All about amateur radio operating Procedures. This relates to Section 29 of the NZART Radio Syllabus and may be used to teach this section of the exam.

1. • Common Radio Terms
• Station Switching
• Operating Techniques
• Optimising your Radio
• Split Frequencies
• VHF and UHF Repeaters
• Repeater Networks
24 - Operating Procedures24 - Operating Procedures

2. Radios – New and Old
Kenwood TS-530, 1980
Icom IC-7000
Yaesu FT 890 - 1990
Yaesu FT1000D - 1995

3. A Modern Amateur Transceiver
ICOM IC-756 Pro111

4. Common Radio Terms
• “AGC” circuit minimizes need for adjustments to receiver gain control
knobs [
• “ALC” stands for automatic level control
• “Break-in keying” means (Morse or electronic) key down changes
station to transmit, key up changes station to receive
• “Gain controls’. Receivers having both RF and AF gain controls permit
operator to vary the gain of the radio frequency and audio frequency
amplifiers independently
• “National System” is a series of nationwide amateur radio linked
repeaters in the 70 cm band
• “Noise blanker” is most effective to reduce ignition noise on receive
• “Pileup” means a large group of stations all calling the same DX station
• “PTT” means push to talk

5. Common Radio Terms
• “RIT” stands for receiver incremental tuning. Changes receive frequency
• “S meter “ on a receiver indicates relative incoming signal strengths
• “Split frequency” function on transceiver allows operator to transmit on
one frequency and receive on another . Usually this is only a few kHz –
useful under “pileup” conditions.
• “Squelch” or “muting” circuitry inhibits audio output unless a signal is
being received
• “Dropping out” on a VHF repeater means your signal does not have
enough strength to operate the repeater (to keep the repeater receiver
squelch open all the time you are transmitting)
• “SWR” bridges allow you to adjust antenna matching units for minimum
reflected power
• “VOX” stands for voice operated transmit & enables change from
receive to transmit using the sound of the operator’s voice

6. A Typical VHF Repeater

7. Using a Repeater
A special set of rules apply because it is
unlike operating on the HF bands
Keep contacts short. Three minutes is the accepted
maximum length for an over
2. Pause between overs. This is to enable weak
stations break in. A 3 second break is fine
3. Don't tune up on a repeater's input frequency.
4. Don’t keep triggering the repeater to make sure it’s
there
5. No CQs – Just a simple “ZL2XY listening 670 “

8. Repeater “Splits”
ZL Repeaters have standard splits
• The standard for repeaters operating in the 2M
146 to 148 MHz band is +600 kHz above
147 MHz, and -600 kHz on or below 147 MHz.
• The NZART CallBook gives details of the bandplans
adopted in New Zealand and lists the frequencies and
locations of amateur radio repeaters.
• UHF repeaters operating in the 430 to 440 MHz band
use a 5 MHz split.

9. Careful when putting up antennas!
Good operating
Practice!

10. Careful when putting up antennas!
Good operating
Practice!