Tips about hearing and recording callsigns

[TrikeRadio]

I have noticed that on GMRS it is less typical to state the alpha part of your callsign using the "International Radio-Telephony Spelling Alphabet" words.

But I find it tricky to hear and remember (long enough to record) the alpha portion of a GMRS callsign. I seem to get the numeric part but forget or don't hear the alpha part.
(of course I have trouble remembering a phone number long enough to write it down too)

I think my brain's buffer must only be about 3 or four characters!

Does anyone have any tricks or hints that help you, for newbies to more accurately hear and remember callsigns that are spoken quickly?

[OffRoaderX]

What? Why? WHY do you feel it necessary to record/remember/care about someone's call sign?

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, TrikeRadio said:

I have noticed that on GMRS it is less typical to state the alpha part of your callsign using the "International Radio-Telephony Spelling Alphabet" words.

But I find it tricky to hear and remember (long enough to record) the alpha portion of a GMRS callsign. I seem to get the numeric part but forget or don't hear the alpha part.
(of course I have trouble remembering a phone number long enough to write it down too)

I think my brain's buffer must only be about 3 or four characters!

Does anyone have any tricks or hints that help you, for newbies to more accurately hear and remember callsigns that are spoken quickly?

Honestly if it matters that much to me I’ll just ask for them to repeat the call sign.  I’ve never had any one get upset about it. I’d say  Most/many radio dorks are older and understand these issues.  

[Davichko5650]

Just now, OffRoaderX said:

What? Why? WHY do you feel it necessary to record/remember/care about someone's call sign?

They may want to log it on Cue Are Zed?  I don't know that I know close to half of the callsigns of  few people outside my group of family/friends that I've spoke to on GMRS in passing.  Their first names, sure, but I also don't see why I need to know their calls.

The only one I need to remember is mine, so I can remind the wife to say it when she's done talking (on the radio...)

[TrikeRadio]

8 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

What? Why? WHY do you feel it necessary to record/remember/care about someone's call sign?

Just because I am new and trying to recognize people in the club I joined. Want to be able to recognize who I am talking to or who is talking if I have talked to them before or not.

that is all.

[WSBV579]

8 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

What? Why? WHY do you feel it necessary to record/remember/care about someone's call sign?

I write down a few people's calls signs when I have an interaction with them on a local repeater, or if I find out they use simplex in my area. But after I learn their names, I typically just refer to them by their number or first name (WSBV579 to ###, hey *name*, how you doing?)

But the simplex guys around here know I monitor 19 for family use, so they'll just get on and reach out to me by first name...likewise, I do the same for the channels they typically monitor.

It kinda makes sense to log call signs on repeaters until you get to know everyone...just so you can remember and associate a call sign to a name.

[marcspaz]

I like knowing people's call signs if I talk to them frequently just because it's easier to call them on the radio. If I call someone's call sign I'm only going to get a response from the person I'm calling versus if I say hey Mark are you out there? I might get four people named Mark trying to reply to me.

 

Something I do that helps me is I have a radio that records both sides of the conversation. That way I don't have to remember it. I just go back and listen to it again if I want to know.

[WRQC527]

35 minutes ago, TrikeRadio said:

Just because I am new and trying to recognize people in the club I joined. Want to be able to recognize who I am talking to or who is talking if I have talked to them before or not.

that is all.

You don't need to make excuses for or rationalize recording call signs you hear to anyone on these forums. 

[OffRoaderX]

8 minutes ago, WRQC527 said:

You don't need to make excuses for or rationalize recording call signs you hear to anyone

Too late.

[LeoG]

Good chance just remembering the last 3 numbers and their name is good enough.  "456 Mark, you out there?"  One of the repeaters I'm on offers a "membership number"  It has nothing to do with your callsign and is just an incremental uptick of numbers as new people come on.

So you are just saying 120 to 322 and as long as you remember your number you're all good.

[WRQC527]

21 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

Too late.

For future reference. 

[WRQD922]

I politely ask them to repeat the call so I can put it on paper for myself. If they seem cranky about repeating the call you know you don’t need to speak with them in the future. At least that’s how I handle it. Good luck and enjoy. 

[TrikeRadio]

1 hour ago, LeoG said:

Good chance just remembering the last 3 numbers and their name is good enough...

That's true. Thanks.