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ham repeater is on channel 5 so enter 005 on the keypad. Manzanita’s local NOAA weather
broadcast is on channel 56 so enter 056. The Manzanita wide-area GMRS frequency used by
non-hams is on channel 119 so enter 119. Remember: Three digits are required, so use
prefix-zeros if necessary.
Channel Selection using the Up or Down arrow keys. It is also possible to step through the
active channel by pressing the ‘up-arrow key’ to increase the channel number or the ‘down-
arrow key’ to decrease the channel number. (Fig. 2)
T
ALKING ON THE
R
ADIO
In general, the YR is used in two ways,
informal contact between one or more people, and
a “Net” where one person controls who talks to whom.
Informal Contact:
Before transmitting, stop and think about what you want to say and to whom you are
speaking.
Next, listen to the channel making sure no one is talking.
Finally, press the “Push-to-Talk” (PTT) button (Fig. 1) and hold it down.
Take a short breath after you press the PTT.
Talk across the microphone rather than directly into it.
When calling a person, use the form “Hey You, It’s Me,” for example, “Jane, it’s Sally.” Once
Jane answers, it is not necessary to keep repeating your names. It is necessary to say “Over”
when each of you finishes transmitting. Release the PTT button and listen.
Hint: Speak clearly at all times. Use “Affirmative” and “Negative” rather than “Yes” or “No” as
very short words tend to be clipped and not understood. Remember! Only one person may talk
at a time. This isn’t the telephone.
Joining a “Controlled Net:”
Everything said about an informal contact between two or more stations applies to a formal net
with additional rules coming into play.
With a net where one person is the control station (NC), that person directs all transmissions
between itself and any other station in the net. Net control is “mother,” and mother rules!
These rules include,
NC gives permission to speak
Contact NC when NC asks for “check ins”
Once checked into a net stay on that channel. Leave the channel only when NC gives
permission
