Programming Your Radio By Norm – K6YXH

Agenda   How do I turn my radio on?   What frequency do I transmit on?   How do I key-in a frequency?   I just want to talk to another local ham, not on a repeater - how do we set up our radios?   I want to talk on a repeater - what settings do I have to know how to make?   What repeaters can I talk on?   What's a repeater input frequency? Output frequency? Tone?   What's "tone mode?"   How do I get my radio to memorize stuff?   How do I get my radio to display a repeater name rather than just the frequency?   What do I say when I want to talk to someone? Who's call comes first?

What are Those Knobs?

What are Those Keys?

Bands  Multi-band Handheld Radios (dual, triple, quad) 6m ( MHz) 2m (144 – 148 MHz) 1.25m ( MHz) 70cm (440 – 450MHz) 23cm ( MHz)  Specialized Memories (band edges, Home)  Rx-only –Other Ham Bands –Police, Fire & Municipal –NOAA Weather –Marine –Aircraft –Broadcast & Shortwave (AM & FM) –Business

What Frequency?  No one owns a frequency  Simplex  Repeaters  Automatic Offsets  Band Plans  Repeater Directory –Also Simplex –IRLP, EchoLink

Band Key

What’s on That Screen?

How Do I Talk? 1.PTT (Push-to-talk) – hold this down and talk into the microphone 2.MONI switch – opens squelch fully so you can hear weak signals 3.Lamp switch – illuminates the LCD and the keypad for 5 seconds

Antenna Rules Traditional screw-on antenna Traditional screw-on antenna Be careful to put on correctly Be careful to put on correctly Never hold radio by antenna only Never hold radio by antenna only Never transmit without an antenna Never transmit without an antenna

Where Does the Battery Go? Make sure battery fits well Make sure battery fits well No need to take out battery to charge – just use the DC adapter No need to take out battery to charge – just use the DC adapter

How Do I Charge It? 4.MIC/SP jack – connection point for microphone, earphone, PTT, and ground 5.EXT DC jack- connection point for the external DC power source (to charge the radio)

How Do I Plug It In?

Memory vs. VFO  V/M Key  V = VFO –Variable Frequency Oscillator –Key in a frequency  M = Memory –Select a memorized frequency –Frequency, Tone, Rpt, Squelch Type  Some radios have separate keys

V/M Key

Repeater Offset  Required for Repeater Operation  Difference of Tx from Rx Frequency  Directions are: –Negative (minus) –Simplex (zero) –Positive (plus)  2m =.600MHz, 70cm = 5.00MHz  Automatic vs. Manual

Function Key (FW)

RPT Key

What’s on That Screen?

Squelch Type  Tone –Send a CTCSS Tone –T, Tone, CTCSS, Enc  Tone Squelch –Send and Must Receive a CTCSS Tone –TSQ, CTCSS, Enc/Dec  DCS – Digitally Coded Squelch

Squelch Type (SQ TYP) Button

Tone (T) or Tone Squelch (T SQ)

Tone (CODE) Selection  CTCSS –Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System –Required by Repeaters –Must be transmitted by your radio  Example for FT-60R –Press FW key, then CODE –Select tone  Must have SqType selected first

Tone Selection (CODE) Key

Example: Setting the Tone (CODE)  Press FW  Press CODE  Turn dial to “94.8HZ”  Press FW

Step  Frequency Increment –Each click increases frequency by  5kHz, 10kHz, 12.5kHz, 15kHz, etc…  Cannot key in some frequencies if Step will not allow it  “Automatic” vs. Manual  Usually a menu item –Some radios have a Step key

Set Key

Memorize a VFO Frequency  VFO = Freq, Tone, SqType, Repeater  Key-sequence example: –F/W (hold for 1 second) –Select memory slot –F/W (touch)  May differ for each radio –M/MW key, other key combinations

How Do I Memorize a Repeater? 1. Start in VFO mode (V/M) 2. Type in using key pad 3. Press FW, then SQ TYP, turn dial to “TONE”, press FW 4. Press FW, then CODE, turn dial to “94.8HZ”, press FW 5. Hold FW for 1 second, select the available channel by turning knob, then press FW again.

Yaesu “WIRES” Key

How Do I Name a Channel? 1.Start in MEMORY mode 2.Select channel to name 3.Press FW, then SET, turn dial to “NM WRT”, press FW twice 4.Turn dial to select letter 5.Press FW to advance 6.(Press [down] to backspace) 7.When done, press FW to store 8.Press PTT to finalize

Simplex Protocol  One talks – the others listen.  Announce yourself – see who is listening: –“This is K6YXH” (your call)  Call someone –“K6YXH, this is KJ6ABC”  No need to give your call each time –“Go ahead, Bob” will wok –If talking to more than one, direct who gets it next.

Repeater Protocol  One talks – the others listen – you cannot interrupt  Join a conversation –say your call after someone talks, before the courtesy tone. –Press the PTT switch, hold it down, and talk.  Announce yourself – see who is listening: –Do this when the repeater is quiet. –“This is K6YXH” (your call)  Call someone –“K6YXH, this is KJ6ABC.”  No need to give your call each time (10 minute rule) –If talking to more than one, direct who gets it next. –Say your call more often when talking in a large group.

Directed Net  Efficient during emergencies  One person is designated as “Net Control.” –Directs who gets to talk next –Sets the rules  Net Control prioritizes ‘traffic’ –Emergency –Welfare –Information  All transmissions are directed to Net Control.  Ask permission to call another station.  Keep transmissions short!

Weekly Nets Monday noon 11:30am Monday noon 11:30am DCS County-wide Check-In… Hz Monday nights 7:30pm Monday nights 7:30pm DCS-22 Check-In… Hz Tuesday nights Tuesday nights7:30pm New Hams Sunday nights Sunday nights 8:30pm 8:30pm Topanga DRT PAPA 4 Practice on the radio EVERY week Practice on the radio EVERY week