This first Ham Radio Boot Camp will be short and sweet as we only have a few days until the January 26, Boot Camp. With Winter Field Day right around the corner, this Boot Camp will be ideal to go over voice procedures for operating a WFD Station. Field Days are a great place to get experience on the air but it can be a challenge for new and prospective Hams due to the fast pace and confusing lingo. Fear not! It’s not as hard as it seems. If you are forgetful like the rest of us, just keep a note pad, pen, and cheat sheets next to the radio.
Topics:
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ITU Phonetics
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“Q” Signals
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Contest Exchange
ITU Phonetics:
Memorize the phonetic alphabet as it is used in almost any radio communication such as, identification with your call sign. Ex. K5LIB – Kilo Five Lima India Bravo. There are links all over the internet to this list and even phone apps to help you. Practice the phonetic alphabet as much as posible. Grab a magazine, book, or your phone and covert the text to phonetics.
“Q” Signals:
Most Q signals are rarely used and for the sake of time, we are only going to cover those that will likely be used in a WFD exchange. You can learn just a handful to cover most situations. Memorizing these can be tricky as you have to learn how to use them in a sentence and some have question and answer forms of use. Remember, print out a cheat sheet and keep it near the radio until you become more familiar.
QRM– Is my transmission being interfered with? Your transmission is being interfered with ___ (1-Nil, 2-Slightly, 3-Moderately, 4-Severly, 5-Extremely.)
QRN– Are you troubled by static? I am troubled by static ___ (1-5 as under QRM.)
QRO– Shall I increase power? Increase power.
QRP– Shall I decrease power? Decrease power.
QRZ– Who is calling me? You are being called by ___.
QSB– Are my signals fading? Your signals are fading.
QSL– Can you acknowledge receipt? I am acknowledging receipt.
QTH– What is your location? My location is ___.
Contest Exchange:
Example:
Calling Station, “CQ field day, CQ field day, this is, KILO FIVE LIMA INDIA BRAVO calling CQ”
Answering Station, “KILO FIVE BRAVO ECHO KILO”
Calling Station, “KILO FIVE BRAVO ECHO KILO we are TWO OSCAR West Texas QSL?”
Answering Station, “QSL, we are ONE HOTEL West Texas”
Calling Station, “QRZ”
Ham Radio Boot Camp will be held on January 26th and run from 7:00pm – 9:00pm at the LARC clubhouse. Learn the above information as best you can. We will go over the information again at the meeting and do a role playing exercise to help everyone get in the groove of WFD. Bring any notes you may need, pen, or paper as you may need it to help recall information and copy the exchanges during the exercise.
Click the slack link below to join LARC’s slack workspace. Once you are on our workspace join the #boot-camp channel. This app will put you in a chat room with folks who can answer questions or help with tips and pointers.
For more information or questions about Ham Radio Boot Camp, please contact Brandon Kimbrell K5BEK by phone or email.
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Contest Calendar
- Novice Rig Roundup
0000Z, Mar 6 to 2359Z, Mar 14
- TESLA Memorial HF CW Contest
1800Z, Mar 13 to 0559Z, Mar 14
- South America 10 Meter Contest
1200Z, Mar 13 to 1200Z, Mar 14
- DIG QSO Party, SSB
1200Z-1700Z, Mar 13 (20m-10m) and 0700Z-0900Z, Mar 14 (80m) and 0900Z-1100Z, Mar 14 (40m)
- AGCW QRP Contest
1400Z-2000Z, Mar 13
- Stew Perry Topband Challenge
1500Z, Mar 13 to 1500Z, Mar 14
- Oklahoma QSO Party
1500Z, Mar 13 to 0200Z, Mar 14 and 1500Z-2100Z, Mar 14
- EA PSK63 Contest
1600Z, Mar 13 to 1600Z, Mar 14
- QCWA QSO Party
1800Z, Mar 13 to 1800Z, Mar 14
- Idaho QSO Party
1900Z, Mar 13 to 1900Z, Mar 14
