Jump to content

Using the same call sign between family members


Recommended Posts

You can but I would use unit designations like unit 1 or 2 to minimize any confusion to whoever you're talking to.

3 minutes ago, WSET665 said:

. If I am talking to a family member, covered under my GMRS license,

And to your second question the answer is yes

 

4 minutes ago, WSET665 said:

do we both use the same call sign to sign on and off?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as the fcc rules you only give your call sign once every 15min and at the end of a conversation.   
now some repeaters require every one to id with an extra id such as a,b,c or unit 2,3,4 ext.  other then that do what you want.  I will never ever call a child by name on the radio. Just basic safety. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/8/2024 at 7:35 PM, WSET665 said:

I have a newbie question about call signs. If I am talking to a family member, covered under my GMRS license, do we both use the same call sign to sign on and off?

 

The legal requirement is yes, you all use the exact same call sign.  You do not need anything except for that.

 

Some clarifications...

1.) There is zero obligation to start your communications with your call sign.  The rules state once every 15 minutes and at the end of the conversation. 

2.) Your call sign does not need to the the last thing you say.  I hear this happen a lot, where people end up saying their call sign 2, 3 or more times in 60 seconds or less.  An example, if you ID thinking you are done talking and a family member asks you a brief question, like what time will you be home. Unless you engage in an obvious continuation of the conversation, you do not need to ID again.  Meaning if you say something like "Around 4:30".  That's it... you are still covered.

3.) There is zero need to append anything to your call sign to differentiate between multiple stations.  However, many people do add what is commonly referred to as a tactical call sign to eliminate confusion among the group.  For example, if I am convoying and my son is in another car, if I want to call him, ahead of time we can workout that I am Mobile 1 and he is Mobile 2.  So, if I call him, I can say "Mobile 2, this is mobile 1. Do you copy?"  and that is perfectly fine.  When we ID, I can (but not required to) ID with my FCC call sign followed by my 'tactical call sign'.  An example would be "WABC123 Mobile 1".

 

Hope all that make sense and helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To add to what @marcspaz said, you may want to think about how family members sound on the radio. My father has passed away but while he was alive, he and I sounded exactly the same on the radio, phone, intercom etc. The same was true with my mom and my sisters. The additional unit number or whatever you want to use can be helpful in cases like that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Guidelines.