[PPRAANet] How to Make a Contact or Not

[Paul Signorelli]

How to Make a Contact or Not
 I frequently hear guys on FM Simplex come on the air and give their call sign once and say 'CQ'. Like "KB0GEV CQ" ...
One chap was “KD0…”  followed by “Charlie Quebec”, “Charlie Quebec”…
Now was that KE0, KB0, or KD0 ... GEV, GBZ ?; B, C, D, E, G, P, T, V and Z sound very much alike when there is unfamiliarity or old ears listening.
You have to make noise on a unpopulated radio frequency especially if you have a new call that know one knows. There is no radio dispatcher monitoring your frequency 24/7. You can't just give your call once and expect to have anyone answer you.
If you are on a repeater a single call like that might be all you need to make a contact. If you want to be ignored just say, "KB0GEV testing."
146.52 Simplex, as an example, isn't monitored by a police radio dispatcher. It may be just be one of several scanned frequencies that some one might hear in the back ground of their "Noise of Life." Guys who might respond to you have to get over to where their radio is located or pull out their Handie Talkie, and listen for you. They may be scanning a lot of frequencies so if you never make a second call they won't know who or what it was.
If no one knows your call sign (like if you are travelling through town in your car), you have to repeat your call several times and then use phonetics, (Kilo Bravo Zero Golf Echo Victor Mobile in Texas City). Then say "Listening on 52", so the scanning guys will know where to respond to you. Then tell them what you are doing and what you need; a radio check, directions, traffic reports or just a QSO/Contact/ SOTA, etc... I hear this on HF SSB also,
If you don't know the local operating protocol, Listen and see what other guys are doing. Get to know your microphone and how far away it should be from your mouth and how to talk across it without blasting it. Breath and wind noises will block your voice. Ask another station how your audio level sounds, If your radio is set up for Narrowband (2.5kHz) and you are 3 inches away from your microphone, no one will hear you.
Happy Contacts.
 Paul W0RW