Operating Procedures....Going from CB to HAM HF....
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,813
Likes: 0
From: Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Operating Procedures....Going from CB to HAM HF....
I took this from a post on eham.com. I edited where needed. It will definitely help you ease into HF HAM radio and hopefully keep you from running into some of the grumpy old HAMS....lol Any questions you may have just let me know. 73...
When you get on HF try not to upset the majority by not using the correct HF operating procedures
The DONT's......
Don't use or do the following
10-4 Breaker(just announce you callsign, thats all it takes not break, breaker or breaker breaker)
Whiskeys = for watts. The unit of measure for output power is WATTS not bottles of whiskey!
Put on some fake accent when talking to DX stations or use jungle Tarzan English, just speak as slow as possible
The station you speaking too might have a accent and is probably fluent in 5 languages!
Use NAME instead of handle
Don't use the term... "negatorie"...!!!
Don't break into a QSO for a signal report, wait till the QSO is finished
When the QSO is finished then throw your callsign in, its always "all call loudest signal wins"(breaking a QSO for a report is cheating)
Call CQ if you want a signal report(new HF disease, "tune the band and break into QSO's instead of calling CQ"
Don't use your CB amplified microphones( dead give away that you a new operator by the amount of excessive mic gain)
Standard phonetics (zesty sweet oranges for ZSO is not phonetics, non English speakers will never know these words!)
Never ask for a relay for your signal report!
Dont use ESSB or excessive bass on your TX audio for DX work its plain stupid and the number 1 reason why people cant be heard on the bands.
ESSB seems to be very attractive to new hams but its plain dumb for DX work, excessive bass is a sure sign of new ham stupidity!
Don't use CB solid state class C amplifiers, its dead give away with splatter!!! Get a real certified ham amplifier.
The DO's.....
Make sure you have a pencil and paper for writing callsigns down! Its just so annoying when someone forgets your name and constantly asks
you to repeat it because the new operator is too lazy to write anything down.
Have a callsign prefix and a atlas handy. You look like a real newbie when you ask "where XZ0" is etc. Worst is when you don't know what
continent a country is in!
Get a good pair of headphones its the best thing for working HF!
Spend all your money on a decent HF antenna then spent the remaining few cents on a radio. Even a HW101 with 6 element beam is better
than a IC7800 into a G5RV.
Become a good listener, that's the sign of a good operator, someone who has good HF tuning skills. I am amazed how many hams cant understand
whats been said with a S5 signal.
Learn how to give proper signal reports, " Your are S1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc you are 59 plus 10DB or 59plus 20Db etc. Its amazing how many new operator
don't get this right. I hear all sorts of other weird signal reports.
Swearing is just not the right thing to do, don't ever swear its just not cool!
If someone says you are splattering, just remain calm. Dont go on the attack, remaining calm is being professional. Ask the operator for his callsign,
your signal strength, his receiver brand and a rough estimate of the width of your splatter. Don't go on the attack by blaming receivers, noise blankers
or propagation. Its a simple matter to check if you are splattering. Most people over react because they feel insecure because they don't even
have the means to check their own signal and look foolish when they launch a long sermon on some other hams stupidity. For new hams most splatter
reports are legitimate because of bad practices such as using CB amps and ESSB equipment.
By a copy of the ARRL operating manual if you are new
HF is fun.....so have fun! 73.....
When you get on HF try not to upset the majority by not using the correct HF operating procedures
The DONT's......
Don't use or do the following
10-4 Breaker(just announce you callsign, thats all it takes not break, breaker or breaker breaker)
Whiskeys = for watts. The unit of measure for output power is WATTS not bottles of whiskey!
Put on some fake accent when talking to DX stations or use jungle Tarzan English, just speak as slow as possible
The station you speaking too might have a accent and is probably fluent in 5 languages!
Use NAME instead of handle
Don't use the term... "negatorie"...!!!
Don't break into a QSO for a signal report, wait till the QSO is finished
When the QSO is finished then throw your callsign in, its always "all call loudest signal wins"(breaking a QSO for a report is cheating)
Call CQ if you want a signal report(new HF disease, "tune the band and break into QSO's instead of calling CQ"
Don't use your CB amplified microphones( dead give away that you a new operator by the amount of excessive mic gain)
Standard phonetics (zesty sweet oranges for ZSO is not phonetics, non English speakers will never know these words!)
Never ask for a relay for your signal report!
Dont use ESSB or excessive bass on your TX audio for DX work its plain stupid and the number 1 reason why people cant be heard on the bands.
ESSB seems to be very attractive to new hams but its plain dumb for DX work, excessive bass is a sure sign of new ham stupidity!
Don't use CB solid state class C amplifiers, its dead give away with splatter!!! Get a real certified ham amplifier.
The DO's.....
Make sure you have a pencil and paper for writing callsigns down! Its just so annoying when someone forgets your name and constantly asks
you to repeat it because the new operator is too lazy to write anything down.
Have a callsign prefix and a atlas handy. You look like a real newbie when you ask "where XZ0" is etc. Worst is when you don't know what
continent a country is in!
Get a good pair of headphones its the best thing for working HF!
Spend all your money on a decent HF antenna then spent the remaining few cents on a radio. Even a HW101 with 6 element beam is better
than a IC7800 into a G5RV.
Become a good listener, that's the sign of a good operator, someone who has good HF tuning skills. I am amazed how many hams cant understand
whats been said with a S5 signal.
Learn how to give proper signal reports, " Your are S1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc you are 59 plus 10DB or 59plus 20Db etc. Its amazing how many new operator
don't get this right. I hear all sorts of other weird signal reports.
Swearing is just not the right thing to do, don't ever swear its just not cool!
If someone says you are splattering, just remain calm. Dont go on the attack, remaining calm is being professional. Ask the operator for his callsign,
your signal strength, his receiver brand and a rough estimate of the width of your splatter. Don't go on the attack by blaming receivers, noise blankers
or propagation. Its a simple matter to check if you are splattering. Most people over react because they feel insecure because they don't even
have the means to check their own signal and look foolish when they launch a long sermon on some other hams stupidity. For new hams most splatter
reports are legitimate because of bad practices such as using CB amps and ESSB equipment.
By a copy of the ARRL operating manual if you are new
HF is fun.....so have fun! 73.....
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 239
Likes: 1
From: Brewster,Wa
Thanks
Very nice Dave, with all this talk about ham licenses I have decided to go that route as well. The main reason is is because in this little hick town and this area in general, no one uses CB's at all. So I happened to be out and about last week-end and not far from here next to the beautiful Methow river a group or Amatuer Radio guys were haveing an event so I stopped and talked to them and they are going to help set me up to take the test on their next field day. SO I have been studying up on that and will hopefully get my ticket soon. Thanks for all the information. 
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,813
Likes: 0
From: Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Very nice Dave, with all this talk about ham licenses I have decided to go that route as well. The main reason is is because in this little hick town and this area in general, no one uses CB's at all. So I happened to be out and about last week-end and not far from here next to the beautiful Methow river a group or Amatuer Radio guys were haveing an event so I stopped and talked to them and they are going to help set me up to take the test on their next field day. SO I have been studying up on that and will hopefully get my ticket soon. Thanks for all the information.
Good Luck, and let us know how you're coming along....
73