From: leadfoot@bigbootay.sw.stratus.com (Mark Curtis)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: Feedback to Operating Practices
Date: 1 Oct 92 00:41:16 GMT

In article <randall.717875754@seashore>, randall@informix.com (Randall Rhea) writes:
|>   I'm getting a lot of QRM, old man, so we'd better QSB.
|>   Well, I am running mobile and I'm destinated at my home QTH
|>   now, so we'd better say seventy-threes.
|> 
|> A lot of lingo is actually used improperly.  In the above example,
|> it is difficult over the radio to tell if he was saying
|> "QRM" (interference from other stations) or "QRN" (atmospheric noise).
|> "Seventy-threes" is completely wrong, as "seven three" means
|> "best regards" and is already plural.  ("Seventy threes" would therefore
|> mean "best regards-es")  "Destinated" is not a word in the
|> English language.  "Old man" makes no sense, especially if you're
|> talking to a woman.

QSB wan't used correctly above either.  Maybe you were thinking QSY or
QRT and typed QSB instead.


|> I just get on a repeater and say, "KK6MY monitoring."  Usually
|> someone responds, a start talking to him, and more often than
|> not, I've made a new friend.  If you find a repeater that
|> seems to be a "closed clique", just get on another repeater.

KK6MY listening works well too.  This seems to be a repearter/local
standard, but isn't really very important.

|> >        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?
|> 
|> You are not obligated to financially support repeaters.   If you
|> use one frequently, it is courtesy to contribute a few bucks
|> toward its operation.  Generally, financial things are not
|> discussed over the air, so once you get to know someone personally
|> on the repeater, you may want to give him a phone call
|> and ask about this issue.  Always feel free to use
|> any open repeater.

Open machines are more common on some bands than others, but you
can almost always find one on each band.  It just seems that some 440MHz
and a few 144MHz machines were put up as private intercoms for two or
three users.  This isn't the rule by anymeans, but more common on
440MHz for some reason.  220MHz and 1280MHz machines tend to be open
and friendly around here.  On some "closed" machines you may not be
welcomed with open arms, but don't let them run you off too easily.

Repeater owners don't own the frequency, so they can't really kick you
off the frequency.  If they don't want you to use their machine fine,
they can turn it off.  I'm not telling you to get on the machine and
jaw dawn to dusk.  Just don't let someone tell you that they own the
frequency.  Read the back of your ticket, opps I mean your license,
that fact is stated in clear black and white.  Don't abuse this fact
it will only make you very unpopular.  Just don't take any crap or
cheapshots from people who don't even know you.

|> 
|> >        3) Based on what  I  read,  apart  from  real  emergencies,  there
|> >           appears to be no valid use for an autopatch.  True?
|> 
|> It depends on what you call "valid".   If I am stuck in traffic, and
|> my wife is worried about me, it is nice for me to be able
|> to call her via autopatch.   Autopatch outside of emergencies
|> is a convenience, not a necessity, but it can be a darn nice
|> convenience.

We use our patch for whatever we want.  If it isn't business and you
don't mind everyone listening in use the patch.  None of us feel any
need to use a corner pay phone to call a friend before dropping in.

We don't feel we owe Ma Bell the business.  Other people may not agree
with this, but we don't owe anyone our business.  MCI and Sprint have
proven that Ma Bell doesn't own our personal communications rights.  This
whole thing seems to be based on the old idea of protecting Ma Bell from
any form of competition.  European countries still have this problem, but
not here.  We don't order food from Dominos, but I wouldn't really get
upset if someone did.  Just as long as they don't own the Dominos or
are a Dominos delivery driver, now that would be business I my book.

|> The problem is that the organization running the autopatch
|> needs to pay for the call.  Other than that, there is
|> no reason why long-distance calls are inherently "inappropriate".
|> 
|> >           Does a long distance call violate the business use rule, as its
|> >           furthering the business of Sprint or MCI?
|> 
|> No.  We have gone around and around on the net about what constitutes
|> "business" communication through autopatch.  Rumor has it that the FCC
|> will be loosening up rules on this.

Maybe sometime I will tell you all about the time a ham friend of mine
used ours to call the Keremlin (sp?) as a demo one night.  It worked fine.
Everyone around at the time, mainly non-hams, will remember it for a while.
People who were there still bring it up when one of use shows up with an HT.

Just remember it is a hobby and have fun.