QSK or "Break"

[SnoopCoop]

What do you think???

 

I listen to some of our GMRS community on air radio talk and it doesn't seem "we" utilize a standard word or two to politely ask to break in and add to a two way or more conversation similar to the hams that use QSK or CBers who use Break-Break.  I hear operaters, although being polite, say things like, "Can I jump in" or "I'm on the side" something to that nature but nothing simple, recognized and somewhat standarized to alert the busy airwaves  I assert perhaps with our GMRS radio community on our NET we attempt to adopt a standarized word to politely alert operators engaged in a general conversation.  Perhaps QSK wll work... or there may be another suggestion just for the GMRS radio comminiity. 

[WRAK968]

Well general radio etiquette, and this goes for the ham community as well, is to take a break every couple of operators/rounds. This means allowing the carrier to drop and waiting a few seconds before transmitting again. This serves a few things. A ) to give new operators a chance to join in, B ) to allow the timer to reset on the repeater, C ) in the case of linked repeater, to give the server a chance to catch up and other machines on the system to cool down. Every radio user /should/ make this habit, but they don't.

[AdmiralCochrane]

Hams also use "contact"

[mbrun]

The dominate way it seems to be done around me (on amateur and GMRS) is to merely announce your call sign in between the transmissions of others. Then you wait for the courteous radio operator to acknowledge you. I have heard ‘break’ only a once or twice in recent months. On the amateur side of things, when you really need to use the radio immediately, announcing your call sign followed by ‘Priority’ is protocol; followed by ‘Emergency’ when radio is needed for life safety reasons.

 

Locally it is also protocol here to to let the repeater drop before keying up. As has been said by WRAK, this is for multiple reasons, not the least of which is to allow time for others to break in. The locals seem to encourage this process when new hams join in. Sunday on the local GMRS training net the SME was advocating the same thing. I agree it is an excellent practice.

 

Personally, I allow 3-5 seconds after another person in a conversation has un-keyed before replying, just so others have the space to jump in.

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

 

What do you think???

 

I listen to some of our GMRS community on air radio talk and it doesn't seem "we" utilize a standard word or two to politely ask to break in and add to a two way or more conversation similar to the hams that use QSK or CBers who use Break-Break. I hear operaters, although being polite, say things like, "Can I jump in" or "I'm on the side" something to that nature but nothing simple, recognized and somewhat standarized to alert the busy airwaves I assert perhaps with our GMRS radio community on our NET we attempt to adopt a standarized word to politely alert operators engaged in a general conversation. Perhaps QSK wll work... or there may be another suggestion just for the GMRS radio comminiity.

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rdunajewski]

C ) in the case of linked repeater, to give the server a chance to catch up and other machines on the system to cool down. Every radio user /should/ make this habit, but they don't.

 

You're just not using enough heat sinking. 100% duty cycle or bust! 

[WRAK968]

You're just not using enough heat sinking. 100% duty cycle or bust! 

LOL

[Jones]

I agree with WRAK968, and mbrun.  I recommend people pausing between transmissions to give someone a chance to break in. When breaking in, you should just toss out your call sign, (which is required anyway) and wait to be acknowledged.

 

In the Midwestern ham community, the term "Break" is only used to stop an ongoing conversation for urgent traffic, and a double "Break Break" is used for emergency traffic.  The term "Contact" is used during nets by someone who would like to make a quick contact with someone else on the net.

 

I NEVER want to hear Q codes used in voice communications, and many other hams feel the same way.  Q codes are used as shortcuts in Morse Code. Using them in voice communications is just sloppy operating.  ...and yes, there are a LOT of very sloppy old-timers out there teaching bad habits to new operators.

 

I also hate the use of 10 codes, unless you are a police officer using your official radio.