RADIO CONTACT PROCEDURES FOR HOME STATIONS

Objectives

Help the scout complete the following merit badge requirements:

7.a.2.a. Carry on a 10-minute real or simulated ham radio contact using voice.

Use proper call signs, Q signals and abbreviations.

7.a.2.b. Properly log the real or simulated ham radio contact and signal report.

7.a.3. Explain at least five Q signals or amateur radio terms you hear while listening.

References

• Handouts: Q Signals RST System Phonetics UTC Conversion Chart Logging Contacts Radio Contact Procedures

Merit Badge Requirements Checklist The Plan for Today

Contact Frequency Information

While the contact will probably be VHF via (VCARA’s KC5OUR 146.700 – 100 tone) repeater or by simplex (146.540), we will handle it as if it were a HF contact. Thus, the scout will be calling CQ, using Q signals, giving a RST report and using phonetics. You should reply in a similar manner.

Suggestions

Ask questions and provide on the air mentoring to help the scout learn the proper procedures. Some possible questions/approaches are listed below:

• Ask for phonetics for names, QTH’s, school names, etc.
• What is your QTH? Follow up with what is your home QTH?
• Give a signal report other than 59 then ask the scout to tell you what that report means.
• After you give some information (like your QTH) ask QSL. Ask the scout what the QSL means in that context (Did you receive OK?) and how else QSL can be used (1. Understood, and 2. As part of the name for an after contact post card as in “QSL Card”).
• What frequency are you using? Follow up with is that HF, VHF, or UHF? What band is that (meters)? If via a repeater, is the frequency you are transmitting on different than you are listening on? Follow up with why (so the repeater will not get confused between what it is listening too and what it is sending)?
• What are some amateur radio terms you have learned today. Follow up with what does each of these terms mean?
• Say you have QRM or QRN and ask them to tell you what that means.
• Look over The Plan for Today handout and ask the scout which of the mini classes they have attended. Follow up by asking what they learned in each of the classes.
• Look over the Merit Badge Requirements Checklist and ask the scout to tell you how they did (or will explain some specific requirements. Repeat for four or five requirements.
• What scout rank are you? Follow up with what are the five most important things you had to do to earn that rank? Follow up with what are the five most important things you must do to earn your next rank.
• Tell me about the last scout camping trip you went on. Follow up what were the five most important things you had to do to prepare for the trip. Follow up with what were the five most important things you did to help the troop during the trip. Follow up with how would you prepare differently next time and what would you do differently on the trip.
• Turn back to the scout with KC5??? (i.e., your call sign) back to KC5OUR, and on the next exchange explain why you slip that in once in a while. Ask the scout what the station identification requirements are (every ten minutes and at the end of a contact)?
• Ask the scout what time they have shown in the log for the contact. If necessary, work with them on UTC time and indicate they should get a time in the log at the front of the contact. Follow up with tell me what else you have logged for our contact.
• Have fun!