TO: ALL WEST VIRGINIA ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM WV SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WV ARES BULLETIN NR 10.05 DATE: January 31, 2010
SUBJECT: PROPER IDENTIFICATION
Do you know the proper way to identify your Amateur Radio station?
Identification of Amateur Radio stations has changed a lot over the years. At one time you had to identify yourself and the person, or persons, you were communicating with, before, during, and after your communication. When you were finished communicating and ready to sign off, you had to identify yourself, and every station you were communicating with. If you were in a "roundtable" conversation, you had to identify yourself, and everyone in your group. Not only did you have to identify at the beginning and the end of your conversations, you had to identify at least every ten minutes.
The rules for identifying have been relaxed a lot. The only time you have to identify yourself is at least every ten minutes and at the end of your communication. You don't have to have to identify when you are calling another station, you can just ask if they are there. If they don't answer, all you have to do is identify yourself. If your communications with another station is less than ten minutes, all you have to do is identify yourself; you don't have to identify the party you are in communications with.
The last thing you say when you are finished is your callsign. If you want to wish them 73 or 88 or any other comment, you need to do that before your callsign. If you want to say the frequency is clear after calling for another station or stations that needs to be done before your callsign. The last thing you say before you unkey you microphone is your callsign.
If you are operating in a controlled net, you only have to identify at the end of your communication, and every ten minutes, if your communications last that long. If the net control station asks for your comments and you give them, you should identify when you are finished. If you don't identify yourself when you're finished with your comments, you may not get another chance to do so before your ten minute time limit is up, then you are in violation.
There's nothing wrong with identifying more often than required. Just be sure that you identify yourself every ten minutes during your communication, and just before you unkey your microphone.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
Wood County WV
WV ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
WV ARES District 3 Emergency Coordinator