W4IZ REPEATER SYSTEM

W4IZ OPERATING RULES

FCC Part 97.205 (e) states "limiting the use of a repeater to only certain user stations is permissible."   There is no rule which requires a repeater sponsor to let everyone use it.  Those who do not follow FCC rules and the rules set forth by the W4IZ Trustee will be disqualified from using the system and may be subject to FCC enforcement action.

(1) Each operator must provide station identification near the beginning of a communication or series of communications.  In addition, FCC rules require station identification at least every ten minutes and at the end of a communication. 

(2) No communications are permitted with persons not holding a valid Amateur Radio license except for transmissions in compliance with FCC rules on third party traffic and control operator supervision. For an unlicensed person to key a transmitter on Amateur Radio bands, the immediate presence of a properly-licensed operator is required.  This means that the control (licensed) operator is within a few feet.

 FCC Part 97.111(a)1 does not authorize communications with unlicensed operators.

If an operator fails to identify with his or her Amateur Radio call, consider that person to be unlicensed.    After a request for their call sign, do not communicate with or acknowledge any transmissions made by unidentified/unlicensed operators.  If you hear someone with a questionable call, you can verify via http://www.qrz.com 

(3) Do not discuss any details about jammers or jamming on the air at any time and do not acknowledge jammers in any manner.

Use procedures shown further down this page to assist in determining the location of an unidentified/unlicensed operator.  When input from observers is sufficient to identify a source of illegal transmissions, details will be filed with the Federal Communications Commission and other agencies for enforcement action.  Penalties for malicious transmissions can total thousands of dollars in fines and legal costs plus several years in prison.

(4) Communications must be non-commercial. Prohibitions have been relaxed by the FCC.  One may order fast food or conduct some personal business. But an operator is not allowed to benefit financially from using Amateur Radio. One could not use ham radio to dispatch employees of a profit-making business or to solicit customers. A non-routine call to one’s employer to convey that the operator will be late for work is probably okay but most other calls to an employer should be avoided.  It is permissible to disseminate information on personal gear for sale or trade on nets and during conversations.

FCC RULES & COMMENTS ON PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS

 SECTION 97.113(a)

(a) No amateur station shall transmit:

       (1) Communications specifically prohibited elsewhere in this Part;

       (2) Communications for hire or for material compensation, direct or indirect, paid or promised, except as otherwise provided in these rules;

       (3) Communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer.  Amateur operators may, however, notify other amateur operators of the availability for sale or trade of apparatus normally used in an amateur station, provided that such activity is not conducted on a regular basis;

       (4)  Music using a phone emission except as specifically provided elsewhere in this section; communications intended to facilitate a criminal act, messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning, except as otherwise provided herein; obscene or indecent words or language; or false or deceptive messages, signals or identification;

       (5)  Communications on a regular basis, which could reasonably be furnished alternatively through other radio services.

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Background. On March 10, 1997, Mr. James Cardillo-Lee filed a petition for rule making, RM-9114, requesting that Section 97.113 of the Commission's Rules be amended to permit amateur radio operators who also are emergency personnel engaged in disaster relief to use the amateur service bands when such operators are in a paid duty status.

Mr. Cardillo-Lee states that the amateur service rules prohibit an amateur station from transmitting communications where there is a pecuniary interest including transmissions made on behalf of an employer.  He also states that the rules contains an exception for school teachers, who are allowed to conduct educational activities on the amateur bands in connection with their employment.

In support of this request, Mr. Cardillo-Lee states that as part of disaster preparedness, law enforcement and other safety personnel are being encouraged to become amateur radio operators and that, from time to time, the need to use amateur service bands in the course of a disaster operation may arise.  He states that such use of the amateur bands by paid emergency personnel who are in a duty status at the time could be viewed as making prohibited transmissions on behalf of an employer if there is no immediate threat to life or property.  Mr. Cardillo-Lee requests that the Rules be amended to clarify that amateur radio operators who are emergency personal engaged in disaster relief are not prohibited from using the amateur service bands while in a paid duty status.  The Commission sought comment on this petition on June 19, 1997.  We received no comments on this petition.

Decision. The international Radio Regulations define the amateur service as a radiocommunication service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, by duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.

In 1993, the Commission amended the amateur service prohibited transmission rule, Section 97.113, to permit greater flexibility for amateur stations while transmitting communications. Specifically, it amended the rule to allow amateur operators more flexibility to provide communications for public service projects as well as to enhance the value of the amateur service in satisfying personal communications needs and expand the benefits derived from the amateur service by the general public. It noted that the vast majority of comments supported its proposal to relax the prohibition against using the amateur service as an alternative to other radio services such as the maritime services, land mobile radio services or the cellular telephone service. The Commission stated that this action would allow licensees to use amateur service frequencies, for example, to facilitate events such as races and parades, to support educational activities, to provide personal communications such as making appointments and ordering food, to collect data for the National Weather Service, and to provide assistance voluntarily even where there are other authorized radio services available.

In that proceeding, the Commission also explicitly declined to devote staff resources to development and maintenance of any list of permitted or prohibited communications under Section 97.113 because such a list would necessitate that it intrude upon the day-to-day functioning of the amateur service to a far greater degree than it desired. Further, it stated that, in view of amateur radio operators' desire to engage in widely diverse types of communications, "thousands of examples" would have to be included on such a list. Instead of providing a list of anecdotal examples of permitted and prohibited communications, the Commission adopted five general standards that an amateur radio station control operator should use when deciding whether his or her station should transmit a certain message.   It also decided to rely on the amateur service's traditions of self-regulation and cooperation between licensees, the cornerstones of the amateur service, to determine whether specific communications should be transmitted on amateur service frequencies.

With regard to the specific request that we amend Section 97.113 of the Rules to clarify that amateur radio operators who are emergency personnel engaged in disaster relief are permitted to use the amateur service bands while in a paid duty status, we believe that such clarification is not necessary because these two-way communications are permitted within the existing rules. In this regard, we note that amateur radio operators who also are emergency personnel engaged in disaster relief do not appear to be receiving compensation for transmitting communications. Rather, we believe that these individuals are receiving compensation for services related to their disaster relief duties and in their capacities as emergency personnel, and the fact they also are amateur radio operators is incidental to these functions.

Further, we note that under the Rules, if the control operator of an amateur service station, who also is an emergency services provider engaged in disaster relief, questions whether a particular message in support of disaster relief should be transmitted on amateur service frequencies, he or she is under no obligation to transmit the message. If the control operator decides that a particular message is not appropriate for transmission on amateur service frequencies, we note that the message can be transmitted on frequencies allocated to other radio services, because disaster relief organizations are eligible for and have been assigned numerous radio channels in other radio services to meet their communication needs.

We also note that the prohibition against transmitting communications, on a regular basis, which could reasonably be furnished through other radio services, does not appear applicable to disaster relief-related communication because disasters, by definition, are atypical occurrences. We also believe that a rulemaking proceeding based on this petition is not necessary and that such a proceeding would be inconsistent with the Commission's explicit statement that it will not devote staff resources to development and maintenance of any list of permitted or prohibited communications. After review of this petition, we conclude that the amendment it requests is unnecessary and, therefore, does not warrant action by the Commission. For this reason, we will dismiss Mr. Cardillo-Lee's rulemaking petition.

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OPERATING TIPS

To facilitate cross band operation, the W4IZ Repeater System has only a very short delay (hang time) at the end of each transmission and no “roger beep."

It is good procedure to pause between transmissions for a second or two so that other stations may call.

Allow a second or two of lead time when you key your microphone before speaking. This allows equipment to engage at remote receiver sites.

To join a conversation, simply announce your complete call or suffix of your call during a break. You also may use the word “break” to join in.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Voice announcements concerning NOFARS activities such as meetings, testing sessions and group events are made around :15 after the hour with shorter announcements interspersed at other times. A digital voice recorder (DVR) is used for these announcements.

A DVR identification occurs at the top of the hour (except after midnight during early morning hours). When necessary, “live” announcements can be made immediately following the :00 hourly ID. Advisories can be announced by any user.

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VHF  PUBLIC SERVICE EVENT OPERATING TIPS

By Steve Welsh, AD4E

1. Listen, listen, & listen some more. Certainly, we all get pumped-up during an event. The adrenaline is there. How else could we pull those long shifts?! However, it's so important to listen for stations that may need to provide critical information or break-in with an emergency. So, pause briefly between transmissions and allow sufficient time for another station to break-in if they need to. It's also important to keep the "pace" of communications at a consistent (non-hyper) rate.

2. Confirm that your radio is working properly. The goal here is to have our radio equipment in perfect working order-especially transmit audio. Clear audio will significantly improve communications efficiency. Periodically, ask for a report on how your radio sounds. Often times, speaking more quietly will enhance intelligibility; or, possibly a simple adjustment to increase microphone sensitivity (transmit deviation) will provide a real improvement too.

3. Wait briefly for repeater system electronics, hand-held battery save circuits, & scanning units to engage before speaking. Upon initial repeater transmission, approximately 100 to 200 milliseconds (one-quarter second) is required. This is especially applicable to systems that are "linked" or using remote receivers. No one will steal your microphone!

4. Don't acknowledge open microphones or malicious interference. More often than not, acknowledging these poor operators (LIDS) only exacerbates the problem-attention is what they want!

5. No need for "over" & "go-ahead". In most cases, it's clearly evident when a station stops transmitting.

6. A single call to a station should be adequate. For example, "WA4XYZ this is N4ABC" or "WA4XYZ, N4ABC" is preferred over "WA4XYZ, WA4XYZ, this is N4ABC". If they don't respond to the first call within a short time, a second call may then be warranted.

7. No need for "WA4XYZ clear"

The underlying theme to all this is to keep the frequency open & be efficient with your communications. Speak clear & at a reasonable rate. Unless you have important information, (e.g., a weather report) to pass along or are being called, there is no reason to be transmitting. Also, less chit-chat means less listener fatigue. Although our hobby is called "amateur", we can be "professional" in our operating technique.                                                                                                          

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SOME HAM RADIO HUMOR

Several variations of the article below have been published in newsletters and magazines.  Some of it is tongue-in-cheek.  Both this article and Steve's tips above contain suggestions. Operating procedures vary from one person to another; one net to another and from one repeater to another.  If you hear a procedure that you feel violates rules of FCC or W4IZ, please contact the trustee via n4uf@nofars.org  

HOW TO SOUND LIKE A LID

Step One: Use as many "Q" signals as possible. Yes, I know they were invented solely for CW and are totally inappropriate for two meter FM, but they are fun and entertaining. They keep people guessing as to what you really meant. I.E. "I'm going to QSY to the phone." Can you really change frequencies to the phone? QSL used to mean, "I am acknowledging receipt", but now it appears to mean, "yes" or "OK". I guess I missed it when the ARRL changed the meaning. It is also best to use "OK" and "QSL" together. Redundancy is the better part of Lid-dom.

Step Two: Never laugh when you can say "HI HI". No one will ever know you aren't a long time CW rag-chewer if you don't tell them. They'll think you've been on since the days of Marconi.

Step Three: Utilize an alternative vocabulary. Use words like "destinated" and "negatory". It's OK to make up your own words here. I.E. "Yeah Tom, I "pheelbart zaphonix" occasionally myself."

Step Four: Always say "XX4XXX" (Insert your own call) "for I. D." As mentioned in Step One, anything that creates redundancy is always encouraged. That's why we have the Department of Redundancy Department. (Please note that you can follow your call with "for identification purposes" instead of "for I. D." While taking longer to say, it is worth more "LID points".

Step Five: The better the copy on two meter FM, the more you should use phonetics. Names should be especially used if they are short or common ones. I.E. "My name is Al... Alpha Lima" or "Jack.. Juliet Alpha Charlie Kilo." If at all possible use the less common HF phonetics "A4SM... America, Number Four, Sugar Mexico." And for maximum "LID points", make up unintelligible phonetics. "My name is Bob... Billibong Oregano Bumperpool."

Step Six: Always give the calls of yourself and everyone who is (or has been) in the group, whether they are still there or not. While this has been unnecessary for years, it is still a great memory test. You may also use "and the group" if you are an "old timer" or just have a bad memory. Extra points for saying everyone's call and then clearing in a silly way "K2PKK, Chow, Chow."

Step Seven: Whenever possible, use the wrong terminology. It keeps people guessing. Use "modulation" when you mean "deviation", and vice-versa.

Step Eight: If someone asks for a break, always finish your turn, taking as long as possible before turning it over. Whenever possible, pass it around a few times first. This will discourage the breaker, and if it is an emergency, encourage him to switch to another repeater and not bother you.

Step Nine: Always ask involved questions of the person who is trying to sign out. Never let him get by with just a "yes" or "no" answer. Make it a question that will take him a long time to answer.

Step Ten: The less you know on a subject, the more you should speculate about it in the roundtable. Also the amount of time you spend on the subject should be inversely proportionate to your knowledge of the subject even though you have no damn clue.

Step Eleven: Always make sure you try to communicate with only a handheld and a rubber duck antenna. Also, make sure you work through a repeater that you can hear very well, but it cannot hear you. This will put out a kind of "LID mating call": "Well, Joe, I can hear the repeater just fine here. I wonder why it can't hear me?" You will score maximum LID points if you are mobile, and with the radio lying in the passenger seat.

Step Twelve: If you hear two amateurs start a conversation, wait until they are twenty seconds into their contact, and then break in to make a call, or better yet to use the auto-patch. Make sure you keep the repeater tied up for at least three minutes. This way, once the two have re-established contact, they won't even remember what they were talking about.

Step Thirteen: You hear someone on the repeater giving directions to a visiting amateur. Even if the directions are good, make sure you break in with your own "alternate route but better way to get there" version. This is most effective with several other "would-be LIDs", each giving a different route. By the time the visiting amateur unscrambles all the street names whizzing by in his mind, he should have moved out of the range of the repeater. This keeps you from having to stick around to help the guy get back out of town, later.

Step Fourteen: If an annoying station is bothering you, make sure your other "LID" buddies have a "coded" frequency list. Even though "CODES" are strictly forbidden on Amateur Radio, it's really neat to practice "James Bond" tactics.

Step Fifteen: Always use the National Calling Frequency for general conversations. The more uninteresting, the longer you should use it. Extra points are awarded if you have recently moved from an adjacent frequency for no reason. Make sure when DX is "rolling" in on 52.525 that you hang out there and talk to your friends five miles down the road about the good old CB days!

Step Sixteen: Make sure that if you have a personal problem with someone, you should voice your opinion in a public forum, especially a net. Make sure you give their name, call, and any other identifying remarks. For maximum points, make sure the person in question is not on the repeater, or not available.

Step Seventeen: Make sure you say the first few words of each transmission twice, especially if it is the same thing each time. Like "roger, roger" or "fine business, fine business". I cannot stress enough about encouraging redundancy.

Step Eighteen: If you hear a conversation on a local repeater, break in and ask how each station is receiving you. Of course they will only see the signal of the repeater you are using, but it's that magic moment when you can find a fellow "LID", and get the report. Extra points are awarded if you are using a base station, and the repeater is less than twenty-five air miles from you.

Step Nineteen: Use the repeater for an hour or two at a time, preventing others from using it. Better yet, do it on a daily basis. Your quest is to make people so sick of hearing your voice every time they turn on their radio, they'll move to another frequency. This way you'll lighten the load on the repeater, leaving even more time for you to talk on it.

Step Twenty: See just how much flutter you can generate by operating at handheld power levels too far away from the repeater. Engage people in conversations when you know they wont be able to copy half of what your saying. Even when they say you’re un-copyable, continue to string them along by making further transmissions. See just how frustrated you can make the other amateur before he finally signs off in disgust.

Step Twenty - One: Use lots of radio jargon. After all, it makes you feel important using words ordinary people don't say. Who cares if it makes you sound like you just fell off Channel 19 on the citizen's Band? Use phrases such as "Roger on that", "10-4", "I'm on the side", "Your making the trip" and "Negatory on that".

Step Twenty -Two: Use excessive microphone gain. See just how loud you can make your audio. Make sure the audio gain is so high that other amateurs can hear any bugs crawling on your floor. If mobile, make sure the wind noise is loud enough that others have to strain to pick your words out from all the racket.

Step Twenty -Three: Start every transmission with the word "Roger" or "QSL". Sure, you don't need to acknowledge that you received the other transmission in full. After all, you would simply ask for a repeat if you missed something. But consider it your gift to the other amateur to give him solace every few seconds that his transmissions are being received.

Step Twenty -Four: When looking for a contact on a repeater, always say your "listening" or "monitoring" multiple times. I've always found that at least a half dozen times or so is good. Repeating your multiple "listening" ID's every 10 to 15 seconds is even better. Those people who didn't want to talk to you will eventually call you, hoping you'll go away after you have finally made a contact.

Step Twenty - Five: Always use a repeater, even if you can work the other station easily on simplex ... especially if you can make the contact on simplex. The coverage of the repeater you use should be inversely proportional to your distance from the other station.

Step Twenty - Six: When on repeaters using courtesy tones, you should always say "over". Courtesy tones are designed to let everyone know when you have un-keyed but don't let that stop you. Say "over", "back to you" or "go ahead". It serves no useful purpose but don't worry, it's still fun!

Step Twenty - Seven: Use the repeater's autopatch for frivolous routine calls... especially during morning or evening commute times. While pulling into the neighborhood, call home to let them know you'll be there in two minutes.... or, call your spouse to complain about the bad day you had at work. After all, the club has "measured rate" service on their phone line so they get charged for each autopatch call. Your endeavor is to make so many patches in a year that you cost the club at least $20 in phone bills. That way you'll feel you got your money's worth for your dues!

Step Twenty - Eight: Never say "My name is ....." It makes you sound human. If at all possible, use one of the following phrases: a) "The personal here is ..." b) "The handle here is..."

Step Twenty - Nine: Use "73" and "88" incorrectly. Both are already considered plural, but add an "s" to the end anyway. Say "73's" or "88's". Who cares if it means "best regards" and "love and kisses." Better yet, say "seventy thirds"! (By the way, seventy thirds equals about 23.3).

Step Thirty: If the repeater is off the air for service, complain about the fact that it was off the air as soon as it's turned back on. Act as though your entire day has been ruined because the repeater wasn't available when you wanted to use it. Even though you have never paid a penny to help out with the upkeep of it.

These easy steps should put you well on your way to “LID-Hood". I hope these helpful hints will save you some time in your quest to sound like the perfect "LID". I should also note that these steps need not apply to simplex operation, as nobody really gives a crap because that HTX-202 isn't going to get out too far with just a rubber duck.