Call signs

[Lscott]

Anyway getting back to the topic of this thread about call signs. I wish radios in general had a way to program in your call sign and have it transmitted per the FCC rules. This would be purely for convenience of the operator and a feature that could be enabled/disabled as desired.

 

I've looked at the various builtin tone signaling options in the various commercial radios I have collected. The goal was to get a Morse Code transmission of a call sign with some "creative" setup of the signaling options. The only tone signaling options seem to be 2-tone, 5-tone and DTMF on my radios. There are also options for a PTT ID on Key-Up or Key-Off too. So far I don't see a way to do it.

 

I think using your call sign encourages others to act responsibly on the air. If one can justify not using it then its not a stretch to justify ignoring other rules. To see where that leads a simple monitoring tour of the spectrum between 26.965 MHz to 27.405 MHz AM should prove educational. 

[kirk5056]

"PL Tones do not give you more channels they just cover up other users."  

 

Just cover up other users is how you get more "channels".  If you define a "channel" as a conduit through which users can communicate with each other with little or no interference.  "Little or no interference" is not a bad standard for a $7/yr license that requires you accept some interference as a condition of license.

 

"This does nothing for interference or cross talk.Two or more radios on the same frequency will cancel each other out. the one with the most power will cover up the others."

 

This is true ONLY if two infrequent things occur simultaneously.  First, two radios have to TX at the same time.  If you listen to GMRS you know even one TX at a time is rare.  But that is only part of it.  Second, the potential interfering radio has to be closer or stronger than the radio you are trying to hear.  YOU can affect both by changing channels.  If you do your comms on 1-7 (where no radio can TX more than 5 watts) then the offending transmitter has to be closer to you because none can exceed your radios wattage.  This move alone can limit the potential for interference.  If both are not present then there is no KNOWN interference.

 

If you are listening to all 22 rx frequencies with out filters so that you can hear the most that you can hear.  Then dont complain about hearing all that you DO hear.

[WQBI410]

Anyway getting back to the topic of this thread about call signs. I wish radios in general had a way to program in your call sign and have it transmitted per the FCC rules. This would be purely for convenience of the operator and a feature that could be enabled/disabled as desired.

 

I've looked at the various builtin tone signaling options in the various commercial radios I have collected. The goal was to get a Morse Code transmission of a call sign with some "creative" setup of the signaling options. The only tone signaling options seem to be 2-tone, 5-tone and DTMF on my radios. There are also options for a PTT ID on Key-Up or Key-Off too. So far I don't see a way to do it.

 

I think using your call sign encourages others to act responsibly on the air. If one can justify not using it then its not a stretch to justify ignoring other rules. To see where that leads a simple monitoring tour of the spectrum between 26.965 MHz to 27.405 MHz AM should prove educational. 

I've seen that on a GMRS repeater. The radio was my Icom IC-F4161DS. I'm not sure how to make it go for all radios, however.

[Sean WRMH985]

Ok, GMRS newb here.  I had FRS/GMRS handhelds from Midland recently and just payed for my license and bought a mobile radio that I plan to use for Jeeping and in my daily driver pick up.  I have read all the regulations that I could find over GMRS so I understand to use your call sign when entering, every 15 minutes and when leaving the net.  Questions that I have relating to actual use of the call-sign is this:

 

Do you use the NATO alpha numeric alphabet when stating your call sign (alpha, bravo, charlie, etc) or normal alphabet (A, B, C, etc)?

 

Context, I used CB a decent amount when I was a kid back in the late 80's and recently with my Jeep.  Most of my other radio training comes from my time in the military using the vehicle radios and limited use of HF man packs.

 

Thanks!

[axorlov]

The NATO phonetic alphabet use is not required and not expected. Just spell out callsign in English.

[mbrun]

Good Day Sean.

 

There is nothing that requires the use of phonetics when giving your call sign which I believe you are already concluded. Just announcing your callsign normally is fine.

 

Now, to your specific question. Do I use the NATO phonetic alphabet or just state it use normal alphanumerics. Here it depends. When I am giving it while participating in a GMRS or amateur net and when I otherwise want the recipient to clearly understand and copy it correctly I use phonetics. However, when I am in conversations with people that already know me, recognize my voice on the radio, and when I am just announcing for compliance reasons I simply use alphanumerics.

 

All nets that I participate in expressly request to give it alphanumerically first, then follow it up phonetically. Thereafter alphanumerically is fine.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ok, GMRS newb here. I had FRS/GMRS handhelds from Midland recently and just payed for my license and bought a mobile radio that I plan to use for Jeeping and in my daily driver pick up. I have read all the regulations that I could find over GMRS so I understand to use your call sign when entering, every 15 minutes and when leaving the net. Questions that I have relating to actual use of the call-sign is this:

 

Do you use the NATO alpha numeric alphabet when stating your call sign (alpha, bravo, charlie, etc) or normal alphabet (A, B, C, etc)?

 

Context, I used CB a decent amount when I was a kid back in the late 80's and recently with my Jeep. Most of my other radio training comes from my time in the military using the vehicle radios and limited use of HF man packs.

 

Thanks!

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

[jgbeall]

Nobody uses them here in VA, even on repeaters. I do, but I feel like I'm scaring people away from wanting to reply when I do.

+1 on that!!!

[wayoverthere]

Do you use the NATO alpha numeric alphabet when stating your call sign (alpha, bravo, charlie, etc) or normal alphabet (A, B, C, etc)?

 

Personally, I stick with normal alphanumerics unless otherwise requested, or the normal method isn't getting through (and need to repeat).

 

That said, I'm still a bit shaky on the NATO phonetics (I have a postie on the calendar above my ham station with that callsign spelled out), so sometimes I default to APCO phonetics.

[SkylinesSuck]

Is that the really old style phonetic alphabet? I always get a kick out of some old timer pilot using that, getting corrected with the ICAO version, then saying "Affirmative!" then reading it back again the other way. I hope I'm gonna be old and snarky just like that

[axorlov]

Is that the really old style phonetic alphabet? I always get a kick out of some old timer pilot using that, getting corrected with the ICAO version, then saying "Affirmative!" then reading it back again the other way. I hope I'm gonna be old and snarky just like that

 

Aren't ICAO and NATO the same? Unless we argue semantics of ZOO-LUU vs ZOO-LOO? And that makes to me, who's English is not native, exactly ZI-RO sense.

[wayoverthere]

Is that the really old style phonetic alphabet? I always get a kick out of some old timer pilot using that, getting corrected with the ICAO version, then saying "Affirmative!" then reading it back again the other way. I hope I'm gonna be old and snarky just like that

[SkylinesSuck]

I think they are, yes. I was referring to APCO which wayoverthere referenced.

[Citizen]

Aren't ICAO and NATO the same? Unless we argue semantics of ZOO-LUU vs ZOO-LOO? And that makes to me, who's English is not native, exactly ZI-RO sense.

 

Yes, ICAO and NATO phonetics are effectively the same, but not the same as APCO (used by LE, I believe).

 

And most of what has been said above is true...no need to use phonetics on GMRS unless clarification is needed due to low modulation, static or requested by the receiving station, or something like that.

 

As far as being old, well yes that is true.  But ICAO is currently used not only by NATO, but also by the US military, the UN, the FAA, the FCC (as Hams should know, it is "encouraged").  The term ICAO is most notable here...it means these phonetics are used internationally (e.g. world-wide) for aviation, even by countries who's native language is not English.  English and ICAO phonetics are required by the FAA for international flights to fly into and out of the United States.

 

I often hear people butcher the phonetic alphabet, but I never correct them (even though I'm a private pilot AND an old-timer US military radio man).

[SkylinesSuck]

Ahhh, APCO is the law enforcement kind. Always thought that one sounded dumb. I meant the old WW2 one that goes something like "Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy" etc.

 

And yes, foreign pilots often have only the bare minimum English skill level. It's fine when everything is normal, but when STHF, it's a hot mess (Air China I'm looking at you). Those phonetic letters are the only thing that save the day unless your speak their native language.

[wayoverthere]

Ahhh, APCO is the law enforcement kind. Always thought that one sounded dumb. I meant the old WW2 one that goes something like "Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy" etc.

 

Ahh okay, think I misunderstood a little, but yeah, law enforcement version of phonetics...What I've seen indicates it's it's mostly the same back to the 40's. The local stuff here deviated a little here and there from the LAPD standard from what I've seen/heard, though.