Help required for HF Operator (ie how to)

m1bpt

m1bpt

Member
Hello Forum from Norfolk,

I read the funny on the maths test Hi , all joking apart I am a mostly VHF Station with a capacity for HF. and just about to install either my FT-857D or IC-706 MK2G in my Mobile as I can have any antennas up at home.

My expertise on HF is over 10 yrs Emergency services Operation on HF/MF in the maritime role Raynet HF on 80m and Military use of PRC320 on 5MHz.

What would my learned friends on the forum consider the correct and polite way to enter an on going QSO?
I have waited for a break in transmission and called politely QRZ , I have waited to the end of a QSO and politely asked is the frequency in use please.

Having listened around for close to 40 yrs HF seems to be the preserve of certain stations. In fact Having been the RSGB HF convention last year 2008 I now know that certain stations Own! the HF Bands or sub parts thereof.


What can our learned colleagues on the forum suggest?
After all there are no strangers just friends we have yet to meet.

Best 73s and politely listening M1BPT Paul JO02FV Norfolk Dah di Dah 😛
 
Well Paul, here is what I suggest. Very simply when you hear a break in an ongoing qso, just throw your entire call sign out. I usually just transmit, kb3ifk, Baltimore Md. Most operators will comeback and let you in or ask you to wait and then call back for you.

If you are listening and two ops sign out, call for one of them. If they are still on frequency they will usually return your call. If there is a contest gong on and a pile up and you want that station, just keep throwing your call out. Works for me.

If none of this works for you, I suggest you go to cw. Former Radioman 62-65 USS Douglas H. Fox DD779

Good Luck, Andy, kb3ifk 73
 
Hi Andy , thanks for the advice , that is what I shall do ,here's hoping we meet on the bands best 73s Paul M1BPT great to see a fellow maritime op :)
 
Hiya Paul

As far as I am aware the 'best' way to enter an existing phone QSO is to simply wait for a gap in the transmissions and say "Break" followed by your callsign. If your callsign is one that could easily be confusing (has say lots of "P"s and "B"s etc.) then follow up your callsign with a phonetic spelling.

A lot of operators simply shout "Break!" but do not give their callsign, in which case the other stations involved are quite within their rights to ignore such an intrusion, since according to the 'small print' on our licenses we should not work unidentified (and by inference unlicensed) stations.

If you are thinking of operating HF mobile, then simply by adding "Mobile" after your call will in most cases ensure you are brought in to the conversation in hand, since most stations are greatly intrigued by mobile op's and their antenna/radio etc.

The above said, I have often heard stations attempting to break in on a group being told that "They are acknowledged and will be brought in to the net soon, so please standby". Then, after about six more rounds of a net the size of the population of the Isle of Man the break station will be called in, and to everyone's 'surprise' the breaker has gone, and is accused of "lacking patience"!

I have heard this far too often to be a simple mistake, and my personal opinion is that it is just an elegant ruse to keep unwanted visitors out of a clique.

Oddly, I have only ever witnessed this kind of behaviour on phone.

On CW break stations are normally very quickly called in without any ill effects ;)

I would not recommend saying QRZ, since most operators tend to assume that when you are using QRZ you are doing so with an intention of interrogating a station or stations you perceive may be calling you. Literally "QRZ?" (Who is calling me?)

Best 73, Mark.
 
Hi Paul, ive found the best way as has been mentioned on previous posts just wait for a gap and either say break and your calsign or just your callsign there are a couple of nets i would say can be rude about this but know one owns any paricular part of the band other than to use the modes on the portions of the bands in your band plan ie slow scan,cw, phone etc and one that is becoming ignored more frequently in the the EU is 3.775 to 3.8 is the dx portion of 80m strictly speaking but i used to call cq on 80m telephony(away from the dx portion) and one of the ebjoyable aspects was to get break station into the qsos and expand the conversations as everyone has a point of view and as ive found another angle on building matters. Ive learned so much by having a conversation with someone about aerials etc and someone break in and give me their experience on such things its saved me a fortune on paracetamol heee. Good luck and just a thought if you want a natter on any of the bands why not post something on here with a time and freq see if people can meet up on the bands. Best 73 Gareth de 2e0bkw . .
 
I personally just shout my call sign phonetically, but if you use 20 meters you can avoid the need to break in as most QSO's only last 2 - 3 minutes.
 
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