A Guide to Using Amateur (Ham Radio) Repeaters

 This is to help the New Ham to be more at home on repeaters, understand the operation and procedures on Ham Radio Repeaters and how to use them properly and is written with the NEW HAM  in mind.  Let’s “key up” a repeater and see what happens within the repeater equipment when someone makes a transmission:

You set your transceiver controls for the 146.985 pl 107.2 “machine” and listen to see if it is in use…nothing heard.
You key your mic and throw out your callsign….”This is AB4A (insert your call sign)  listening on the 146.985″. Then you release the mic button.

Assuming your station is within range of the repeater….The repeater antenna which is usually very high on a tall building or mountain top, picked up your signal with its antenna on 146.385 (your  transmit frequency set to the standard offset for this part of the 2 meter band of -600kHz, and the repeater’s receive frequency) and sent it down the feed line to the duplexer. From there it was sent to the repeater receiver and converted to an audio signal (just like the sounds coming from your speaker)….sent to the controller (the brains of the repeater), then sent to the repeater transmitter and turned back into a much greater amplified radio signal on 146.985mhz (the output of the repeater)….sent to the duplexer….then thru the feedline to the antenna and out over the air. So your little pip squeak ht running only 5 watt may be increased to 50 or 100 watts or sometimes more using the repeater transmitter and its much higher gain antenna and high location!

This is not CB radio!
Don’t use CB lingo on any ham band such as 10-4, what’s your 20, etc…..don’t say BREAKER! The word “break” is never used UNLESS there is an emergency.”

Don’t call CQ to initiate a conversation on a repeater. Just simply listen to make certain the repeater is not in use and then key your mic and say your call sign and “listening 985”.
If someone happens to be listening and they want to talk to you they will respond. When you are using the repeater leave a couple of seconds between exchanges to allow other stations to join in or make a quick call.

YOUR FIRST CONVERSATION AND CONTACT ON A REPEATER!
That most exciting day just arrived! You now have passed your Technician Class exam and have been issued your first call sign by the FCC.

Your station all set up and you are ready for your first contact on a repeater! You just keyed your mic, gave out your call sign and now you hear……..your call sign and someone coming back to you with his call sign…..he un keys and the repeater is waiting for YOU!
BRAIN LOCK SETS IN! “What do I do? What do I talk about? Will I remember all those rules, regulations, theory and all that other stuff I had to study?

The simple answer is…….probably not……but don’t worry!

First thing….try to write his call sign down and if he gives his name, that too. Lots of good operators recognize a new ham instantly on the air and they will guide you with patience, understanding, maybe some fun prodding and picking at you to get you to relax and have fun with your new license.
He will WELCOME you!
A good operator will never make you feel unwanted on the air. He may ask you to repeat your call sign just to make certain he understood who he is talking to and if you forget to give your name, he will ask for it. Most hams don’t like to talk to a “call sign”, so getting names and also locations helps to start the conversation.
If you make mistakes….he will most likely let you know what you did wrong and inform you as to the correct way in a friendly manor. Don’t be surprised if he asks you all the questions instead of the other way around. He is just trying to get you to feel relaxed on the air. As your experience grows in ham radio, aways try to remember your first contact and  how excited and nervous you were. Now it’s your turn and you are the one responding to a new ham and his first contact! Make him feel at home and…….be a good operator…..like your first contact was! Repeater ID…..you and it!
You must transmit your call sign at the end of a contact and at least every 10 minutes during the course of any communication. You do not have to transmit the call sign of the station to whom you are transmitting.

73 Have FUN & Get on the Air