Please Observe These Operating Practices While Using The MCARC Repeaters

1. LISTEN! Monitor the repeater to become familiar with its everyday operation.

2. Identify your station. You must announce your call at least every 10 minutes and at the end of your conversation. You must identify yourself even if you are just testing.

3. PAUSE BETWEEN TRANSMISSIONS. Someone may wish to join the conversation or they may have an emergency.

4. Use discretion when breaking into a QSO. Will you add to it or just annoy the original participant's Don't interrupt a conversation to make a third party call unless absolutely necessary.

5. Other amateurs (and SWL's) are listening to your conversation. You advertise amateur radio for better or worse every time you transmit.

6. Many amateurs use this repeater on a regular basis. Long conversations by a few leaves little time for others. Hour long conversations are selfish and rude. They discourage others from their fair share of radio time.

7. Use simplex when it is practical. This allows other calls on the repeater.

8. Consider the needs of mobile radios during heavy travel hours. They may need to use the radio. Give them a break.

9. Use minimum power necessary for repeater access. This FCC regulation lessens the possibility of turing on distant repeaters. Higher power doesn't make your signal louder. It just gets your transmitter hotter.

10. This repeater is not the place to conduct business or any conversation that sounds like business.

11. CHECK YOUR RECEIVE VOLUME BEFORE MAKING A CALL. If it is turned down you may transmit over someone else's conversation.

12. Amateur radio is no place for profane, obscene, or indecent language. It will not be tolerated on this repeater.

13. Selective calling is discouraged. These tones are annoying to other listeners and are more like business radio than amateur.

14. If you hear a station alarm or if you hear flagrant misuse of the repeater, contact one of the repeater committee members. Station alarms are described in the repeater technical information.

15. The repeater costs money to operate. To help support it, you might wish to join the Madera Amateur Radio Club. Membership is $10 per year of which $4 goes to the repeater operating fund. Or you can contribute directly to the fund. Suggest $4 per year. This fund is separate from the general club treasury.

Send to:
Repeater Fund
Madera County Amateur Club
P.O. Box 251
Madera, CA 93639