Been noticing some patterns on the local repeaters that make me cringe. Don't cough, sneeze, or clear your throat on-the-air. Also seeing folks who Do not monopolize the repeater. If others turn off their radios because they can hardly talk to someone except you, something is wrong.

What other mic habits should we all avoid? It's bad practice to kerchunk a repeater. If you want to see if you're hitting the repeater, simply say your call: "KX9X testing." If you hear the courtesy tone when you let off your mic, you're making it into the repeater. And by giving your call, you may spark a conversation with another Ham!

Ham radio operators do not use citizen band (CB) lingo. We do not use ten-codes (10-4), nor do we have "handles." We use our call signs along with our first names. Save the CB talk for CB!

Some radios are more sensitive than others when it comes to audio level. And it is possible to have too much audio, so ask other hams for a signal report. Ask specifically about your audio level…loud enough, too loud? For most of us, that's the only way we are going to find out how we sound.

Please remember Do not discuss the topics of politics, religion, or make disparaging remarks. While you and the person you are talking to may share certain beliefs, there are hundreds of other listeners that probably have differing opinions. Typically this results in hams turning off their radios and reduces group participation.