Operating Procedures

CFMC REPEATER OPERATING PRACTICES
Adopted by the membership on February 8, 2012
INTRODUCTION:
With the influx of new Hams to the hobby and those who are new to the Cincinnati FM Club (CFMC)
Repeater System, we would first of all like to extend a hearty and warm welcome!!! While we would
recommend that you join the CFMC, membership is not required to use the system. The CFMC
system consists of three repeaters; 146.88- MHz, 147.03+ MHz, and 443.400+ MHz, and all
REQUIRE a PL of 123.0 Hz. The “.88 machine” is the flagship station of the CFMC and is also the
main repeater of the Weather Amateur Radio Net (WARN) for the greater Cincinnati area. Many
people (including non-Hams) listen to the repeater, especially in times of severe weather. The 146.88
repeater will no longer switch to a 100.0 Hz PL during “Weather Warning Mode” but will still have
distinctive tail beeps associated with “Watch Mode” and “Warning Mode,” as before.
For the “Old Timers” who are familiar with past CFMC repeater system use, this document will
provide an update and refresher regarding “new and improved” operating practices for CFMC
repeater system use. Notice the use of the term CFMC repeater SYSTEM. The term “SYSTEM”
refers to the suite of the three repeaters and these rules and operating guidelines are intended to
extend to all three of the CFMC repeaters.
This updated and revised document includes most of the previously approved “Rules of the Road”
that were adopted March 24, 2009 by the CFMC Executive Committee plus a few additional items to
encourage proper system use by folks not acquainted with the expectations of users of the CFMC
repeaters.
RULES AND GUIDELINES:

• BE NICE!
• Operate in the manner described in the FCC Rules and operating guidelines published in the
  ARRL Repeater Directory and similar publications. Also, identify at the beginning of your
  first transmission, at least every ten minutes and at the end of your last transmission.
• Keep transmissions short. The repeater time-out timer has been set to 1:15 (75 Seconds). It
  is strongly recommended that you set your radio’s time-out timer to 1 minute.
• At the beginning of a transmission, wait approximately 1 second (for the remote receiver
  voting system to function properly) before speaking. If this “system hardware imposed”
  criteria is not followed, the first part of a transmission WILL BE missed, guaranteed! This
  often results in folks missing the first part of a transmission and requiring them to ask for
  repeats. This is especially important during times when the Weather Net is in operation.
• At the end of a station’s transmission:

1. Input to the repeater drops and a courtesy beep sounds, the time-out timer resets
   and approximately 5 seconds later, the repeater carrier will drop.
2. While not required, It is good practice to wait a FULL 2 seconds after the
   courtesy tone before keying. This will permit other stations to join into the
   conversation, permits a Net Control Station to interrupt net operations and allows for
   a station with emergency traffic to make their presence known. This is extremely
   important during Weather Net Operation!

• No profanity, foul or suggestive language of any kind will be tolerated. If you can’t say it in
  church or at your grandmother’s dinner table, don’t say it on any of the FM Club repeaters.
  Cute or feigned representations of vulgar or off-color matters will be treated as if you “said
  what you meant” and dealt with accordingly. Violators will be banned from CFMC repeater
  use for an indefinite period. NOTE: FCC Part 97.205(e) permits a repeater trustee to impose
  language and other restrictions on use of the repeater under the control of the trustee and/or
  their appointees. Remember: “Our CFMC repeater…Our Rules”. Follow them, or go
  elsewhere! NO exceptions!
• Do not monopolize, hog, squat, dominate, corner or otherwise consume vast amounts of
  repeater system time for your personal agenda or soap box. This is especially important
  during evenings and on weekends. If an extended period is needed to converse, go to
  another repeater (147.03+ MHz) or simplex to permit others to use the system. Folks who
  habitually monopolize the system will likely be invited to take their “need to talk” elsewhere
  and be limited to reasonable periods of usage as determined by Control Operators, CFMC
  Officers and/or the CFMC Executive Committee. (If self-control does not work, CFMC control
  will be imposed!)
• Do not recognize or make mention of ANY FORM of malicious interference, jamming,
  harassment, or disruptive communication on the system by ANYONE. Do not comment
  about it or attempt to bait the person causing it to turn into any form of confrontation. Do not
  become part of the problem by talking about it and recognizing folks who get their “jollies” this
  way into using their poor practice on the CFMC system. If you are confronted with an issue,
  listen on the repeater input to see if you can hear it there. Only if you hear the source, make
  note of the signal strength, receiving conditions, etc., and notify a CFMC Officer or Control
  Operator via e-mail or other means during daytime hours.
• We have several Control Operators who monitor the repeater most of the time. Please
  cooperate with them and do not argue with them or make their job any harder than it already
  is. Remember, they are volunteers and they enjoy the hobby as much as everyone else
  does. They also have a life beyond Ham Radio. Often, when they cannot monitor the
  repeaters, both the inputs and outputs may be digitally recorded.
• The above rules and guidelines are intended to make the CFMC repeater system enjoyable
  to every user, regardless of whether or not they are a member of CFMC. If these do not
  work, then whenever a control operator is unavailable to monitor the system, it will be shut
  down until one is available!
• Also, there is a “quiet time” from 11:00pm until 6:00am when the system will be shut down.
  Weather Net NCS’s have the information necessary to restore repeater operation if required.
  CONCLUSION:
  Enjoy the system, but share the enjoyment with all users.
  As you meet fellow Hams on the CFMC System, share these rules and guidelines with them and help
  them to maintain the very high standards of the CFMC. If you (or they) are not a member, consider
  joining and supporting the Club that brings one of the very best repeater systems to the Greater
  Cincinnati area