ok so i just got my technician license about three weeks ago and ive been trying to get on the local FM repeater but half the time nobody responds and im not sure if its a me problem or just nobody is around. the repeater is listed in the directory with a 100hz PL tone and i programmed that into my baofeng but honestly im not 100% sure i did it right because the menus on that thing are a nightmare.

also i notice sometimes when i key up i can hear the repeater come up but then it drops like a second after i stop talking, is that normal? i thought there was supposed to be some kind of tail or courtesy tone or something. and is there any kind of etiquette i should know about before i just start calling out on a busy repeater? i dont want to step on anyone or come across as rude. thanks in advance

the CTCSS thing — 100hz is actually written as 100.0 Hz in most radio menus, sometimes baofengs list them slightly differently so double check you didnt accidentally program 100 as like a DCS code or something. what you want is the transmit tone set, not the receive tone, a lot of new folks accidentally set both and that can cause weirdness depending on how the repeater is set up. the tail you're hearing is normal, most repeaters have a short squelch tail after you unkey and then a courtesy beep before someone else can come back. if you arent hearing a courtesy tone at all it might just be that particular machine doesnt have one configured, theyre not universal.

as for etiquette, honestly just listen for a while before jumping in. most repeaters have regulars who chat at certain times, mornings and evenings usually. key up and say your callsign and that youre just monitoring or listening and see who comes back. people are generally pretty welcoming to new hams, especially if you dont just start talking over an ongoing conversation. you got this

yeah i was in the exact same boat like six months ago lol. the baofeng menu for tones is buried and the manual is basically useless. i ended up just watching a youtube video for my specific model and that cleared it up way faster than anything else. once i got the PL tone sorted out everything just clicked. also some repeaters around here are linked into like regional or even nationwide systems so you might end up talking to someone three states away which is kinda wild when you first experience it