GOOD OPERATING PROCEDURES,TIPS, 
HINTS, KINKS, TRICKS
AND SOME GOOD INFO FOR
HAM RADIO OPERATORS NEW TO HF!
Good reading for us old timers in Ham Radio too!
by N4UJW, Hamuniverse.com

Getting on the HF bands for the first time is one of the most exciting times for anyone that holds an Amateur Radio Operator license, especially for the ham operators who are brand new to HF or will soon be getting on HF with the new "HF" privileges using voice on 10 meters and CW privileges on 80, 40, 15, and 10 meters.
This article is especially written and tailored for the new operators using their new found privileges authorized by the FCC on February 23, 2007 on 10 meter voice
 and newly upgrading General class hams.

Exciting Times Ahead and What to Expect!

For me, earning the privilege of HF operating was......well beyond words to describe!
But here are two or three that will help you!

Operating on HF is very different from the 2 meter, 6 meter, 440 and bands higher.
You won't be using repeaters on HF like on 2 meters and the other bands you are accustomed to if you are a Technician class ham. General class hams have this privilege! You will strictly be in direct contact with the station on the other end, much like simplex on 2 meters. Your contact may be on the other side of the town you live in or on the other side of the world or in between using HF frequencies.

Depending on the time of day, propagation, the band you have selected, the mode you're using, (CW or SSB), and many other variables, your contacts may be "loud and clear"
or almost down in the noise.
You will have to accept major interference from Mother Nature's lightning crashes, solar storms, power line and other man made device noise and sometimes just too many stations on or near your frequency.

The HF ham bands are CROWDED!
Let's face it, worldwide, there are several million Amateur Radio Operators using the same bands and modes and most probably, the same frequencies although they may not hear all of the other stations on the frequency. This is just the nature of propagation, antennas, differences in power levels and other variables.

HF ham radio operating can be a challenging adventure at times when all of those variables are working against you so don't expect crystal clear FM quality as if your operating on a repeater on the 2 meter ham band all of the time.  It's kind of like going fishing, sometimes you have a great catch with strong signals, and other times, not a nibble!
Don't give up, you will make contacts!

Helpful Suggestions for the "Newbie" on HF
Read this first:
If you're new to Ham radio, you need to know that ham bands have "Official Observers" listening on all bands!
They are ham radio operators just like you and I.
You could be communicating with one and never know it.
Their responsibility is to observe infractions of the Part 97 rules and regulations and to get these infractions reported to the proper authority.
Don't give them a chance to complete their responsibilities!
They really don't want to.....but they will and do all the time!

probably the most important thing you need to remember is:
ID!
Transmit your call sign CLEARLY!
FCC Rules and Regulations Part 97
Sec. 97.119  Station identification.

    (a) Each amateur station, except a space station or telecommand
station, must transmit its assigned call sign on its transmitting
channel at the end of each communication, and at least every 10 minutes
during a communication, for the purpose of clearly making the source of
the transmissions from the station known to those receiving the
transmissions. No station may transmit unidentified communications or
signals, or transmit as the station call sign, any call sign not
authorized to the station. (SOURCE PART 97)

DON'T GIVE YOUR CALL SIGN AND THEN SAY, "FOR ID"!!!!
YOUR CALL SIGN IS YOUR ID! OTHER HAMS KNOW THIS AND YOU DO NOT NEED TO DEFINE WHAT YOUR CALL SIGN WAS FOR!

1. LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN!
Hey...wait a minute...I thought ham radio was about "talking"!
It is....but you will be surprised at how much you can learn about operating and ham radio by just listening around the ham bands!
If you're bored with that video game, the internet or whatever,
get on any active ham band and tune around until you hear an interesting conversation. Listen to the conversation and try to pick out ham terms, topics or phrases you don't know the meaning of......then, if your privileges, (and your station equipment), allow you to transmit on that band and frequency....wait for a pause between their transmissions and throw in your callsign.....most operators will acknowledge you and welcome you into the conversation....ask them to help you understand what they were talking about. Don't be bashful, tell them you are new to HF and would certainly appreciate their help!
Most will welcome you!

2. Be Patient
Making a contact on HF usually requires that you use the term "CQ" repeated at least 3 times in a row along with your call sign on the end and waiting for a reply...if none...repeat it over again....then try the third time and hope for an answer to your call. If still none, don't get discouraged!

If you have called CQ a multitude of times and still get no answer, try to figure out why....is it our old friend/enemy propagation, your equipment, your antenna type or setup? Do you have power out to the antenna? How do you know? Do you show output on the power meter. How is the SWR?

Check your complete station setup including all controls, functions, cables, etc....is your antenna still up! Contact a local ham on the phone or via email and set up a time and frequency to check out your station on the air.
If your trying to make a contact, any contact, on 10 meters and can't, then chances are that propagation is against you.

3. Using phonetics on HF
One of the major causes for voice communication errors is the misunderstanding of the spoken word on HF especially when operating under noisy conditions. Using the SSB mode under the assumption that it is a high fidelity mode like FM will surely disappoint you.There are many "accents" to the human voice and being in the sideband mode causes some words at times to be very unclear if the sending station is having technical problems with his microphone or audio circuits in his transceiver or you are operating under high noise levels.

If the other station's audio is extremely distorted, tell him so. He may have his mic gain cranked wide open, compressor full blast or a combination of both causing the background noise in his shack to be as loud as his voice! 
Or his mic may be causing the problem and he may not know it.
Again, let him know that you think he has a problem with his audio.

Ask him to talk "across" his mic with it held close to his mouth rather than directly into it. You will be surprised at how much clearer his voice will sound, and yours, to others using this technique.

Most stock microphones that come with transceivers are designed for "close talking" and not held a foot away! Always try to use the "close talking" and "across" when using voice modes.

Even under the best of conditions, SSB communications can sometimes be hard to understand and if you have a hearing problem, even more so,
.....enter Phonetics!
Definition: Phonetics - The study of speech sounds.

The Phonetic Alphabet is used to spell out letters in place of just saying the letter itself. By using a word for each letter there is less chance that the person listening will confuse letters. For instance, some letters that can easily be confused are "D" and "B". Using the phonetic alphabet, "Delta" and "Bravo" can be easily distingusihed. The phonetic alphabet is used primarily in two-way radio communications. The effects of noise, weak signals, distorted audio, and radio operator accent are reduced through use of the phonetic alphabet. This system of pronouncing letters is used around the world by maritime units, aircraft, amateur radio operators and the military. This alphabet is recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organization, Federal Aviation Administration, International Telecommunication Union and NATO as the standard for aircraft communications and radio communications.

Many words with certain letters in them or the beginning of them sound much alike when spoken in the presence of noise, and there is plenty of it on HF.
Some examples:
thunder - sounds like under, lightning - sounds like heightening, many -  sounds like any, rig - sounds like re, Yaesu - sounds like hayyou, seven like heaven or eleven, eight like hate or ate and on and on.
Using phonetics can help tremendously in the understanding of the more difficult sounding words, numbers, etc.
It would be hard not to understand my call sign, N4UJW, using it phonetically like.....November 4 Uniform Juliet Whiskey!

Here is the Phonetic alphabet and numbers as used in Ham Radio

Letter	Pronunciation	Letter	Pronunciation	Number	Pronunciation
A	Alpha (AL fah)	N	November (no VEM ber)	0	ZEE row
B	Bravo (BRAH VOH)	O	Oscar (OSS cah)	1	WUN
C	Charlie (CHAR lee)	P	Papa (pah PAH)	2	TOO
D	Delta (DELL tah)	Q	Quebec (keh BECK)	3	TREE
E	Echo (ECK oh)	R	Romeo (ROW me oh)	4	FOW er
F	Foxtrot (FOKS trot)	S	Sierra (see AIR rah)	5	FIFE
G	Golf (GOLF)	T	Tango (TANG go)	6	SIX
H	Hotel (hoh TELL)	U	Uniform (YOU nee form)	7	SEVEN
I	India (IN dee ah)	V	Victor (VIK tah)	8	AIT
J	Juliet (JEW lee ETT)	W	Whiskey (WISS key)	9	NINE er
K	Kilo (KEY loh)	X	X Ray (ECKS RAY)
L	Lima (LEE mah)	Y	Yankee (YANG key)
M	Mike (MIKE)	Z	Zulu (ZOO loo)

Note: The syllables printed in capital letters are to be stressed as in the letter "A" , Alpha (AL fah)

Call signs are routinely spelled using phonetics so there is no misunderstanding.
For instance, the call sign X9XX would be pronounced,
ECKS RAY    NINE er    EXKS RAY    EXKS RAY

Memorize the table above....you will use it often.
If you have difficulty memorizing, then just use a very similar phonetic in it's place....
but please try to memorize the standard phonetics above!
They are used by most hams worldwide.

4. The RST Reporting System
(Learn how to give a signal report)

5.Prosigns, Q Signals and CW Abbreviations
(CW SHORTHAND)

6. Good Operating Practices and Procedures on Ham Radio
An Article by Tim, AJ4D
(A MUST READ FOR ALL CLASSES OF HAMS)


7. FCC Rules Part 97


8. "The Amateur's Code"
Common Sense Rules for All of Us!
The Radio Amateur is:

CONSIDERATE...never knowingly operates in such a way as to lessen the pleasure of others.

LOYAL...offers loyalty, encouragement and support to other amateurs, local clubs, and the American Radio Relay League, through which Amateur Radio in the United States is represented nationally and internationally.

PROGRESSIVE...with knowledge abreast of science, a well-built and efficient station and operation above reproach.

FRIENDLY...slow and patient operating when requested; friendly advice and counsel to the beginner; kindly assistance, cooperation and consideration for the interests of others. These are the hallmarks of the amateur spirit.

BALANCED...radio is an avocation, never interfering with duties owed to family, job, school or community.

PATRIOTIC...station and skill always ready for service to country and community.

The original Amateur's Code was written by
Paul M. Segal, W9EEA, in 1928.


Learn More about SSB - Single Side Band - What it is and how it works!

10 METER INTRODUCTION AND MORE

If you "play" be these helpful suggestions, procedures and tips above, your enjoyment of HF ham radio will certainly be enhanced and you will be known as a good operator and not a "LID".

Enjoy your new Bands and WELCOME TO HF!

73, N4UJW

POWERED BY HAM RADIO!