On-air etiquette

Good habits that keep the repeater friendly. Short, polite and clear goes a long way.

Do

Listen first. Make sure the channel is clear before you press the button.
Pause a second after the other person finishes so others can break in.
Give your call sign when you start, at least every 15 minutes, and when you finish.
Keep it short on a shared repeater and leave room for others.
Speak clearly, with the radio a few inches from your mouth.
Welcome new operators. Everyone started somewhere.

Don't

Do not talk over someone else on purpose.
Do not use profanity or argue on the air.
Do not use secret codes or encryption.
Do not key up just to test the repeater over and over.
Do not share frequencies or tones for a private group without asking its owner.

Say it like this

Calling anyone: "This is WSFW755, listening on the repeater."
Answering a call: "WSFW755, this is [your call sign]. Good evening."
Radio check: "This is [your call sign] for a radio check. How do you hear me?"
Signing off: "[Your call sign] clear. 73."