“CANS and RADIOGRAMS”
If you have ever stood radio watch, you would know what cans are.
Of course I am referring to a headset...earphones. In a small radio room
every one wears earphones because of the many signals being received over many
different frequencies.
When you work with emergency communications or send and receive
radiograms you must wear earphones. This makes the operation very quiet,
and several radios can be operated in the same location. (Yes, VHF
operators should also wear headsets.)
Hopefully, all of you that have been following this column should be well
along with practicing the code, and if you seriously want to learn the Morse
code, you will do well. Your CW training will be invaluable when you get
into QRP radio operation.
Previously I mentioned that we should all be able to send and receive
radiograms. This is an important skill to have for CW or voice emergency
or public service communications. I will not go into this very far,
because to really learn to send and receive radiograms you should attend a
radiogram class of instruction on the basic procedures.
The basic radiogram has four parts: Preamble, Address, Text, and the
Signature. No more, no less, for the formal radiogram. If these four
parts are not included in a radiogram, then it becomes a “tactical message”,
and will not fit on the traffic nets.
When sending and receiving radiograms via ‘phone “prowords”
(procedural words) are often used. (In CW “prosigns” are used.)
Everything you need to know about sending and receiving radiograms is on the
ARRL “pink card” FSD-218. Radiogram procedure is best learned in a
classroom setting, but many skilled operators are self-taught. There are
nets for practicing sending and receiving radiograms, or you may find a willing
traffic handler to help you with on-the-air training.
Listening to traffic nets, may or may not, be helpful since there are
some very poor examples of traffic handling “on-the-air”. Too many
operators tend to get lazy, cut corners, and use improper procedures. By
listening to a training net, you will hear operators that follow the proper NTS
format for sending and receiving messages.
When you begin to work with radiograms, strive for: brevity,
accuracy, simplicity, and efficiency. If some one hands you a 50 page book
to learn to send radiograms, please do not read it. Radiograms are
extremely simple. You have four parts to a message, and a few prowords/prosigns
to know. That is all. To become a proficient traffic handler, you
must send
and receive actual or practice radiograms (using proper procedures) frequently.
And, I recommend a radiogram refresher class every year in a class room setting.
Next week: SSB communications.
Ed Ewell 73 K7DXV