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Bredhurst Receiving and Transmitting Society

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Part 1


8. Operating Practices and Procedures

8a Q codes

8a.1 Recall the meaning and the reason for use of the Q codes: QRL, QRM, QRN, QRP, QRT, QRZ, QSB, QSL, QSO, QSY, QTH.

There is no excuse for not understanding this section as you can use all these Q codes whilst carrying out normal conversations ( in licence terms sending messages) as a Foundation Licence holder. so if you have difficulty remembering these make up some "Q code " cards to help you learn.

any code that is not a Q code or recognise amateur code such as 73 88 is in fact a secret code and not permitted on the amateur bands.

There is jargon and abbreviations that is consider usual on amateur radio and that which is not. The "Q" codes as they are called is a shortened way to pass information especially if conditions or propagation are poor.

The "Q Codes" are more normally used on CW and DATA modes to cut down the morse code sent or typing strokes used but they can be used on phone such as "Please QSY to 145.550" meaning change frequency to 145.550. However on phone you will often find it is quicker to use plain spoken words unless operating conditions are difficult.

The following "Q" code are examination possibilities !!! The "Q" Code you are least likely to have come across whilst operating as an M3 is QRL - meaning the frequency is busy so this is certainly one to learn.

Q Code "What the Text book says"

Some explanation

QRL

busy - the frequency is in use

not a usual phone "Q" code. It is sent in CW more often to indicate that the frequency is in use.

QRM

Interference by other stations Man made interference such as other stations working on adjacent channels

QRN

Interference by atmospherics Natural atmospheric Interference eg lightning

QRP

Low power

Mainly used in CW (or other data mode) but can be used on phone to indicate that your station is working low power or about to change to low power.

QRT

Close down (stop sending)

Mainly used in CW (or other data mode) but can be used on phone to indicate you are closing down e.g. "I am going QRT"

QRZ

Asking - Who is calling you

Mainly used in CW (or other data mode) but can be used on phone to enquire who is calling you or who is on the frequency and do they want to have a QSO. Often used in contests to indicate that you will accept a call from any station.

QSB

Fading

If you are told that your signals are suffering from QSB it mean that your signal strength varies up and down.

QSL

Confirm contact

Mainly used in CW (or other data mode) but can be used on phone as in "Please QSL" meaning "Please confirm the contact by sending a QSL card". Also can be used as an affirmative after you have been asked a question that needs a YES answer.

QSO

Radio contact

Used as in "having a QSO" meaning you are talking to another station or you hear other stations having a QSO between them.

QSY

Change frequency

You should know this one as it was first introduced to you in the practicals of the Foundation licence.

You might hear "please QSY" meaning " the frequency is busy, or you use it to ask another station to QSY off the calling frequencies and meet you on such and such a frequency.

QTH

Location

Mainly used in CW (or other data mode) but can be used on phone as in "my QTH is Rochester" meaning that "my station is in Gillingham". It does not just mean your home unless as in "I am going to my QTH" meaning I am going to my home.

So what did QRL mean ??? busy - the frequency is in use but if I were you learn this for the exam but it has never been heard on voice channels probably used in CW mode.

Why not make up some flash cards with the "Q Code" on one side and the meaning on the other.

Click here for a pdf file of flash cards

8b Abbreviations

8b.1 Recall the meaning and the reason for use of the following : CQ, DE, DX, R, RST, SIG, UR, WX.

Code "What the Text book says"

Some explanation.

CQ

General call to all stations

This is Radio Amateur's general call- sometimes wrongly called a broadcast but it is a call that is inviting replies.

DE

From, used to precede the call sign of the calling station

Used in CW and Data modes and placed before the callsign of the sending station e.g G7BRC de G0BRC pse k k ( the 'pse k k' indicates a reply is wanted from the station G7BRC).

DX

Long distance

Used on Phone CW and Data modes and phone " CQ CQ CQ DX this is G0BRC G0BRC G0BRC calling DX and standing by". G0BRC is looking for stations who are outside the normal operational range for the band or outside your continent.

R

Receive(d)

Used in CW and Data modes meaning receive(d) and therefore can also stand in place of the word "roger" an acknowledgment that you have understood all that has been sent before

RST

Readability - Signal - Tone

Used in CW and Data modes but not very often in phone to indicate that the next information that will follow will be the signal report.

SIG

Signal

Used in CW and Data modes meaning please give me a signal report in the form RST

UR

Your

Used in CW and Data modes as in "UR RST is 599" the report of your signal as received at my station is 599.

WX

Weather

Used in CW and Data modes (and sometimes in phone under difficult conditions) as in "What is the WX like?" meaning what is the Weather like at your QTH or "WX here is sunny and very hot".

Why not make up some flash cards with the "abbreviations" on one side and the meaning on the other.

Click here for a pdf file of flash cards

8c RST code

8c.1 Recall the meaning of the RST code, the number of divisions of each of the three items, and their order of merit.

Whilst it would be nice to know all the information given below all that is required for the exam is the range of each part of the R, S, and T and the order of merit.

Readability
  • R1 Unreadable
  • R2 Barely readable, occasional words distinguishable
  • R3 Readable with considerable difficulty
  • R4 Readable with practically no difficulty
  • R5 Perfectly readable
Signal strength
  • S1 Faint, signals barely perceptible
  • S2 Very weak signals
  • S3 Weak signals
  • S4 Fair signals
  • S5 Fairly good signals
  • S6 Good signals
  • S7 Moderately strong signals
  • S8 Strong signals
  • S9 Extremely strong signals
Tone (used only with CW signals)
  • T1 Extremely rough hissing note
  • T2 Very rough note, not musical at all
  • T3 Rough, low-pitched note, slightly musical
  • T4 Rather rough note, moderately musical
  • T5 Musically modulated note
  • T6 Modulated note, slight trace of whistle
  • T7 A musical note with some ripple
  • T8 A very good note with just a trace of ripple
  • T9 A pure musical note

In this regard you will be expected need to know that on SSB that a very readable signal and very strong would be 59 - that a moderately good signal reasonable strong might be given as 47.

Thus it is the fact that Readability has a 5 to 1 scale with R5 meaning very good and R1 meaning very poor.

Signal has the range 9 to 1 and graded from 9 as the best to 1 is worst.

Additionally for CW Tone has the range 9 to 1 and again graded from 9 as the best to 1 is worst.

Click here for a pdf file of flash cards

8d Relative advantages of CW, SSB and FM

8d.1 Understand the relative operational advantages of CW, SSB and FM.

FM has the shortest range and maximum bandwidth lease likely to cause EMC problems

FM has the shortest range and maximum bandwidth, however at shorter ranges it gives stronger receive signals. FM offers a high quality speech signal.

CW greatest distance for least power next down with regards to EMC problems

CW is generally accepted as having the the narrowest band width and has the greatest range for a given transmitter output power. A CW transmitter is much simpler than the AM, FM and SSB transmitters. A receiver with good selectivity, narrow band width, can cut out much of the noise and interference on a CW signal.

SSB best distance range (after CW) with less band width than FM but worst with regards EMC problems.

SSB whether voice / data, is considered as the best to CW for both achievable range and bandwidth.

In this section questions would be in regard to operational performance and not EMC.

8e Other types of modulation

8e.1 Recall that types of modulation other than CW, SSB and FM are available to the intermediate licensee (e.g. packet, PSK31, SSTV and FSTV).

Whilst you may have operated phone in the mode FM and SSB and possibly CW there are other modes that are available to the intermediate licence holder.

Other modes available are:-

Packet a form of data communication which was greatly used before the internet as there was a world wide message distribution system which has fallen in it's popularity - but had the advantage of a store forward facility so this passes the messages for you rather than you having to know the route it would take - much the same as sending email today via the internet!!!.

PSK31 another form of data communication based on two audio tones sent out and received directly by another station,

SSTV Slow scan TV the ability to send pictures over the VHF UHF and Hf bands

FSTV Fast scan TV like the analogue broadcast TV but uses microwaves to enable pictures in colour and sound to be sent simultaneously

8e.2 Recall that several types of transmission can be generated and received with the use of a personal computer and a suitable interface.

It is the data modes that can use the personal computer. The link is usually via the RS 232 port to the PTT and from the speaker to the sound card "in" and from the sound card "out" to the mic input. A suitable interface to ensure that the audio levels are correct and the PTT line switched by the command of the operator and not rogue switching done by the computer is a must !!

RTTY

This is what is considered by many to be the "granddad "of digital data modes after CW. It originated with the adaptation of telex mechanical machines and a terminal unit, usually homebrew, but now is achieved with computer and suitable interface between rig and sound card and RS232 port.

Packet

A teletype digital data mode using a keyboard to produce text (data). Mainly used with a computer with suitable Terminal Node Controller (TNC) which is a modem and control system combined, but today computer programs make it possible to operate packet with a suitable interface between rig and sound card and RS232 port.

PSK 31

Another text/data mode similar to RTTY but suited to narrow bandwidths and is commonly used on the HF bands.

SSTV Slow Scan TV

SSTV is similar in nature to a fax machine which is now in common office use, except that SSTV uses a camera or computer to generate the image / picture and needs only a simple voice channel, a suitable interface between rig and sound card and RS232 port, to operate on VHF and HF, thus giving world wide coverage as for voice (on HF). Reception and sending of colour pictures and text is now considered usual.

FSTV Fast Scan TV

FSTV is the technical term for the analogue type of TV you probably have in your living room. It requires much wider bandwidth due to the vast amount of information needed to be carried in the signal. It is therefore limited to the UHF and higher bands and thus has relatively limited range.

In summary

Many of these modes can now be generated on a computer with a suitable interface and sound card.

8f Good operating practices

8f.1 Recall that call sign prefixes, station locations and addresses can often be found in call books and from the internet.

Ok, so now you have worked someone and want to send him / her a QSL card - how do you find out their address which they did not give over the air, (note is it not good practice to pass such information over the air).

There are several sources of callsign information and the RSGB, and others, publish books in which call-sign prefixes, station location, and addresses can often be found.

Also there are sources of callsign information on the Internet.

The sort of question that might be asked is "You have just worked an new country and want to send a QSL card to the operator how do you find his address?."

8f.2 Understand the concept of sending and receiving QSL cards.

A QSL card is about the size of a traditional seaside post card. They are sent to the other station who you worked to record your QSO. Some amateurs enjoy collecting QSL cards other of course cannot stand being asked for a QSL card so be warned !!! The cards can be posted directly to the other station or sent via, what is called, "the QSL bureau" which are operated around the world by various national societies.

Some amateurs make vast collections of cards some can be "collectors items" from rare stations, especially if the station who sent the card is a silent key (deceased). By collecting QSL cards you can easily check the number of different countries you have worked.

The design of the QSL cards is what ever the licence holder desires, but do consider what information you need to pass to the other station.

The minimum amount of information should be that which you could put in your log book. For additional information you could also consider including some general information about your station, your home town etc.

A modern variant of the QSL card is the EQSL card sent via the Internet.

8f.3 Be able to recall common international call sign prefixes; EI (Eire), F (France), I (Italy), JA (Japan), PA (the Netherlands), VE (Canada), VK (Australia), W (USA), ZL (New Zealand).

For the written assessment you have to learn the prefixes of the countries listed below:-

Prefix Country

EI

Eire

F

France

I

Italy

JA

Japan

PA

The Netherlands (Holland)

VE

Canada

VK

Australia

W

USA

ZL

New Zealand

Note: that some countries in addition to UK have multi prefixes eg for UK these are G M and 2E whilst K is another one for the USA.

Some students find these easy to learn and other not so easy. So why not make up a set of cards with the prefix on one side and the country on the other. Then easily test yourself.

8f.4 Understand that there is a competitive element in amateur radio: achievement awards, DX operation and contests. Recall their basic operating practices.

Achievement awards, e.g. for contacting country prefixes, 'squares' on a map or islands; normally confirmed by QSL cards.

Contests involve exchanging call signs and a serial number or location.

Contests

Some amateur operators like the simple challenge of operating in what are called contests. A simple challenge it can be if you just want to listen for awhile and give away a few points but for many stations including club stations it is a real challenge to go out portable somewhere advantageous and put a very large effort in to the "sport" of contesting. It seems you either like it or you hate contesting.

In a contest you are :-

  1. generally trying to contact the greatest number of stations in a given time,

  2. making only a limited exchange of information such as callsign signal report (usually a meaningless signal report, as 59 on phone or 599 on CW and data modes, is expected) and the contact serial number, or other information as the contest requires - perhaps your location.

  3. required to log the information very carefully as errors in log keeping are heavily penalised when the contest adjudicators judge the results and too many errors could mean the rejection of the entry.

It is no good trying to " give away" a few points in a contest unless you have seen a copy of the rules. To participate in a contest even in a small way means checking up on the rules before the contest starts so that you know what exchange of information is required.

The best operators in a contest are those who know exactly what they are doing and they are unlikely to tolerate someone asking what the rules are as that wastes time for them gaining points.

Information about contests are published by National and International Amateur Societies and can also usually be found by using a search on the Internet.

Some amateur love contest some hate them it is up to you how you view them but the BRATS club enjoy contest as it allows us to develop skills of members in both putting together a good station and enhancing operating practices.

DX

DX comes from the expression in the early telephone era meaning Distant Exchange hence DX.

In a DX contact :-

  1. you are in QSO with a group of amateurs who may have mounted an expedition to some remote places from which few stations often operate hence the expression DXpedition.

  2. the DX expeditions last a relatively short time, probably due to cost and time available to the operators thus you contact must be keep as short as possible and may be only a single over to give a signal report and your location

  3. there is usually considerable competition from high power station to work the DX station resulting in what is called a "pile up"

  4. if you want to work a DX station try a mode other than phone such as RTTY or PSK31, as it may be easier to work them on digital modes.

  5. the DX station usually send out QSL cards but possible only on receipt of one from you !!!

Awards

Awards are available from the National Associations or other award givers who publish details as to the purpose of the award :-

  1. for contacting country prefixes,

  2. 'squares' on a map

  3. islands

and normally confirmation of the contact is required in the form of a QSL card from the stations worked.


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