Operating Procedures

Question 1

Describe the RST format

Answer 1

(readability, strength, tone)
Readability: A number from 1 (unreadable) to 5 (totally readable)
Strength: Read from the screen of your radio. A number from 1 (faint) to 9 (very strong)
Tone: Used with Morse code or data. A number denoting the purity of the tone, from 1 (extremely rough) to 9 (pure)

For a voice contact, this is sent as two numbers RS e.g. “59” (totally readable, very strong)

Question 2

What do these Q codes stand for:
QSL
QTH
QRZ
QSO
QSY
QRT

Answer 2

QSL: Confirmation / received
QTH: Location
QRZ? Who is calling me?
QSO: Conversation
QSY: Change Frequency
QRT: Closing down (Going Quiet)

Question 3

What is the etiquette of calling CQ?

Answer 3

Here is an example:

145.500 (Calling Channel) Listen. If free, call CQ
M6ABC answers and asks you to find a frequency
Tune to a free frequency, e.g. 145.450
Listen.
If nothing heard, give your callsign and ask “is this frequency in use?”
If the frequency is not in use, return to Calling Channel
Call M6ABC and ask him to change to the free frequency (in this example 145.450)
Tune to 145.450
Have your conversation

Question 4

How do you use a repeater?

Answer 4

You set the “input” and “output” frequencies, as well as setting a special tone to confirm that your signal is valid - CTCSS

Question 5

Typically, what are the specs of a repeater’s send/receive frequencies? on both 2m and 70cm

Answer 5

2m Repeaters transmit 600kHz above their input frequency
70cms Repeaters transmit 1.6MHz or 7.6MHz below their inputs
As an example, a typical repeater may listen for traffic on a frequency of 145.125MHz, and re-transmit the signal on 145.725MHz