You want to reach a particular operator — a friend, a club member, someone you heard earlier.
What to say
You say: “their callsign in phonetics, this is your callsign in phonetics.”
Their callsign first, then yours. Always that order — you're addressing them, then identifying yourself.
What they will say back
"your callsign, this is their callsign, go ahead." Then it's your turn to say what you wanted to say.
If it goes sideways
No answer usually means they're not near the radio. Wait a few minutes, try once more, then let it go. People leave radios on and walk away all the time.
Why it works this way
The their-call-then-your-call order is universal across amateur radio and it exists so the person hearing it knows immediately whether the transmission is meant for them. It also satisfies the FCC identification requirement in one breath.
Open this in Pocket Elmer, with your callsign filled in
More things to say
- Your very first transmission — Announcing yourself on a repeater
- Having an actual conversation — The whole arc of a repeater contact, start to finish
- Ending a contact gracefully — How to get out of a conversation