Hi All,

I don't know about Stateside, but as an active 2m FM operator here in the
UK I've noticed an increase in a rather annoying (to me, anyway) practice
when calling CQ.

I know the frequencies are different in the bandplans, but here we use
145.5 as an FM calling channel, then once contact is established, move to
a working frequency.

Several times recently I've heard people calling CQ and I've been all
ready to return the call, but then they say that they will be listening on
a totally different channel, presumably the one they used on the previous
call.

This is all very well, but how do they know that the frequency they've
chosen is free at my end as well as theirs..? If they're anything more
than a few miles away, the channel they're listening on might well be busy
my end and as a result I wouldn't be able to return the call.

Why does this practice seem to be on the increase..? Is it happening in
the US and elsewhere as well, or is it a purely British phenomenon..?


73 Ivor G6URP