LOGBOOK IS MANDATORY

Logbook is mandatory, meaning it is a must. May be more than 75% of 9Ws do not keep logbook and a few new 9M2s do not have a proper logging system. Besides logbook has been called to court before to be used as an evidence for an alibi. The lawyer argued of the GMT time which he said was not understood. But it can be further argued. The PP or any other lawyer can argue that the GMT is valid. I believe in case of life and death even the GMT time could be permissible. If you have court evidience in mind then you can enter both the GMT and local time. The GMT is to confirm the time of communication with the other station.

There are some 9W2s and 9M2s who carry along the logbook while mobiling. This is a good practice.

SWLs can keep logbooks to log stations they heard. In some countries the SWLs have to produce a certain number of QSL cards before they are given ham licences. In Malaysia old hams were SWLSs before becoming the full pledge hams and they keep proper logbooks even at the SWL days. Old boy 9M2HC for instant recorded stations heard since 1962. This article is just an opinion. But it is up to the MCMC whether to enforce it or not. But as a ham one can use one's own rationality without being forced by the authority.

BASIC CONCEPTS

Your name - It has been a tradition that your radio name is short. We don't use Abdul Rahim or mohamad Aswad. You can use Abdul,Dul,Wad or Him. If you work Russian stations you will find alot of Vlad, instead of using Vladimir Vostakov.

Can We Use Q-Code on SSB ? - Many articles ask us to refrain from using codes used for CW. However hams are of the habit of using QSO, QTH, QSL etc. Is it wrong ? It does not any harm if the usage is correct. Many Malaysians are using Q-code with their own meanings. So if we can remember try to refrain from using it.

Q5 or R5 ? - Read here for signal report.For telephony and CW the report is given differently. You can say Q5 meaning the readibility is 100%. For CW we used RST reporting.

PTT - Push To Talk. You push when you want to talk. When you pause or stop you release it. Any station can break in any time while you are talking. Once you pause between sentences, the breaker will join in by giving his callsign.

We usually pass the mic to the new person who join in. If he wants to talk to anybody somewhere else, he just mention that he is going to a certain frequency with the person.

Sometimes you may have something urgent. the usual practice we always do is to say 'break..break..' Then the person talking will say "breaker please." You mention your callsign and say why you break in.

SIGNING - A person can sign and he can monitor. If he wants people to know that he is still around, just say so "I will be listening." But it is not neccessary to tell people that you are around. Just say "I am signing...See you later/see you furher down the log.."

HOLD ON A MINUTE - Sometimes while talking you want to do something and will be back, you can just say "Hold on a minute or QRX". You may want to serach for something to tell your counterpart "QRX one...I am going to the other room to look for the article..."

ALFA OR AMERICA ? - Phonetics are standard, from alfa to zulu. But at times when you work a weak DX station, you can't hear him well and he can't hear you well too. You can spell your name saying ,"My name is Man Mike Alfa November...Mexico America Norway". As for the signal report you say 'fifty nine..one two..three..four..five. One two three four five six seven eight nine." The alternative phonetics using countries is easy to comprehend as compared to people's name like "Peter for P".

LOGBOOK - Keep your log well and let it be up to date. Use the zulu time to log.

QRM - Do not cause QRM

a- Don't tune right on frequency
used by others.
b-If you don't want to speak English,
don't cause QRM or quarrel with
people speaking English.
c- If you don't know CW, don't tell
the others not to work on CW
or cause any QRM to them.

Don't lend your callsign to others then you pretend you don't know about it. What more if he is your neighbor and has a tall antenna at his home.

Dont talk to pirate.

source http://www.qsl.net/9m2AR

thx uncle abdul rahman for opening my eyes.. and i hope other ppl will follow, i guess 9M2Za (uncle zainal) put his link in his website why dont i ? :p