PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course Chapter 2 PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES Lauren Styles, WA6CIE Discussion Leader 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES Basic Operating HF bands are not channelized like VHF/UHF. The Variable Frequency Oscillator, VFO knob replaces the channel selector. [FIG 2.1, Page 2-1] VFO knob 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES Basic Operating Initiate a radio exchange (QSO) by calling “CQ.” Calling “CQ DX” usually means “I want to talk to stations outside the country.” [G2A11] To enter a QSO already in progress: Wait for a pause between operators’ conversation and transmit your call sign. Usually they will pause and ask you to go ahead. [G2A08] 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES GOOD PRACTICES Selecting a Frequency Follow the band plan for the mode you have chosen. [G2B07] Chose a frequency separation from adjacent QSOs, appropriate to your mode. [G2B04, G2B05] Based on Table 2.1, Page 2-3 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES GOOD PRACTICES Selecting a Frequency Listen for a couple of minutes before transmitting. If nothing is heard, transmit “Is This Frequency In Use” if using a voice mode. Transmit “QRL” (“Are You Busy”) if using CW. [G2B06, G2C04] BE FLEXIBLE. Except in FCC declared emergencies, NO ONE has priority access to a frequency. [G2B01] 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES GOOD PRACTICES Selecting a Frequency IN SUMMARY Be sure of your license privileges. Follow the Band Plan. Listen before transmitting. 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES GOOD PRACTICES Band Plans Band Plans are not specified in Part 97, but the FCC expects them to be followed as a good operating practice. Table 2.2, Page 2-4 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES GOOD PRACTICES Band Plans A “DX WINDOW” in a band plan is a frequency reserved for stations calling from outside the 48 states. [G2B08] “The Considerate Operator’s Frequency Guide” See text Page 2-17 See ARRL handout See text Page 2-17 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

Station Logging software 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course 2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES GOOD PRACTICES Housekeeping and Operating Support Station logs are no longer required. They are useful record-keeping for awards, contesting, and reminders of previous contacts. Logs typically include information for each contact, including: date and time band or frequency Callsign of the contacted station signal report [G2D09] Logs are useful if one is contacted by the FCC for information regarding your activities. [G2D08] Station Logging software 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course 2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES MANAGING INTERFERENCE Types of Interference There are two types of RF interference: Harmful Interference “which seriously degrades, obstructs or repeatedly interrupts a radiocommunication service operating in accordance with the Radio Regulations” [PART 97.3(a)(23)] Harmful interference is often unintentional and not necessarily illegal. “MALICIOUS, DELIBERATE, OR WILLFUL INTERFERENCE IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN BY THE FCC [PART 97.101(d)] 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course 2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES MANAGING INTERFERENCE Avoiding Interference Use your knowledge and skills to avoid transmitting where and when you may cause interference. Consult band plans, net schedules, propagation predictions, and calling frequencies. Use minimum power to communicate. Be sure your signal is clean with no spurious emissions. 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course 2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES MANAGING INTERFERENCE Reacting to Interference Remember that no one owns a frequency. Keep flexible. Learn your receiver’s selectivity characteristics. Learn the many methods which can minimize unwanted reception. Propagation conditions can change during a QSO, so be ready to move to another frequency if necessary. [G2B03] 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES MODES Amateurs enjoy more flexibility in our choice of frequencies and modes than any other radio service. One of the five basic purposes of Amateur Radio is “…to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.” [PART 97.1(b)] The invention, use, and management of different communication modes is very much part of that contribution and heritage. 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES MODES CW CW = Continuous Wave, or Morse Code. Oldest and most historic radio communication mode, going all the way back to spark gap days. CW transmitters are technically rather simple. The original “narrow band” mode, best for long distance and low power contacts. Found on the lower portion of most HF bands. FCC prohibits voice and data on these portions, but CW is permitted anywhere on any band. 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2.1 HF OPERATING TECHNIQUES MODES AM and SSB Phone The most commonly used voice mode in the HF bands is SSB (Single Side Band). [G2A05] One advantage that SSB has over AM signals is that it uses half the bandwidth (3 KHz as opposed to 6KHZ for AM). [G2A06] SSB differs from AM because one of the two sidebands, and the carrier are suppressed, leaving only the other sideband to transmit. [G2A07] More efficient than AM because power is concentrated in a narrower bandwidth. 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course MODES-AM and SSB PHONE By convention, current amateur practice is to use lower sideband (LSB) on 160, 80, and 40 meters. [G2A02, G2A09] On 20 meters and all higher frequencies, upper sideband (USB) is used. [G2A01, G2A03, G2A04] 60 meters is a special case. Those five specified channels are designated to use upper sideband (USB) [97.303 (h)] [G1A04] 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

MODES-DIGITAL Digital Modes will be covered in Session 6, Chapter 6 on May 4, 2017. 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course MODES-IMAGES Slow scan television (SSTV) uses the same bandwidth as SSB, and is permitted anywhere SSB is allowed, except 60 Meters. Fast scan television, by nature a very wide bandwidth, is restricted to the UHF and microwave bands. 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course MODES- A COMPARISON TABLE 2.3, Page 2-8 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course HF – RECEIVING Selectivity is more important than Sensitivity. Atmospheric noise (lightning and other natural phenomena), called QRN or “static,” is so high on the HF bands that purchasing an ultra-sensitive receiver buys you little except more noise. [G2C10] Since the atmospheric “noise floor” is so much lower on VHF, UHF, and Microwave bands, a receive preamplifier can often be beneficial. 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course HF – TRANSMITTING PHONE One convenience available in many HF rigs is Voice Operated Transmit (VOX). Replacing the push to talk button (PTT), VOX allows hands-free transmitting. [G2A10] 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course SIGNAL REPORTS RST signal reports provide are a shorthand for reporting the quality of a received signal. R: Readability, (1 to 5) = intelligibility S: Signal Strength, (1 to 9) = S-meter reading T: Tone (CW only) (1 to 9), steady or drifting or chirping. A “C” appended to an RST report indicates a chirpy tone [G2C07] A new reporting parameter, Q for Quality (also 1-9) is coming into use for digital signals. Instead of an RST report, it would be called an RSQ report. 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course CW PROCEDURES Match the speed of the calling station when responding to a CQ. [G2C05] Higher speed CW operators make use of a an Electronic Keyer, which automatically generates properly spaced dits and dahs. Some HF rigs have keyers built in. [G4A10] Using VOX transmit control on CW, adjusted to switch back to receive between each code element, results in “Full Break-In,” where the transmitting station can receive in between every code character and element in a CW message. [G2C01] 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

CW PROSIGNS AND ABBREVIATIONS PROSIGNS are two letters sent together as a single character. Shorthand for commonly used words and phrases. Match your sending frequency with the other station. This is called “Zero Beating.” [G2C06] “AR” = “End of Message.” [G2C08] “KN” = a request for no break-ins. [G2C03] “QRS” = "slow down" [G2C02] “QRQ” = "speed up" “QRV” = “ready to receive messages” [G2C11] “QSL” = “message received” [G2C09] 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course EMERGENCY OPERATION Communication to the news media is forbidden under normal circumstances. However, in the event of an emergency: [PART 97.113(b)] [G1B04] “Communications directly related to the immediate safety of human life or the protection of property may be provided by amateur stations to broadcasters for dissemination to the public where no other means of communication is reasonably available.” 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course A.R.E.S. & R.A.C.E.S. ARES = Amateur Radio Emergency Service (sponsored by the ARRL) RACES = Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (sponsored by FEMA) RACES is mandated by [PART 97.407] ONLY FCC-licensed amateurs are allowed to be radio operators for RACES stations [PART 97.407(a)] [G2B09] The FCC reserves the right to restrict the operating frequencies used by RACES stations if the President’s War Emergency Powers have been invoked. [PART 97.407(b)] [G2B10] 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course DISTRESS CALLS If you hear a station in distress break into your QSO, you must immediately acknowledge the station and determine what assistance is needed. [G2B02] The use of any frequency, mode, or power level is allowed for communication with a station in distress, regardless of license privileges. [PART 97.405] [G2B11, G2B12] 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course

Class Session 2 Assignment In preparation for the next class session, do the following……. ● Study Chapter 3 “Rules and Regulations” ● Study the Question Pool questions found in the ”blue boxes” in this chapter. See you next week! 28 2017 MDARC/SATERN General Licensing Course