Operating standards - a mentoring initiative

The activity of amateur radio is alive and flourishing due mainly to the influx of newcomers in a number of countries as a result of licence restructure and an end to Morse code licence tests.

However while focused on getting more people to qualify for a ham licence, it's now being recognised that we've largely forgot to adequately teach all newcomers and licence candidates how to operate and behave on the ham bands.

This is the reason why we are hearing radio amateurs using operational procedures which are far from being perfect.

These are the views of two leading Belgium radio amateurs, John Devoldere ON4UN and Marc Demeulenere ON4WW, the authors of a booklet entitled "Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio Amateur".

The authors stated goal is to try to improve, where necessary, the behaviour on the bands in matters of ethics and operating procedures, and make information available to newcomers on those essential topics.

It includes a code of conduct for radio amateurs to reflect the nature of the amateur radio community, the need for tolerance, politeness and understanding.

The 64-page publication also covers a range of operating procedure and protocol, the use of callsigns, repeater operation, Morse code, digital modes, ham language and lots more.

This excellent initiative has recently it gained the endorsement of the International Amateur Radio Union Administrative Council.

We are certain to hear a lot more about "Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio Amateur", in the future.

Jim Linton VK3PC