Brad, Make sure you have your FCC License with you when roving. Police maywant to see it since it would make them feel better that they "Checked you out."Also, saying that you are testing/verifying the ability to conduct emergencycommunications in case of a disaster might be helpful (and truthful). I've been accused of tracking animals several times. HIHI Check out my QRZPage for a story. 73, Bob K8BL
On Monday, April 13, 2020, 03:51:07 PM EDT, Brad Smith via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
<2 - A station calls me with My Call and Their Call.3 - I respond to them with Their Call & My Call/Grid> Since I am always operating handheld or portable, whether at my QTH, or roving, I cannot write the call down as it is being said, as both of my hands happen to be employed at the moment. Since a rover usually gives his grid, at least every few calls, I may say "Grid CM94, My Call" for example and the rover usually comes back at me and I appreciate that and I will then give my call and grid. Sometimes that is the best that can be done. I get his call when he comes back to me. I also record every pass on my iPhone. My memory isn't geed enough to remember 5 calls (or more, if I am roving) that I just worked, along with the activities of pointing an antenna and manually adjusting Doppler, so I rely on my recording. I know it is difficult to understand, but working portable is a lot different than sitting in front of an SDR computer screen in one's shack, with a 9700 with a speaker system and elevating and rotating, computer controlled yagi antennas. Some of us are doing this under not-so -ideal conditions. I have worked with my Arrow in the rain and in a snowstorm, several times without gloves, with noisy trucks going by and people asking me what I am doing,while trying to work. I have been asked if I am tracking animals and once as I was setting up, someone threatened to call the police. (I offered to let him use my phone, and I have Amateur Radio plates on my vehicles.) So, please cut some of us a little slack, if we are not operating exactly by "the book." Also, getting stepped on by the rude, big guns will eradicate part of the call. (Big guns are certainly more important than little portables.) If it is his/her call that gets stepped on, I can pick it up as he/she makes more contacts. If it is my call, I will email him/her to verify what my call is and make sure the contact is correct. Many times the person will thank me because he was missing one letter. Brad KC9UQR
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