Repeater Policy

SONOMA COUNTY RADIO AMATEURS’ REPEATER POLICY

(Adopted 3/12/14)

Use of the Sonoma County Radio Amateurs’ repeater system and related equipment owned, operated and controlled by the Sonoma County Radio Amateurs, Inc. (“SCRA”) is governed by this policy.    

Our philosophy is that the SCRA repeater system is available for appropriate use by duly licensed radio amateurs and groups. 

 

1. Priority of Usage:

The order of priority of usage is emergency communications, SCRA approved or authorized directed nets, SCRA member usage, and non-SCRA related usage. Any person or group desiring to use the SCRA repeater system in a manner not currently sanctioned by SCRA should contact SCRA through the Contact Us link on the SCRA website.

 

2. Observe Good Operating Practices:

A. Follow Good Amateur Practice.  Good operating procedure requires courtesy and common sense.  

B. Identify your station call sign appropriately every ten minutes and at the end of a conversation.  

C. “Kerchunking” of the repeater without identifying is not permitted.  For testing your radio, use e.g.,  “This is. . .(your callsign). . . testing”, and then identify and say “clear” when you have completed testing.    

D. No obscene, indecent or profane language is tolerated.  

E. No broadcasting.  

F. Listen before you talk. Hold the PTT down for a second before talking to allow time for the repeater to activate. Say the called station callsign first, followed by your callsign. Do not use Codes or Q words, or overuse phonetics, unless requested by a control operator.  

G. Avoid controversial subjects, such as politics, religion, or criticisms of other amateurs or ham radio groups.  

 

3.  Failure to follow Policy:  

A failure to follow our Repeater Policy may result in a formal denial of use of the SCRA repeater system.  The FCC has upheld this power on the part of repeater owners.  To protect the station license, the repeater trustee or control operators will shut off the repeater should a warning of unauthorized or inappropriate use of the repeater go unheeded.   We wish for everyone willing to abide by this policy to freely use and enjoy the SCRA repeater system.

 

4.  Become a part of our Team.  

Maintaining and improving our repeater system is expensive.  We strongly encourage amateurs who make frequent or recurrent use of our repeater system to become active members of SCRA.  You will be most welcome.  For more information about SCRA, consult our website.