# UK Amateur Radio ## Foundation Licence 2002
### Operating Practices & Procedures Part C This part of the course will be tutor lead at practical sessions
### What frequencies to use ?
On VHF and UHF there are designated "Calling Frequencies" so that those listening to the bands use that frequency to wait for a contact. Frequencies given below are in MHz
VHF | 144.300 | SSB Voice
VHF | 144.600 | RTTY
VHF | 145.500 | FM voice
UHF | 432.200 | SSB voice
UHF | 433.500 | FM voice
After getting a reply to your CQ call you must QSY (change frequency) so that you do not clog up the calling frequency. You must therefore know where you can operate and particularly on the FM portion of the bands where the frequencies are channelised know that only those frequencies are used so that you do not interfere with other transmissions. Here you will be given a copy of the relevant part of the band plan so you do not have to learn all the frequency band.
### Operating through a repeater
When you want to operate through a repeater you must know several things 1. the input and output frequencies of the repeater. 2. Whether the repeater is tone bust access, tone burst and voice or CTCSS. 3. is there a time out on the repeater.
### 1. Frequencies of the repeater
#### OFFSET For 2m operation the offset is 600kHz lower. This means that the frequency you transmit to the repeater is lower than what is called the output frequency. Thus a frequency of 145.700 out put will have an input frequency of 145.100. Why the need for the different frequencies. Well it is not possible to hear two station if they are in close proximity to you if they transmit at the same time ( or double as it is called) and thus nor would you hear the repeater. But transmit as input a lower frequency and the output simultaneously occurring. ### 2. Tone / CTCSS The repeater need something to wake it up. You probably have an alarm clock the repeater has a tone burst at a frequency of 1750hz. some also need audio to continue after the tone burst to "open the box" (we call a repeater 'the box') and others need a newish CTCSS (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System). This provides a sub audible tone that the repeater can hear but we cannot and it "opens the box" ### 3. Time out There are some operators who just do not know when to stop talking and let someone else have a go !!!! So the local repeater here in Kent GB3KN has a 4 minute time out. When you access the repeater for the first time is starts a internal clock running and if you go over 4 mins it cuts you off and gives its Ident. Should you stop before the time out occurs, (and that is good practice) an Ident is also given. Between your releasing the PTT and the ident is a gap of a few seconds to allow others to "call in" and let you know they are there. After the Indent the other person in the QSO goes ahead with his over .... and so on.
### Band plans
For this part you will need to know why band plans are used and be able to identify items on a published band-plan. These are the two bands that you need to know about. You can down load a clearer image that you can print out from here Download Have a good look at the band plan and understand what it is telling you. If the download does not work for you then check out the Radio Society of GB site. A link to the site is on the links page !!
#### Connecting microphones and other audio sources to the transmitter
The transceiver is usually supplied with a microphone and using this is likely to be the way the equipment is first put on the air. After a while you will probably want to use one of the many digital modes and to do so means linking the equipment to the microphone socket and almost certainly to the audio output socket. This needs to be properly wired up so that the PTT (press to talk) line also works properly and the correct audio levels are presented to and from the transceiver.
#### Competence in making radio contacts
As part of the practical assessment you will need to be able to demonstrate the use of a VHF/UHF Transceiver including correctly tuning to an amateur FM voice signal and to a data signal such as packet. You will have to show that you can read the signal strength meter if it is fitted. You will have to show that you know the correct way to conduct a two way contact making the usual exchanges between amateurs including a meaningful signal report. To be able to do this you will need to know what a signal report means. When you are able to do that, then you should be able to move onto the HF transceiver and show how to correctly tune to a SSB voice signal and to a Morse (CW) signal. You will need to know how that you can read the Signal strength meter and to demonstrate this to the tutor. When you have done that you will then conduct a QSO using SSB and including exchange of signal report and show that you know how to use the controls of the transceiver including Tuning, RIT (clarifier), Audio Gain (volume), RF gain, Microphone gain and importantly the Antenna Tuner Unit ATU. You will have to demonstrate a CQ call on VHF/UHF make a contact and initiate a change of frequency (QSY) off the calling frequency (calling channel). Now visit the "Practical Section" to read about the practical assessment
#### Connecting a transmitter /receiver
To be able to achieve all of the above you will have to show that you know how to connect up a transceiver to the power supply, and to the feeder to the antenna through an ATU if required and certainly through an SWR meter.
#### Dipole antenna
The most standard of antennas (aerials). You will need to be able to show that you are aware of what is required to properly set up an antenna.
#### Voice Procedure This next section is based on an article by Arthur Feller W4ART and American. Art as he is know in USA wrote an article on voice procedure which he has allowed us to use. It has been amended slightly to show UK style of operating. W4ART is an America callsign.
### WHAT TO DO: | ### ITU PHONETIC ALPHABET:
[1] LISTEN! Make sure that the channel (frequency) is clear. Know what is going on around you on the band. | A - alfa (AL-fa) B - bravo (BRAH-voh) C - charlie (CHAR-lee) D - delta (DELL-tah) E - echo (ECK-oh) F - foxtrot (FOKS-trot) G - golf (GOLF) H - hotel (HOH-tell) I - india (IN-dee-ah) J - juliet (JEW-lee-ett) K - kilo (KEY-loh) L - lima (LEE-mah) M - mike (MIKE) N - november (no-VEM-ber) O - oscar (OSS-cah) P - papa (pah-PAH) Q - quebec (key-BECK) R - romeo (ROW-me-oh) S - sierra (SEE-air-rah) T - tango (TANG-go) U - uniform (YOU-nee-form) V - victor (VIK-tah) W - whiskey (WISS-key) X - x-ray (ECKS-ray) Y - yankee (YANG-key) Z - zulu (ZOO-loo) 0 - zero (ZAY-roh) 1 - one (WUN) 2 - two (TOO) 3 - three (TREE) 4 - four (FOWER) 5 - five (FIFE) 6 - six (SIX) 7 - seven (SEVEN) 8 - eight (AIT) 9 - nine (NINER) DECIMAL POINT - decimal (DAY-SEE-MAL) FULL STOP - stop (STOP)
[2] THINK about what you will say. Make your message clear and to the point. Get on. Get off. Get done! - unless you have something of interest to chat about !!!
[3] MAKE THE CALL. Give: [a] the call sign of the station called [b] the words: ***THIS IS*** [c] the call sign of your station and your name *** EXAMPLE: "callsign of station called 'this is Mike Three Alpha Bravo Charlie my name is Fred *** then continue with some general information about your self and the station setup. Be a good listener and answer any questions asked so long as you keep within the licence regulation.
[4] COMMUNICATE. Speak clearly. Use plain language -> NO CODES! Repeat back critical information. End every transmission with: ***OVER*** or "back to you their callsign followed by your call sign " if you expect a reply and 15 minutes has not elapsed. ***OUT*** or "their call sign followed by 'this is your callsign signing clear' if you do NOT expect a reply.
[5] USE STANDARD PHONETICS for: Station identification. Spelling words and names that are not easily understood.
In the true spirit of Amateur Radio (Ham Radio as used in the USA) the following comments from the American author are included, especially as you might be working an American on HF as your first contact!!! OUT" is common in most services and we ought to try to be compatible. Local custom is nice, but, it might be good at least if they know what the rest of the world is doing. They'll graduate someday - we hope Long CQ calls may be appropriate on noisy modes such as CW or SSB. But, there's no need to use the air time on FM, particularly on a repeater. Once you're full quieting, anyone hearing the repeater is likely to get the call the first time. So, I'd recommend very short calls on FM as in: "CQ, this is W4ART, over." CQ and various signals such as Q-codes (which appear in the text) are considered by many not to belong on voice. In my experience, people who aren't used to codes get distracted by them. So, on voice, my recommendation is NO codes - plain language only. What many don't think about is that what's valuable is time on a channel (frequency) and if we use it poorly, we deny its use ourselves and others. On rag chewing, suggest elaborating on the notion that it ought to be interesting to others listening in -- and you never know who will be listening. Even so, we're not in the bad old days when transmitters were so unreliable that, once you unkeyed, you'd never be certain that it would key up again - so operators took advantage of their up time. When I was first licensed nearly 40 years ago, it was quite common to hear 15 to 20 minute transmissions. And, yes, they were interesting. (My folks used to come into my station just to listen.) Some, like K2ORS, SK, made a living rag chewing - he had 45 minutes solo, five nights a week on WOR New York. Wow, was he good!! Nowadays, lots of people are mobile which means their operating location and conditions are changing, often rapidly. Therefore, short transmissions work best. Also, when operating where mobile stations commonly show up, say, on a repeater, short transmissions allow stations with higher precedence traffic to communicate in a timely way. It's so frustrating to have emergency traffic when someone else is blabbering away on frequency about nothing of significance. When making a call, I'd recommend NOT giving your name until you know that contact is established and the quality of communication is known (signal reports exchanged!). Names take time and add extra information which gets in the way of finding each other. Sometimes, adding your location helps when it's likely the other station is using a beam and in a few other cases. One thing I like to discuss in the "think" section is that PTT stands for "push to talk" and not "push to think." Better to think of what you're going to say before you key the transmitter. Saves a lot of wasted air time. Air time is precious.

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