From: gary@ke4zv.uucp (Gary Coffman)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: Feedback to Operating Practices
Date: 1 Oct 92 17:45:25 GMT
Reply-To: gary@ke4zv.UUCP (Gary Coffman)
Organization: Gannett Technologies Group

In article <1992Sep29.200126.16371@convex.com> tonyp@convex.com (honey bunny) writes:
>        Here are some questions:
>
>        1) Everybody on 2m seems to know each other already.  How do I get
>           involved?

Listen for a while until you find a regular group that seems interesting,
then drop your callsign in during a pause and ask to join in. Most groups
will welcome you aboard. Those that don't aren't worth worrying about, just
go somewhere else. If the repeater you're monitoring is quiet, just say
"CALLSIGN monitoring" and wait for someone to come back. Or, answer someone
else doing the same thing. You won't always get an answer. Sometimes no
one is listening, and sometimes those who are listening don't want to
chat. Don't give up. Try at a different time, or try a different repeater.
You can usually always find someone on during drive time or in the evenings.
You'll often hear club meeting announcements on repeaters. Go to a few
of them. Don't be shy, introduce yourself around, get to know some of
the people face to face. Then when you hear them on the air, chime right
in and say howdy.

>        2) There seem to be MANY repeaters in my area.   If I use them,  I
>           should support them, right?   but I can't pay dues to ALL those
>           clubs.    Are  regular vistors welcome on open repeaters?   How
>           does this work?

Join *one* club that you like, if you like, and support that machine. Most
machines are open and welcome anyone aboard. If you find one machine you
like the best, join them. Don't worry about supporting *all* the repeaters,
no one else does. Think of it as a reciprocal agreement. You welcome
them on the machine you support, and they welcome you on the machine
they support.

>        3) Based on what  I  read,  apart  from  real  emergencies,  there
>           appears to be no valid use for an autopatch.  True?

Well *I* think so. :-) But that's just my view of things. As long as
patch use isn't abusive, and the machine's owner agrees, any personal
reason to use a patch is valid as long as it's in good taste and non-
commercial.

>        4) Apart  from  the  fact  that  I'd  be  unwisely broadcasting my
>           creditcard number, is there a reason why a long-distance credit
>           card call is inappropriate for autopatch?

Most of the machines I've used have '1' and '0' locked out as the first
digits of a call. That's because the repeater owner doesn't want to get
stuck with long distance charges. If you can use your credit card without
accessing the operator, there's no problem with doing so other than the
one you mention. There are a lot of people listening, many not hams, and
someone could call their cousin in Toyko with your card number.

>           Does a long distance call violate the business use rule, as its
>           furthering the business of Sprint or MCI?

Not ordinarily. If you are using the patch *strictly* to avoid making a
toll call, then this used to be considered inappropriate since it is
in competition with the common carrier, something amateur radio is not
supposed to do. With the rules rewrites and the explosion of alternative
long distance services, I'm not sure this is a valid concern anymore.

>        5) I've  heard  a  local  "net" on 10m.  I mean REALLY local,  all
>           within a 25 mile radius of me.   They get on and exchange  1010
>           numbers  and their own "net numbers",  and talk about basically
>           nothing.   If I could join  them  some  night,  I'd  DOUBLE  my
>           contacts to date !
>
>           How do I do this?  Would I be welcome if I just dropped my call
>           in during a lull?

Perhaps. If they exchange 1010 numbers with each other *every* night, 
they sound a little weird. :-)  Still you might find you fit right in. :-)
It's always worth a try. The worst they're likely to do is harass you
off the band and send a raiding party to your house in the middle of
the night. You're used to that aren't you?  :-)

Gary KE4ZV
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc