out (just jokes! LOL 😀). If you are using a handheld transceiver (AKA: an HT), the "rubber duck" antennas that often come with them are pretty pathetic, poorly matched for the frequency, and poor signal radiators (also known as "rubber resistors"). Getting a better quality antenna can help. Don't go cheap here. Cheap just gets you another rubber resistor. If you are using a base station (mobile radio with a stationary antenna), we also think antenna, but also think coax (very often overlooked). At GMRS frequencies RG58 has really high losses (12 dB loss/100 ft at 400 MHz). It is convenient, but by the time your 50 watt transmitter power gets to the other end of 100 feet of RG-58 only about 4 watts is actually delivered to your antenna!!! The other 46 watts is being dissipated in heat in the coax. Hope this helps! 🙂

[@MrTikie9405]

@@eie_for_you Thank you sir! I have the infamous baofeng HT at the moment with the stock antenna. My new antenna from single stuff is on its way. I am trying to hit a repeater 8-9miles away with no elevation advantage 😬 I did get the response of being too noisy and I also think I heard Morse code? Fairly confident it was Morse code, sounded like the movies. In any case I’ll try again with the new antenna. Thanks again for the “Elmer” lesson. (Just read the history on Elmer 😆)

[@ijontichy6070]

sorry My English is absolutly not correct👍🙂