Operating procedures and station control
This section covers day-to-day operating: simplex and repeater procedure, offsets and CTCSS tones, calling and answering, signal reports, nets, emergency traffic, and the control-operator discipline that keeps a station legal. Exam questions often present a short scenario and ask for the correct next action.
Simplex, repeaters, and offsets
Simplex means transmitting and receiving on the same frequency. A repeater receives on one frequency and retransmits on another, usually with a standard offset: 600 kHz on 2 m, 5 MHz on 70 cm, and 1.6 MHz on 1.25 m. On 2 m the repeater input is normally 600 kHz below the output; on 70 cm the input is normally 5 MHz above the output. A CTCSS tone, such as 100.0 Hz, opens the repeater receiver; tone squelch on your receiver keeps it quiet until the matching tone arrives. The national 2 m simplex calling frequency is 146.520 MHz.
Calling and QSO procedure
Call "CQ" followed by your call sign, or answer a CQ with the other station's call sign then yours. Use ITU phonetics for difficult calls. Signal reports use RST: readability 1–5, strength 1–9, and tone 1–9 for CW. Keep transmissions short, leave pauses, and identify at the start, every 10 minutes, and at the end. In a directed net, check in with net control and follow instructions. Tactical call signs such as "Net Control" are permitted, but the FCC call sign must still be identified as required.
Emergency and control
Any station may transmit distress traffic when immediate danger to life or property exists; the rules permit any frequency or mode necessary. The control operator remains responsible and must be able to control the transmitter. Third-party and business rules still apply outside a genuine emergency.
Worked example
A repeater's output is 147.240 MHz and it uses the standard 2 m offset. What transmit frequency should you set? On 2 m the standard offset is 600 kHz, and repeaters with outputs above 147.0 MHz generally use a positive offset, so the input is 147.240 + 0.600 = 147.840 MHz. Set receive to 147.240 MHz, transmit to 147.840 MHz, and set the required CTCSS tone. If you cannot hear the repeater, check offset sign, tone, and antenna before assuming the repeater is down.
Traps
Reversing the offset sign, forgetting the tone, or transmitting on the repeater output are common errors. RST "59" means readability 5 and strength 9, not 59 percent. Identification every 10 minutes is a clock requirement, not once per QSO. In an emergency, do not let normal net procedure delay necessary traffic.