On May 10, 9:41�am, K�HB wrote:
On May 10, 3:37 pm, "Ivor Jones" wrote:

Ok Hans, I can understand that, but just out of curiosity, *why* do you
say "handle" instead of "name" - it's not at all obvious to me.

Probably mostly from ingrained habit. When I got into amateur radio
as a teen it was what "the oldtimers" did, and newcomers wanting
nothing more than to be perceived as "insiders", adopt the mannerisms
of those they heard on the air.

Many vocations and avocations have a "lingo" which, while it may
strike outsiders as "quaint" or "affected", identifies you to your
peers as "one of them".

(For another example, why do we say "73" on phone, when it was
originally meant as Morse shorthand for some long flowery phrase like
"All the very best wishes, fair winds, following seas, and I hope you
get lucky with the fair maid who is the object of your humble but
earnest desire.")

Why is the (supposed) laugh on voice expressed as "HI HI."
And in a flat voice at that? :-) I've heard that all over HF
along with flat, emotionless voice expressions. Do radio
waves blank out emotions? :-)

Why do some "sign" messages with the "de" before a call sign?
The message originator on newsgroups is already identified in
the message header as to whom it is from. Questions,
questions. :-)

73, Len AF6AY