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Roger beep

Dec 16th 2019, 19:16

KI5SGT

Joined: Mar 1st 2019, 11:44
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Maybe someone can answer this question: Should the roger beep not be used or is up for grabs either way? I heard someone tell another operator to turn the roger beep off on 2m band. Is there any regulation covering this, or is just a personal choice? Along the same lines, is there rules and regulations concerning the use of phonetic alphabet, such as names/words that are not part of the old military ones?

Thanks.
ki5sgt@icloud.com
Dec 18th 2019, 11:00

WB1GCM

Super Moderator

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Roger Beeps are not illegal to use. Repeaters use them. There are times when a roger beep is very handy. If a station is mobile and on the fringe of reception, say on 10 meter SSB, the mobile operator's voice may not be heard in the distance, but the roger beep is audible enough to let other station know the mobile station has stopped transmitting.

It is unfortunate that roger beeps are so closely associated with CB radio. The beep is a tool that can be used, especially if the "beeping" signal is weak. However so, a beep to some hams is like hearing "10-4 good buddy"; it's just not "proper ham talk". If you use the beep, be braced for the wrath of the crusty.

As far as the use of phonetics, try to stay on the list of the internationally known phonetics, especially when signals are weak, or if there is interference. There is no FCC rule about using a specified list of phonetics, so have fun, but if you use other phonetics, watch out for the crank who needs a topic to complain about.

Have fun and get on the air.....beep!

Bob Allison
WB1GCM
ARRL Lab
Feb 8th 2020, 10:46

WD3D

Joined: Mar 1st 2011, 09:28
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
I agree with Bob to a point.

Yep - Roger beeps came from CB radio, which is where most hams today came from - me included.

The purpose of the Roger Beep in the early days was in use on a true Single Side Band radio - such as the Browning Golden Eagle, because there was no carrier, when a person stopped talking, the other person couldn't tell if the other person was done, or if they were just pausing to think before they continued to speak.

From there it turned into the Noise Toys of the 1970's / 80's - which ruined CB radio. Easiest way to kill a hobby is to bring in a bunch of people that can't follow the rules!

I've noticed the same thing with the GMRS bubble pack radio people. some are so dumb the just take them out of the package, put batteries in them and talk.. Channel 1 - 1 with Roger Beep enabled. Which tells me that they were too dumb to even read the instruction manual or the rules. A big turn off if you are out in the woods hunting deer, trying to be quiet, listening to your radio on scan - to entertain you on those long hours sitting in a cold deer stand, waiting for a deer to come along. Having the volume turned down low, straining your ears to hear and having some jerk calling his buddy - like two drunks in a bar, and the loud PING, Harp Strum or what ever noise toys they chose to use.

Even if you yell at them, it doesn't do any good, because they are so stupid, they don't even know how to turn it off.

Most VHF conversations today are more like cell phone conversations, due to the fact that the only " radio" experience these guys have is listening to the police and firemen on their programmable scanner. To them - the squelch tail at the end of every transmission gives them a boner and makes them want to run right out and buy a radio so they can be just like their hero's.

I hear a lot of Copy Thats and QSL's and Roger Thats on the local repeaters.. Or I'm destinated, or My Home QTH - stupid nonsense like that, which makes me shut the radio off and go elsewhere.

Bob mentioned phonetics - I heard two hams passing traffic the other day, one a experienced traffic handler, and he did not know the phonetic alphabet and was physically spelling out the letters - which to me - E and Z and C and D and P pretty much sounds alike, like A and K and J..

Even when I give them my call sign, they butcher it up because they don't realize DOG was the way they said the letter D - 50 years ago when I first started listening to Shortwave - Amateur radio HF..
Feb 8th 2020, 10:57

WD3D

Joined: Mar 1st 2011, 09:28
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
W3DO for ID - really upsets me when the net control for a local club says it..
Apr 11th 2020, 15:53

WA8NVW

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Although many here are too young to remember, the trailing beep tones actually came out of NASA's early space program. They were used because of the signal delays between terrestrial fixed base stations and the orbiting spacecraft running over a noisy simplex radio circuit. The UNKEY beep told the astronauts that Mission Control was done talking, it was OK for them to reply. There was a different pitched tone on their radio downlink when they released the PTT. No, I don't remember which end was always the higher tone.
As for being necessary, you WON'T hear them on public safety radio systems, nor have we heard squelch tails for a few decades. Those pros can do their jobs better without the constant loud beep bursts or "Kshht" of carrier squelch noise following every transmission. It boils down to a matter of suitability for the users' mission.
In short, US amateur operators can each decide for themselves to be perceived as professionals, CBers, or anywhere in between.

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