Making Your First Ham Radio Contact

Before You Transmit — Listen First

Tune to a local repeater and listen for 5–10 minutes before transmitting. You will hear how conversations are structured — brief, conversational, with pauses between transmissions for others to join or for emergency traffic. Ham radio etiquette is different from CB: it is more like a normal two-way conversation with clear turn-taking, not overlapping chatter.

Your First Call — Exactly What to Say

When the repeater is clear (quiet for at least 15 seconds), key PTT, wait one full second, then say:

Release PTT and wait up to 15–20 seconds. Most active repeaters have someone listening. If no response, try again — activity peaks on weekday mornings and afternoons during commute hours.

When Someone Responds

Another operator will respond with their call sign. Acknowledge them naturally:

"Good morning, [their call sign]. This is [your call sign]. Good to meet you. I just got licensed — [license class], located in [your city]. How's my signal?"

Then have a normal conversation. Common first-contact topics: your location, what kind of radio you are using, how long you have been licensed, your signal report. When finished: "Thanks for the contact. 73. This is [your call sign], clear."

Signal Reports

When asked for a signal report, use the RST scale: Readability (1–5) and Strength (1–9). A 59 is perfect — fully readable, maximum strength. A 55 is fully readable with moderate strength. Be honest: a 57 is a good report that means something. A reflexive "59 all the way" means nothing and experienced operators know it.

What 73 and 88 Mean

"73" means "best regards" — the universal ham radio farewell. You will hear it constantly. "88" means "love and kisses" — used between close friends or as a lighthearted sign-off. Neither is required by the FCC; both are tradition stretching back to 19th-century telegraphy Q-code usage.

• What if I make a mistake during my first contact?
  Everyone does. Common first-contact mistakes: forgetting to wait after keying PTT before speaking (causes the first word to be cut off), releasing PTT too quickly (the repeater tail clips your last word), fumbling the phonetics, or forgetting your call sign. All of these are universal new-ham experiences. Every experienced operator made them. Simply correct yourself and continue — the ham community is genuinely welcoming to new operators.
• What is a CQ call and when do I use it?
  CQ is a general call seeking any station to respond — it originated in Morse code telegraphy. On a simplex frequency (not a repeater), you might say "CQ CQ CQ, this is [your call sign], calling CQ and listening." On a repeater, you would not use CQ — instead, just announce your call sign and that you are monitoring, as described above. CQ on a simplex frequency signals you are looking for any contact; announcing on a repeater signals you are available for a conversation.
• Do I have to use phonetics every time I say my call sign?
  No — phonetics are used when clarity matters: poor signal conditions, initial contact establishment, or when asked to spell something out. In the middle of a clear conversation with good signals, saying "KD8ABC" is fine without phonetics. Use phonetics at the beginning and end of contacts when establishing or closing communication.