Hello all at Hamradiodeals

I've just passed my Foundation exam (with great help and support from everyone at Northwest Amateur Radio Club, Standish, Wigan) and to get started on 2m I've bought a low cost 2m handheld. I've connected to a home made wire vertical dipole in my loft, location is Salford, Manchester, and have started to listen to local Repeaters in Manchester and Stockport.

I do hear several groups of amateurs on the local Repeaters, and just wondered what's the best way to ask to join the chat? Is it best to wait till someone finishes and then give one of the group a call?

Any advice appreciated. Thank you.
David
M6 DMM

just wait for a break in conversation & give your call?
now this is from somebody who's never used a repeater ,& who but for the love of me i cant see why people use em to chat local from a fixed station . i dont even know how to access em or where they are (only listened) but some are 20db over on the input wots the point .
nearly as bad as calling echolink DX to me

I'd go with the "wait for a break and give your callsign".
If you get no response, leave it for a couple of overs and try again.

If you think they are ignoring you then don't just keep trying.
There's no rule that says you have to speak to everyone.

As with M6WIN, I don't use repeaters, or FM, but it's the normal way of joining in to a net.
Although, I must admit, I'd not normally try to join in with a group I didn't know, unless the conversation related to something I feel I have something to contribute to.

If you are new, perhaps the best move is to put out some CQ calls to make yourself known?

Cheers

Tony

Many thanks to both M6WIN and gw8asd (Tony) for the very helpful points. I'm looking to gain experience of using 2m different ways, so I'll use the advice to good effect with Repeaters, and I'll be calling CQ simplex as well.

Best wishes and thanks again.
David
M6 DMM

Wait for a break and say " M6DMM QSK."

The person in control of the net should then invite you in.

Before joining, note down callsigns and names. You will find quite often on a net they'll have an order of stations.

You'll also find they might simply ignore you.

Some people just monopolise repeaters and use them as their own personal box

By far and away the best way to make contacts is to call CQ on .500.

I do it anytime I feel a bit bored (often nowadays, being retired etc.) someone always replies.

Geoff

do it round this way and you'd be bored for quite a while.

I put in the effort to try and leave the rig on either 2FM calling or 2SSB calling and hardly ever hear anything on FM.

I've got a fairly adequate setup for FM work but the calling channel is dead around here.

The other day I went for a drive and left a rig on at home and was monitoring it remotely. I was then using a handheld and calling in to see what the signal was like. I went past a local stations house who has a white stick up who I can barely make out on the input and from the handie I was easilly readable.

I'm sure some people on FM 2m just give it a bad name by setting things up badly.

Small white stick below roof height
dual band radio
40m of RG58 and you're going to be as deaf as a dodo.

Cut out the lossy coax and get the antenna in the clear and all will be good. I get annoyed at how lame some people are around me.

I've almost given up on 2m fm. I actually took off the white stick from the mast the other day and left it off for a few days. I can easilly chat through a couple of the furhter repeaters with the beam if needed.

I can't see it being long before I take the white stick down permenantly.

No problem.
Just don't take the FM end of the band as an indication of what 2M is capable of.
When you do go to SSB remember to use horizontal polarisation.

You need to put your location in your profile, by the way.

Cheers

Tony

This is a joke isnt it? What the hell has QSK got to do with joining a QSO?

I'd say it is the only Q code that'd fit - "Can you hear me between your signals?"

You could always annoy them with "break"

In all seriousness, just give out your callsign and see if they want to acknowledge you.

QSK has nothing to do with breaking into an established voice QSO. QSK is specific to CW and allows a sender to read between the characters he is sending. IE full break in, where there is no delay from the CW key being pressed and the rx having no delay before going back to recieve mode. It allows a station to interupt the sender.

was going to say that terry but couldn't be sure if it was actually used as i don't use the band.. saying it would only lead to getting slagged i think .. I remember 650 was hell for many newcomers if they didn't conform to strict guidelines laid down by the hoggers.

Indeed. QSK seems to be the only acceptable way to join a voice QSO that doesn't upset the Class A mob. I guessed its because of its CW origins.

Well I've never heard QSK used on AM or SSB, in over 45 years of 2M activity.
I can't speak for FM, in recent years, but certainly, up to the late 70s when I did use some FM, from time to time, I didn't hear it there either.
In fact, I own up to having to check that it means what I thought it did.

Perhaps your more active, on 2M, than me?

Cheers

Tony