Get on air and make some noise ...

N5AF · Nov 1, 2018

KG5UMH said: ↑

The worst thing to happen to a new ham is one of my first experiences, where after listening to a frequency for five minutes or more and not hearing anything - I called CQ. The immediate response was - "frequency is in use old man." How did he know I was old?
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Listening for five minutes was a good thing. After the five minutes, a better approach would have been calling "Is the frequency in use, KG5UMH" instead of CQ. From the perspective of the other guy, you jumped in and started calling CQ. He was unaware you listened for five minutes.

I've listened to a dead frequency for a lot longer than five minutes and then asked "Is the frequency in use" and received far worse treatment than you did. Some frequencies are "owned", no matter what anyone says. You'll learn to avoid them.

Hint: The WARC bands. People are more polite. Fewer U.S. operators..

NB4R · Nov 2, 2018

N5AVF said: ↑

Me. I rarely talk. I can count on one hand the number of phone QSO's I've had since getting back into this hobby. Why? I usually end up nodding off and napping while waiting for a break in conversations. The "average" key down yakking time of the typical amateur operator in a rag chew approaches 8-10 minutes. I've timed it. Hell, I can't talk at someone in person for eight minutes straight! You'll be lucky to get 30 seconds out of me. I once monitored a guy on 20m who went for sixteen friggin' minutes talking about his station configuration. I could have condensed his conversation down to about 45 seconds.
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I also don't talk a lot. I have started doing so lately. I've been listening to QSO's that involve the equipment setup, antenna theory and other technical discussions. I've been a ham about four years and I'm learning. I yearn for the knowledge. I just now feel that I have enough of the knowledge to ask good questions about that I don't quite understand. So, in essence , I am talking more.

Microphone fright. Fear of butting in where one is not welcome. That does exist in amateur radio. There are many different reasons people don't get on the air. The main reason I feel is that like other things in life speaking on the air is completely outside ones comfort zone. The only way to get beyond that is to push outside the bubble. Force yourself to act (speak) and the result will be complete comfort later on.

Someone has stated this earlier, I am amazed at how many hams can talk for 15 to twenty minutes without letting up. I wish I knew any subject in such minute detail that I could speak that long about it. I'm not faulting them. Don't get me wrong. I'm jealous. But one that is absolute true. I am pushing my envelope toward that goal

WN1MB · Nov 2, 2018

NB4R said: ↑

I wish I knew any subject in such minute detail that I could speak that long about it.
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Consider https://www.toastmasters.org/

https://www.toastmasters.org/find-a...ongitude=-82.47347869999999&autocomplete=true

W3DLB · Nov 4, 2018

I have noticed over the years that "conversations" have become nothing more than "look what I know" sessions. I agree with N5AVF. Unless I am asked, I like to keep my QSO short and sweet.......

KE5ES · Nov 5, 2018

Listening is a dying art. Politeness is almost inheard of. When someone calls CQ and you answer to be told "I am calling DX!" There are a few choice phrases that come to mind but there is alot of bandwidth out there and not alot of time in my life to bother with "Todd". I move my finger away from the tune button and turn the dial.

AK5B · Nov 6, 2018

WN1MB said: ↑

At the risk of coming across as sour grapes, doesn't there seem to be an excessive amount of hand holding going on these days?

I'm fairly certain that I'm not alone when I recall listening to a LOT of on-air conversations well before receiving my license in the mail. That was just part of the game. You know - get an idea of what was going on before taking the plunge yourself. ARRL and other publications provided information on on-air operational procedures. I didn't have an Elmer but I did have a lot of books - the pages of which were well dog eared.

That's not to say early contacts were free of the sweaty palms frequently associated with testing before FCC examiners. But the novice sub-bands were full of us teaching each other how to do this "radio thing." And occasionally a higher class licensee would venture into our kindergarten and chat with us.

But then again, society has changed. There's a generation or two of people who walk around with cell phones, but seldom talk, let alone have real conversations on their "phones." Instead, deliberately truncated texts are sent or status updates posted. Groups of people sit around and instead of talking to one another, they're hunched over cell phones with "conversations" being limited to, "Hey, check this out."

Different day and age, I guess.
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Sour grapes can produce fine wine, Jeff.

Yes, you are not alone in being a long-term listener/observer before getting licensed; I actually started listening to all sorts of exotic radio signals thirty years before becoming a ham. First , as a BCB dxer as a kid, then as a SWBCB and ham-band SWL, as an older kid. I really got to know operating procedures that way and learn the lingo of our hobby long before it was time for me to put it to good use.

I still remember the thrill of hearing KX6BU passing traffic way out in the Central Pacific (now the V73AX Kwajalein club station), Radio South Africa's chirping bird/guitar ID or an AM broadcast station in Chile whose faint signal barely made its way through the ether to my listening post---and those thrills added up to motivate me towards having a station of my own someday. I became fond of hearing Otto, W5YU (SK) regularly work 80m dx with his powerhouse signals emanating from his huge four-square array as well as Seymour, W6CCP (SK) working all corners of the globe on 20 meters often "via the long path."

When I finally got my Tech ticket in 1996 I was ready and chomped at the bit to call CQ on six meters (still my favorite band)---and that I did as soon as I gathered some all-mode gear and antennas soon thereafter. Sure, there was still a bit of initial "mic fright" reluctance but that was quickly overcome once the ionosphere started scattering my signals hither and yon and my calls started getting answered from near (K6QXY, 60 miles) and far (W1IPL, 1100 miles).

Your observations are all spot on, in my opinion; and it is sad to see how the "cell-phone culture" has affected not only everyday life but our fascinating ham radio hobby so much that newcomers must now be "taught how to talk" and pushed out of the nest in order to begin to fly.

So ironic since amateur radio, like society, relies on communication and the appropriate skills needed therein.

73,

Jeff (coincidentally)

KE0DZW · Nov 6, 2018

I too am more of a listener. I enjoy spending my time trying to pull in that weak signal just as much as I do making a QSO.
many years as a youth spent as SWL, maybe thats why.

KI7KCW · Nov 8, 2018

VK6FLAB said: ↑

View attachment 498631
Foundations of Amateur Radio

Get on air and make some noise ...

Get on air and make some noise is a phrase I use often to encourage amateurs to be active on-air and use the bands that are available to us.

One thing that's often glossed over is how to actually make that noise. It can be scary to make that first contact.

If you've got your radio installed, your antenna erected, your operating position set-up just right and you're ready to actually key your microphone, how do you do that and how do you get the attention of those around you?

First things first.

You need to establish if your radio is actually working as expected. If you're using a UHF or VHF radio, often the simplest way is to find a local repeater, key-up your radio and give your callsign. The result should be at least a carrier, a beep or a callsign in Morse-code. Some repeaters even have a voice ident, so you can hear that your action of keying the push-to-talk had an effect. If that isn't working, then there are lots of things you can troubleshoot, but that's for another day.

If you want to do the same on HF, unless you happen to be in a position that there is a repeater within propagation distance, generally only on the 6m and 10m bands, then you're essentially out of luck. There isn't a beep, or a carrier, or a voice-ident to be found. This means we have to solve the problem in a different way.

First of all, if you cannot hear any stations, the chances of someone hearing you are slim. So, the first thing to do is to check that the squelch on your radio is set to allow all signals to arrive at your speaker. Then find a band where it's noisy. When I say noisy, find one where there is lots of hiss. Generally speaking an open band, one where propagation is getting a signal to you, makes noise, lots of noise. There are exceptions to this, but for now, find the noise.

Depending on how you have your antenna set-up, you need to make sure that you're using the right antenna for the band you're using. Some antennas work on multiple bands, others only on one, it depends entirely on what you have got hanging off the end of your radio.

Once you've found the noisiest band, go hunting for beeps, as-in Morse-code beeps, or voices, or digital sounds. Find a signal, find evidence of activity. If you have multiple noisy bands, check them all.

You might recall that this is all dependent on the ionosphere, so depending on what's going on with the sun, things will change, sometimes within a minute, an hour, or weeks. Generally there is a difference between day and night and sunrise and sunset, so experiment.

Once you've found some activity, you need to find someone to talk to. If the voice you hear is weak, look for a strong one. The stronger the better. While this isn't universally true, it's a good starting experience. Every radio and antenna combination has a sweet spot on where you know that they can hear you, but you don't know yet what that sweet spot is, so trial and error is the way to go.

HF is not like the local repeater. The people on HF can be anywhere on the planet. They might be there for the first time, or for the third time that day having been on air for sixty years, it's hard to tell.

A good analogy is to think of a sport stadium with a hundred thousand people in it. There are people all around you and you're trying to make contact with one of them. You can pick their frequency, but they're likely to be talking to someone else. You might be interrupting a daily chat, a regular net, or happen upon a contest or a special event station. You don't know which one it is and sometimes you can't hear both sides of the conversation. So, before you key your microphone and make some noise, listen to what is going on.

Once you've figured out that the station you're hearing might be amenable to talking, wait for a break in the conversation, key your microphone and just say your callsign phonetically, once. If there's no break, that's a good indication that the other station doesn't want to talk to you, unless there is an endless stream of stations, in which case the going might be tough and you might be there for a while.

If the other station acknowledges your call, great, you just made contact. Confirm that you have their callsign and that they have yours, write it down with the time and frequency, then start with exchanging information, start with a signal report. In the beginning, less is more. Your first name and city is often more than enough.

All we're doing is establishing that we can talk to someone and that they can talk to us. Don't overdo it, get a feeling for what's going on.

Then do it again.

And again.

Before long you'll have some experience on how to get on air and make some noise and you can start learning about improving your skills, becoming familiar with your radio and being an active amateur.

Hopefully that wasn't so scary, and remember, every amateur had to make their first contact one day, even those who have been on-air for longer than you've been alive.

I'm Onno VK6FLAB

To listen to the podcast, visit the website: http://podcasts.itmaze.com.au/foundations/ and scroll to the bottom for the latest episode. You can also use your podcast tool of choice and search for my callsign, VK6FLAB.

All podcast transcripts are collated and edited in an annual volume which you can find by searching for my callsign on your local Amazon store, or visit my author page: http://amazon.com/author/owh.

Feel free to get in touch directly via email: onno@itmaze.com.au, or follow on twitter: @VK6FLAB (http://twitter.com/vk6flab/)

If you'd like to join a weekly net for new and returning amateurs, check out the details at http://ftroop.vk6.net, the net runs every week on Saturday, from 00:00 to 01:00 UTC on Echolink, IRLP, AllStar Link and 2m FM via various repeaters.

View attachment 498632
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Thank you for the words of encouragement. I can attest to the fact that it's not easy making a QSO as a relatively new ham (licensed in 2017). I will take your advise and "make some noise". 73 KI7KCW

N8ZL · Nov 9, 2018

WN1MB said: ↑

At the risk of coming across as sour grapes, doesn't there seem to be an excessive amount of hand holding going on these days?

I'm fairly certain that I'm not alone when I recall listening to a LOT of on-air conversations well before receiving my license in the mail. That was just part of the game. You know - get an idea of what was going on before taking the plunge yourself. ARRL and other publications provided information on on-air operational procedures. I didn't have an Elmer but I did have a lot of books - the pages of which were well dog eared.

That's not to say early contacts were free of the sweaty palms frequently associated with testing before FCC examiners. But the novice sub-bands were full of us teaching each other how to do this "radio thing." And occasionally a higher class licensee would venture into our kindergarten and chat with us.

But then again, society has changed. There's a generation or two of people who walk around with cell phones, but seldom talk, let alone have real conversations on their "phones." Instead, deliberately truncated texts are sent or status updates posted. Groups of people sit around and instead of talking to one another, they're hunched over cell phones with "conversations" being limited to, "Hey, check this out."

Different day and age, I guess.
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WN1MB said: ↑

At the risk of coming across as sour grapes, doesn't there seem to be an excessive amount of hand holding going on these days?

I'm fairly certain that I'm not alone when I recall listening to a LOT of on-air conversations well before receiving my license in the mail. That was just part of the game. You know - get an idea of what was going on before taking the plunge yourself. ARRL and other publications provided information on on-air operational procedures. I didn't have an Elmer but I did have a lot of books - the pages of which were well dog eared.

That's not to say early contacts were free of the sweaty palms frequently associated with testing before FCC examiners. But the novice sub-bands were full of us teaching each other how to do this "radio thing." And occasionally a higher class licensee would venture into our kindergarten and chat with us.

But then again, society has changed. There's a generation or two of people who walk around with cell phones, but seldom talk, let alone have real conversations on their "phones." Instead, deliberately truncated texts are sent or status updates posted. Groups of people sit around and instead of talking to one another, they're hunched over cell phones with "conversations" being limited to, "Hey, check this out."

Different day and age, I guess.[/QUOTE
Yes Jeff things have changed, society, education, the hobby and Ole Guys like us. I have tried to relate to the latest generation of Hams ( last 20 years or so) but it is difficult. My wife is a retired Educator and one day I was lamenting about the "dumbing" down of licensing testing requirements. She quickly responded " dumbing down" of ham radio requirements? What about the dumbing down of our educational system? Ham Radio is just a hobby, you complain about the disrespect hams have on the air, what about the disrespect Teachers and Police have? I think she has a point. I now just enjoy talking with a local group on 10 meters and tune up and down the bands trying to find a half decent conversation. Cheers
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YO4BZC · Nov 10, 2018

HI!!! NOT NOISE, MAYBE SOME Q R M, BUT NOT FROM ME!!!! CONGRATS!!! 73 DE YO4BZC

N8ARB · Nov 20, 2018

Well I am still a Novice. I decided to jump back into Amateur Radio after a 30 years. I met a find group here in Hamilton Ohio (HAMARC). WE have breakfast and dinners together. Studying now to upgrade.

KY5U · Dec 1, 2018

WN1MB said: ↑

...doesn't there seem to be an excessive amount of hand holding going on these days?
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I agree, but it isn't going to change. I only see it getting worse. And yes, I judge the heck out of things.

Get on air and make some noise ...

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