FCC Question Pool Review

Technician Class (Element 2) • 2022-2026

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Question T2A09

From subelement T2 - T2A

T2A09
Answer: B

Which of the following indicates that a station is listening on a repeater and looking for a contact?

A“CQ CQ” followed by the repeater’s call sign
BThe station’s call sign followed by the word “monitoring”
CThe repeater call sign followed by the station’s call sign
D“QSY” followed by your call sign

Why is this correct?

Answer B is correct because repeater etiquette differs from HF operations. Instead of calling 'CQ' (which is frowned upon on repeaters), you indicate availability by saying your call sign followed by 'monitoring' or 'listening.' This tells other stations you're on frequency and open to conversation. Option A uses 'CQ' which isn't standard repeater practice. Option C incorrectly uses the repeater's call sign instead of your own. Option D uses 'QSY' (change frequency), which doesn't indicate you're looking for contacts.

Memory tip

Remember the key pattern: repeaters are community resources with different etiquette than HF bands. The standard format is always 'YOUR call sign + status word' rather than general calls. This personal identification approach helps manage traffic flow on busy repeater frequencies.

Learn more

Repeater operation follows duplex principles where you transmit on the input frequency and receive on the output frequency. This community-based system encourages direct identification rather than broadcast-style calling. Understanding proper repeater protocol becomes essential when participating in local emergency communications networks or regular community nets, where efficient frequency coordination prevents interference and maintains orderly communication flow among multiple stations.

Think about it

Why do you think repeater communities discourage using 'CQ' calls compared to HF operations where 'CQ' is the standard practice?