G2 - Operating Procedures

SSB is the mode of voice communication is most commonly used on the High Frequency Amateur bands. Single sideband (SSB) is a form of amplitude modulation in which one sideband and the carrier are suppressed. It is a voice mode where only one sideband is transmitted; the other sideband and carrier are suppressed. An advantage when using single sideband as compared to other voice modes on the HF amateur bands is less bandwidth used and high power efficiency.

Current amateur practice is to use Lower Sideband on the 160, 75, and 40 meter bands. Upper Sideband is most commonly used for phone communications on the bands above 20 meters, which includes the 17 and 12 meter bands. Upper Sideband is commonly used in the VHF and UHF bands.

VOX is an acronym for Voice Operated Relay (X is a symbol for a switch). VOX operation allows "hands free" operation. Common user adjustable controls associated with VOX circuitry includes ALL of the following -- Anti-VOX, VOX Delay and VOX Sensitivity. The recommended way to break into a conversation when using phone is to say your call sign during a break between transmissions from the other stations.

If the frequency on which a net normally meets is in use just before the net begins, an action that should be taken is to ask the stations if the net may use the frequency, or move the net to a nearby clear frequency if necessary. If a net is about to begin on a frequency you and another station are using, you should move to a different frequency as a courtesy to the net. If you notice increasing interference from other activity on a frequency you are using you should move your contact to another frequency.

The minimum frequency separation between CW signals should be allowed to minimize interference is 150 to 500 Hz. The minimum frequency separation between 170 Hz shift RTTY signals should be allowed to minimize interference is 250 to 500 Hz. The minimum frequency separation between SSB signals should be allowed to minimize interference is approximately 3 kHz.

A band plan is a voluntary guideline for band use beyond the divisions established by the FCC. To comply with good amateur practice when choosing a frequency for Slow-Scan TV (SSTV), radio-teletype (RTTY) or HF PSK operation you should . A “DX window” in a voluntary band plan is a portion of the band that should not be used for contacts between stations within the 48 contiguous United States.

A practical way to avoid harmful interference when selecting a frequency to call CQ using phone is to first ask if the frequency is in use, say your callsign, and listen for a response. To avoid harmful interference when calling CQ using Morse code or CW send "QRL? de" followed by your callsign and listen for a response. The expression "CQ DX" usually indicates the caller is looking for any station outside their own country.

When normal communications systems are not available, an amateur station may use any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communications when there is an immediate threat to the safety of human life or the protection of property. An amateur station is prevented from using any means at its disposal to assist another station in distress. During a disaster an amateur station may make transmissions necessary to meet essential communications needs and to facilitate relief actions. Any emission mode may be used to obtain assistance during a disaster. You are never prohibited from helping any station in distress!

The FCC may restrict normal frequency operations of amateur stations participating in RACES when the President’s War Emergency Powers have been invoked. The control operator of an amateur station transmitting in RACES to assist relief operations during a disaster may be only a person holding an FCC issued amateur operator license.

An amateur station transmitting to obtain assistance when in distress may use any frequency authorized to the control operator. You should use whatever frequency has the best chance of communicating the distress message to send a distress call. A control operator transmitting out of the amateur band without station identification during a life threatening emergency would be said to be making an unidentified transmission. (which is really not a good operating practice - emergency or not).

When communicating with another amateur station and hear a station in distress break in, the first thing you should do is acknowledge the station in distress and determine what assistance may be needed. The information given to a station answering a distress transmission should be the location and nature of the emergency.

The Amateur Auxiliary to the FCC are amateur volunteers who are formally enlisted to monitor the airwaves for rules violations. The objectives of the Amateur Auxiliary are to encourage amateur self-regulation and compliance with the rules.

A skill learned during “Fox Hunts” that are of help to the Amateur Auxiliary is direction-finding skills used to locate stations violating FCC Rules. An azimuthal projection map is a world map projection centered on a particular location. The most useful type of map to use when orienting a directional HF antenna toward a distant station is an azimuthal projection. When making a “long-path” contact with another station a directional antenna is pointed 180 degrees from its short-path heading. An HF antenna that is unidirectional antenna would be the best to use for minimizing interference.

Many amateurs keep a log even though the FCC doesn't require it to help with a reply if the FCC requests information on who was control operator of your station at a given date and time. If you are using other than a dipole, Antenna gain calculations or manufacturer's data for antennas used on 60 meters is the only information a licensee must retain as part of their station records. Information traditionally contained in a station log includes ALL of these -- Date and time of contact, Band and/or frequency of the contact and Call sign of station contacted and the signal report given.

The abbreviation "RTTY" stands for Radio-TeleTYpe. The Baudot Code used with RTTY is a 5-bit code, with additional start and stop bits. The most common frequency shift for RTTY emissions in the amateur HF bands is 170 Hz. LSB (Lower Side Band) mode should be selected when using a SSB transmitter with an Audio Frequency Shift Keying (AFSK) RTTY signal.

The abbreviation "MFSK" stands for Multi (or Multiple) Frequency Shift Keying. A major advantage of MFSK16 compared to other digital modes is that it offers good performance in weak signal environment without error correction.

The 20 meter band segment most often used for most data transmissions is 14.070 - 14.100 MHz. PSK signals are generally found on the 20 meter band around 14.070 MHz. The 80 meter band segment most commonly used for data transmissions is 3570 – 3600 kHz. Typically the number of data bits sent in a single PSK31 character varies. The part of a data packet that contains the routing and handling information is called the Header.

QRP operation is low power transmit operation, typically about 5 watts. The term “zero beat” in CW operation means matching the frequency of the transmitting station. Full break-in telegraphy (QSK) is operation that allows incoming signals to be received between transmitted code character elements. The best speed to use answering a CQ in Morse code is the speed at which the CQ was sent. When sending CW, a “C” added to the RST report indicates the received signal is chirpy or unstable.

The following abbreviations ("Prosigns") or Q-codes are used with Morse code (CW)


ARIndicates the end of a formal message QRQRequest for you to send CW faster (Quicker)
CLCLosing station QRSRequest for you to send CW slower
KNListening only for specific KNown station or stations QRVI am ready to receive messages
  QSLI acknowledge receipt