What to say on ham radio: your first contact

Calling on a repeater

Listen for a minute first, in case people are pausing mid-conversation. Then press the button, wait a beat and say your call sign and “listening.” That’s the whole call.

1. YouN0CALL listening.
2. No answerWait a minute or two, then call again.
3. YouN0CALL listening. Anyone around for a radio check?
4. W1DEMON0CALL, this is W1DEMO. I heard you the first time, I was just getting settled in the car. You’re full quieting into the repeater. Name here is Marcus. What’s yours?
5. YouThanks for the report, Marcus. I’m Sam, on a handheld at home. I just got my license, and that was my first call.

• Silence is normal. People often listen while driving or working and don’t answer the first call.
• Wait a minute or two before calling again. Calling over and over sounds like a stuck microphone.
• Asking for a radio check gives people an easy reason to answer.
• Still nothing after a few tries? Check your tone and offset, then try a weekday evening, or check into a net.

“Full quieting” means your signal is strong enough that there’s no background hiss. It’s the best signal report you can get on FM.

Try itRehearse it in Key UpAm I reaching the repeater?

Answering someone

On a repeater, answer a listening call with their call sign, then yours: “W1DEMO, this is N0CALL.” Then trade names, as in the call above. When a station calls CQ, like a Parks on the Air activator on 10 meters, keep it even shorter: say your call sign once in phonetics and nothing else.

1. W1DEMOCQ Parks on the Air, CQ POTA, this is W1DEMO, activating Cedar Ridge State Park. W1DEMO, listening.
2. YouNovember Zero Charlie Alpha Lima Lima.
3. W1DEMOThe station ending Lima Lima, again please?
4. YouNovember Zero Charlie Alpha Lima Lima.
5. W1DEMON0CALL, thanks. You’re five-seven into the park. What state?
6. YouThanks. You’re five-nine here in Ohio. N0CALL.
7. W1DEMORoger, thanks for the call. 73. QRZ POTA, W1DEMO.

• Leave out “this is” and greetings. An activator often has a line of hunters waiting.
• If they catch only part of your call, say your whole call sign again, not just the missing part.
• On SSB, signal reports are numbers like “five-nine.” Give an honest one, then your state.
• Technicians can use voice on 10 meters from 28.300 to 28.500 MHz.

“QRZ” means “who’s calling me?” The activator is ready for the next hunter.

Try itRehearse it in Key Up

A simplex call on 146.520

Simplex means radio to radio, with no repeater in between, so turn the offset and tone off. 146.520 MHz is the national 2 meter calling frequency: make contact there, then move to another frequency to talk.

1. YouThis is N0CALL, monitoring 146.520. Anyone around?
2. W1DEMOStation calling on five-twenty, you’re very weak. Please say again your call sign, phonetically.
3. YouNovember Zero Charlie Alpha Lima Lima.
4. W1DEMON0CALL, this is W1DEMO. Got you now. You’re readable but a little scratchy. Name here is Rosa. How am I coming in?
5. YouYou’re full quieting here, Rosa. I’m Sam, on a handheld in my back yard.
6. W1DEMOThanks. Want to move off the calling frequency? Let’s try 146.550.
7. YouSounds good. Meet you on 146.550. N0CALL.
8. W1DEMOSee you on five-fifty, Sam. W1DEMO.

• Simplex can be quiet. If nobody answers, wait a minute or so and call again.
• When a signal is weak, slow down and spell your call sign phonetically.
• On FM, reports sound like “full quieting” or “readable but scratchy.”
• On the new frequency, call the other station to confirm you both made it: “W1DEMO, N0CALL on 146.550.”

Try itRehearse it in Key Up146.520 on the tuning dial

Checking into a net

A net is an on-air meeting at a set time. Net control tells everyone when to talk, which makes a net the easiest place to get on the air. Wait for the call for check-ins, then give your call sign phonetically.

1. Net controlGood evening, this is W1DEMO, net control for the Tuesday Night Net. Stations wishing to check in, please call now with your call sign, phonetically.
2. YouNovember Zero Charlie Alpha Lima Lima.
3. Net controlNovember Zero Charlie Alpha Lima Lima, thank you. Go ahead with your name and location.
4. YouThis is Sam, in Riverton. N0CALL.
5. Net controlWelcome to the net, Sam. Is this your first time with us, and do you have anything for the net tonight?
6. YouFirst time, and no traffic. N0CALL.
7. Net controlGlad to have you, Sam. Please stand by while I take other check-ins.

• Say your call sign once, then let go. Net control will come back to you.
• “No traffic” means you have nothing for the net. “With traffic” or “with a comment” means you do.
• End each answer with your call sign.
• When net control says “stand by,” you’re done for now. Keep listening: they may come back to you, and they’ll close the net at the end.

Try itRehearse it in Key UpFind a net (NetFinder)

Ending a contact

Wrap up with thanks, 73 and your call sign. The FCC requires your call sign at the end of every contact. Adding “clear” says you’re done; some hams say “clear and monitoring” when they’ll keep listening.

1. W1DEMONice to meet you, Sam. Plenty of folks listen without answering, so don’t take the quiet personally. The club net here on Thursday nights is an easy way to find people.
2. YouI’ll listen for it. Thanks for answering, Marcus. 73, N0CALL.
3. W1DEMOGood to meet you, Sam. 73. W1DEMO, clear.

• Say 73 once. It already means “best regards,” so there’s no “73s.”
• Dropping out of a conversation with several people? Say so with your call sign: “I’m going to drop out. 73, N0CALL.”
• In a long chat, give your call sign at least every 10 minutes too, not just at the end.

Try itRehearse it in Key UpComing back? Rehearse your first call back

Mistakes new hams make

• CB lingo. “10-4,” “breaker” and “what’s your 20” come from CB radio. On ham radio, just say “roger” or ask “where are you?” Use your name, not a handle, and save “break” for something urgent.
• “Over and out.” “Over” means “your turn” and “out” means “we’re done, no reply needed,” so the two contradict each other. On a repeater you don’t need either: end with your call sign.
• Talking before the courtesy beep. When the other station lets go, wait for the repeater’s beep, or a second or two, before you answer. The gap lets others break in and resets the repeater’s timer.
• Talking the instant you press the button. Press, wait a beat, then speak, or your first word gets cut off.
• Forgetting your call sign. Give it at the end of each contact and at least every 10 minutes during one. That’s an FCC rule (47 CFR 97.119), not just manners.
• Kerchunking. Keying up without a word, just to hear the repeater, sends a signal with no call sign. To test, say “N0CALL testing.”
• Long turns. Keep each transmission to a few sentences and leave a pause, so others can join and the repeater doesn’t time out.

Nobody expects a new ham to sound perfect. Most people on a repeater are glad to hear a new call sign, and a fumbled call is forgotten by the next one.

Sources

• FCC rule 47 CFR 97.119: station identification
• ARRL band plan (146.520 MHz calling frequency)
• Parks on the Air hunter guide
• FCC rule 97.301: frequency privileges