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Quick Reference Operating Aids

This handy operating aid contains four useful references including the UTC time conversion chart, the ITU phonetic alphabet, guidelines to using the RST System, communication procedures and good phone operating guidelines.

  • ARRL Communications Procedures

    Voice Code Situation
    Go ahead K Used after calling CQ, or at the end of a transmission, to indicate any station is invited to transmit.
    Over AR Used after a call to a specific station, before the contact has been established.
      KN Used at the end of any transmission when only the specific station contacted is invited to answer.
    Stand by or wait AS A temporary interruption of the contact.
    Roger R Indicates a transmission has been received correctly and in full.
    Clear SK End of contact. SK is sent before the final identification.
    Leaving the air or closing the station CL Indicates that a station is going off the air, and will not listen or answer any further calls. CL is sent after the final identification.

  • International Telecommunication Union Phonetic Alphabet

    Word list adopted by the International Telecommunication Union

    A--Alfa

    B--Bravo

    C--Charlie

    D--Delta

    E--Echo

    F--Foxtrot

    G--Golf

    H--Hotel

    I--India

    J--Juliett

    K--Kilo

    L--Lima

    M--Mike

    N--November

    O--Oscar

    P--Papa

    Q--Quebec

    R--Romeo

    S--Sierra

    T--Tango

    U--Uniform

    V--Victor

    W--Whiskey

    X--X-ray

    Y--Yankee

    Z--Zulu

  • The RST System

    Readability

     

    1--Unreadable

    2--Barely readable, occasional words distinguishable.

    3--Readable with considerable difficulty.

    4--Readable with practically no difficulty.

    5--Perfectly readable.

     

    Signal Strength

     

    1--Faint signals, barely perceptible.

    2--Very weak signals.

    3--Weak signals.

    4--Fair signals.

    5--Fairly good signals.

    6--Good signals.

    7--Moderately strong signals.

    8--Strong signals.

    9--Extremely strong signals.

     

    Tone

     

    1--Sixty cycle a.c or less, very rough and broad.

    2--Very rough a.c., very harsh and broad.

    3--Rough a.c. tone, rectified but not filtered.

    4--Rough note, some trace of filtering.

    5--Filtered rectified a.c. but strongly ripple-modulated.

    6--Filtered tone, definite trace of ripple modulation.

    7--Near pure tone, trace of ripple modulation.

    8--Near perfect tone, slight trace of modulation.

    9--Perfect tone, no trace of ripple or modulation of any kind.

    If the signal has the characteristic steadiness of crystal control, add the letter X to the RST report. If there is a chirp, the letter C may be added to so indicate. Similarly for a click, add K. The above reporting system is used on both cw and voice, leaving out the "tone" report on voice. Turn card over for examples.

  • Time Conversion Chart

    UTC EDT/AST CDT/EST MDT/CST PDT/MST PST
    0000* 2000 1900 1800 1700 1600
    0100 2100 2000 1900 1800 1700
    0200 2200 2100 2000 1900 1800
    0300 2300 2200 2100 2000 1900
    0400 0000* 2300 2200 2100 2000
    0500 0100 0000* 2300 2200 2100
    0600 0200 0100 0000* 2300 2200
    0700 0300 0200 0100 0000* 2300
    0800 0400 0300 0200 0100 0000*
    0900 0500 0400 0300 0200 0100
    1000 0600 0500 0400 0300 0200
    1100 0700 0600 0500 0400 0300
    1200 0800 0700 0600 0500 0400
    1300 0900 0800 0700 0600 0500
    1400 1000 0900 0800 0700 0600
    1500 1100 1000 0900 0800 0700
    1600 1200 1100 1000 0900 0800
    1700 1300 1200 1100 1000 0900
    1800 1400 1300 1200 1100 1000
    1900 1500 1400 1300 1200 1100
    2000 1600 1500 1400 1300 1200
    2100 1700 1600 1500 1400 1300
    2200 1800 1700 1600 1500 1400
    2300 1900 1800 1700 1600 1500
    2400* 2000 1900 1800 1700 1600

    Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the time at the zero or reference meridian. Time changes one hour with each change of 15 degrees in longitude. The five time zones in the US proper and Canada roughly follow these lines.

    * 0000 and 2400 are interchangeable. (2400 is associated with the date of the day ending, 0000 with the day just starting.)

    FSD-220 (1/04)

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