When you legally have to identify — Ham Radio

You're not sure when you're required to say your callsign.

What to say

You say: “your callsign in phonetics.”

Dropped in at the end of a transmission. That's all it takes to satisfy the rule.

You say: “…and that's about it from here. your callsign in phonetics.”

The natural way most operators do it — tack it on the end of whatever you were already saying.

The rule

At least every 10 minutes
During any ongoing communication
At the end
Of every communication — always
In English
Even if the conversation itself was in another language

What they will say back

Nothing special. It's housekeeping, not an event.

If it goes sideways

You are not required to identify at the *start* of a transmission, though most people do it out of habit and it's good practice. There is no penalty for identifying more often than required.

Why it works this way

The FCC requires identification so that transmissions are traceable to a licensed operator. Ten minutes is the maximum interval — most operators drift toward identifying every few transmissions without thinking about it. Phonetics aren't legally required, but they dramatically improve accuracy and every experienced operator uses them on a first contact.

Open this in Pocket Elmer, with your callsign filled in

More things to say