What use is an F-call?

If you're new to Amateur Radio like I am, it's easy to turn on your radio, set it up to key your local repeater and call CQ. After the first time it's a trivial matter that you might take for granted. The repeater just sits there on frequency, making communication possible between you and the rest of the Amateur Community.

In many ways it's like turning on your mobile phone and dialling a number and talking to someone.

When people ask me what the difference is between Amateur Radio and Community Radio, I often jest that in Community Radio you come into the studio, sit behind the microphone, press the red button and talk. Amateur Radio is exactly the same, but you also need to bring the red button.

Repeaters are like that. Unless you've been personally involved, it's just a case of pressing the button. Of course that's not actually what happens.

Often a group gets together, spit-balling ideas, coming up with a plan, finding money, equipment, support and the like. Then there is the logistics of obtaining a mast or using an existing one, finding bricks, concrete, roofing, batteries, solar panels, radios, antennas, cavities, coax, connectors, a license, perhaps an internet connection, getting all this to site, having helpers and resources to build the repeater hut, cranes, bob-cats, concrete mixers, terminating the coax, erecting the mast, installing guy wires, running coax up the mast, attaching antennas, tuning the thing, testing it, programming the controller, programming the radio, etc. etc.

The list just gets longer and longer the more you think about.

And, this is done by people like you. People who gave of their free time, who saw a need and using their collective skills and effort made it possible for you to key up your local repeater.

Of course, then there's the linking of repeaters, internet connectivity, news relays, time-outs, DTMF controllers, lightning strikes, insect infestations, thieves and vandals. It never ends.

So, when you next key up your repeater, think about that. And when there's a busy-bee in your local area, consider sharing some of your resources.

I'm Onno VK6FLAB.