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1. Emergency use of the repeater has precedence over all other uses at all times.
2. Nets, events or training activities have priority over routine conversations. These nets may be informal or formal nets. If you are a group that would like to use the W6HBR repeater(s) for your event or formal net, please send a request to [email protected]. Formal nets must have prior approval before being scheduled or activated and must be listed on the W6HBR calendar.
3. Routine conversations are encouraged on the repeater. Huntington Beach RACES and CERT members are the primary users/members of the repeater and all others are considered visiting guests. Keep individual transmissions as short as possible and limit your continuous use of the repeater to a reasonable length. At no time should visiting guest conversations exceed 10 minutes in length. If you can hear each other on the repeater input frequency, switch to a simplex frequency for long conversations. It is considerate and good practice not to use the repeater for long conversations that can take place via simplex.
4. Please monitor the repeater for a short time before transmitting. If you want to make casual contact with other stations just give your call sign and status by saying "listening", "monitoring" or "mobile". e.g. "W6HBR mobile". If you want to contact a particular station, give their full call sign once or twice followed by your call sign. You may repeat if no answer. If the contact does not respond, end your transmission by giving your call sign and status by saying "clear" (or "listening", "monitoring" or "mobile").
5. If there is a conversation already in progress and you would like to join in just give your call sign between transmissions followed by "comment" to make a related comment. It is preferred not to use the word break to join a conversation. The word break should only be used for routine urgency, not true emergencies. In true emergencies "Emergency, Emergency" should be used.
6. You must identify your station with your call sign every ten minutes and at the end of a conversation. Repeating the other's call sign and your call sign following every transmission is not necessary. Even when testing you must identify. "Kerchunking" (unidentified transmission to bring up the repeater to see if its working) is illegal and considered poor amateur practice.
7. The repeater has a short delay when you unkey before it drops transmission. Always wait for the drop in transmission before you begin your response so that someone with an emergency or someone wanting to join your conversation has time to do so.
8. The repeater is set with a timeout function at approximately three minutes per FCC rules. If you make a continuous transmission beyond this time limit, the repeater will shut down your transmission. A brief pause during long announcements or transmissions can be used to reset the timer.
9. Keep your conversations responsible and courteous. Cursing and off-color remarks are not allowed. Use of the repeater to discuss what you don't like about actions of other amateur's or a particular group has no place on the repeater.
10. Understand and abide by all Part 97 rules of the FCC. Transmissions for business purposes are illegal per FCC rules.
Please review these operating guidelines from time to time so that you are aware of any updates we may make.