The best way to learn proper repeater etiquette is to listen, listen, listen. This can never be stressed enough Always listen to a repeater or simplex frequency for a minute to make sure the frequency is not being used by others.

Speak clearly and don't talk directly into the microphone. Hold microphone perpendicularly to your mouth and speak across it. This will make your transmitted audio less muffled and more understandable.

If someone is having a hard time hearing your signal, do not increase your voice level. Increasing your voice level into your microphone only causes your transmitted signal to deviate more and increases the difficulty of being heard. Screaming into the microphone does not cause your radio to put out a stronger signal.

When using repeaters or linked repeater systems, do not key or unkey your microphone at the moment you start or finish talking. Key your microphone, take a deep breath, think about what you are about to say and then start talking. Give yourself about a one second head start with keying of the microphone before you start talking. This allows the repeater and/or linked systems to turn on. This helps insure all listeners will not miss any part of your transmission.

If the repeater has a courtesy tone, then wait for it before you begin transmitting. This allows other stations to break in if necessary and allows the repeater systems to reset their timeout timers. If the machine does not have a courtesy tone, wait one second between transmissions to allow the repeaters to reset and others to break in.

Do not acknowledge any jammers. Ignore them. Resist all temptations to set the jammer straight. This is usually the response the jammer is looking for. Ignore them and they will go away.

Always remember to identify properly - every 10 minutes and at the end of your transmission. When using a repeater, the repeater will always remind you it's time when it identifies itself.

If you use a hand held with a "stubby ducky" or "rubber duck" antenna, always ask for a signal report to see if you are making it into a repeater. Little rigs put out little signals. Repeaters are not magical "receive all" devices. In fact, many have less sensitivity than your own radios to help them survive at repeater sites where this is lots of intermod. Repeaters also run lots of power into large antennas. Just because your HT hears the repeater full scale and full quieting, does not mean the machine will hear your 100mw into a one-inch stubby ducky antenna. Any excessive noise caused by a partial quieting signal made by weak signals is irritating to those who monitor repeaters for an extended time. When using linked repeaters, the excessive noise becomes worse through each link of the system.

Other operators and other people with scanners are always listening. Do not say anything that should be kept quiet or "private," especially any vacation plans of your own or friends. Most of all, sound friendly, professional, and courteous.

Don't use fancy radio jargon. Things like, "Roger, copy that," "That's a big 10-4," "The handle here is...," etc., are often habits carried over from CB, HF and other areas. Talk as though you are talking to someone face-to-face.

Don't break into a conversation unless it's an emergency or you have something of value to add.

Don't carry on a conversation longer than necessary. Allow others to use and enjoy the system. Remember, many repeaters operate on batteries and solar power.

Don't announce "no contact" or say you're "clear" when you don't contact the station you are calling. Everyone who is listening already knows you didn't make the contact. You don't have to announce it. It uses unnecessary air time and power at the repeater site.

If you would like to initiate a contact, listen to be sure the frequency is not in use. Make a call, "KA7ABC, KA7ABC, This is WB7XYZ." Two calls of this type are usually sufficient to get a reply even if the called station is scanning. Do not call someone over and over. Radios that are turned off can't hear. If you want to talk to anyone, call, "CQ This is WA7ABC." If no reply, do not keep repeating the CQ over and over. No one on that frequency wants to talk. Just move to another repeater or frequency and try again.

If you are a frequent user of a repeater, then help support it. Repeaters cost a great deal of time and money to build and operate. Join the affiliated club or donate a few dollars regularly to the club or trustee.

These guidelines are not designed to teach you everything you need to know to operate on repeaters. They are just guidelines. Always listen, become familiar with other amateur operation and to others who use the repeater. Don't just jump in, key the microphone and start jabbering. Stop! Listen and learn.

Autopatching involving the business affairs of any party must not be conducted at any time. The content of a patch should be such that it is clear to any listener that business communications are not involved. Particular caution must be observed in calling any business telephone. Calls to place an order for a commercial product must not be made, nor may calls be made to one's office or place of business to receive or leave messages. Calls made in the interest of highway safety, however, such as for the removal of injured persons from the scene of an accident or for the removal of a disabled vehicle from a hazardous location, are permitted.

Autopatches must never be made to soley avoid telephone toll charges. Autopatches should never be made when normal telephone service is available. If you have a phone that is handy as your radio, use the telephone.

Third party (nonhams) should not be placed on the air without first explaining to them they are on a radio phone patch. Control of the phone patch should never be relinquished to an unlicensed person. Permitting a person you don't know well to conduct a patch in a language you don't understand amounts to relinquishing control.

Autopatches will be terminated immediately in the event of any illegality or impropriety.

Station identification must be strictly observed when using the autopatch. To use the autopatch, key your radio, announce "(your callsign) for the patch." When finished, announce "(your callsign) clear the patch."

Autopatches must be kept as brief as possible, as a courtesy to other amateurs. The amateur bands are intended primarily for communications among amateurs.

If you have any doubt to the legality or advisability of the autopatch, don't make it.