Making Your First Ham Radio Contact (QSO Guide)
Making your first contact on the air is one of the most memorable moments in amateur radio. It is also one that many new hams put off longer than necessary because they are not sure what to say or how to do it correctly. This guide walks you through everything — from what a QSO actually consists of, to what to say word for word, to making contacts on both VHF repeaters and HF frequencies.
The basic exchange
A QSO has a clear structure. One station calls CQ (or is called by another station), the other responds, and both stations exchange the minimum required information — at minimum their callsigns. Beyond that, a typical phone QSO includes a signal report (RST), name, and location (QTH). From there the QSO can be as brief as two minutes or as long as both operators want to talk. At the end, both operators sign off with their callsigns and exchange pleasantries like 73.
The only regulatory requirement is that you identify yourself with your FCC callsign at least every 10 minutes during the contact and at the end of each contact. Everything else is convention and courtesy.
Signal reports — RST
The RST system is the standard way to report signal quality. R stands for Readability (1–5), S for Signal Strength (1–9), and T for Tone (1–9, CW only). On phone (voice) contacts you only use RS — a "59" means perfectly readable and full strength, which is the most common report on a strong signal. A "57" means perfectly readable but moderately strong. Give an honest report — "59" when the signal is barely readable is meaningless. On CW, a full RST report like "599" is standard, though in contest conditions the T is often dropped.
Listen first
Tune to the repeater output and listen for at least 30 seconds. If the repeater is in use, wait for the QSO to end before calling.
Make a short call
Key up and say: "[your callsign], monitoring" or "[your callsign], listening." That is all you need. Wait 10–15 seconds for a response. If nothing comes back, try again or try at a different time.
When someone responds
They will say something like "[your callsign], this is [their callsign], go ahead." Respond with: "[their callsign], this is [your callsign]. Good morning/afternoon, your signal is [report]. My name is [name] and I am located in [city/state]. Back to you." Then release the PTT and wait.
Exchange information
The other station will give you their name and location and perhaps ask about your equipment. Keep conversation natural — there are no rules about content beyond FCC restrictions (no profanity, no business use, no music). Talk about your radio, the weather, the hobby — whatever feels natural.
Sign off properly
When wrapping up, say: "This has been a pleasure. [their callsign], this is [your callsign], 73." The other station will respond similarly. Both stations have now officially completed a QSO and should log the contact.
Find a clear frequency
Tune around the band and find a frequency that appears clear. Before transmitting, ask "Is this frequency in use? This is [your callsign]." Wait 5–10 seconds. If no one responds, the frequency is yours to use.
Call CQ
A standard CQ call: "CQ CQ CQ, this is [your callsign] [phonetics], calling CQ and standing by." On HF, repeating your callsign in phonetics (Alpha Bravo Charlie...) is important because band conditions can make signals difficult to copy. Keep the CQ call to two or three repetitions of CQ followed by your callsign, then listen.
Respond to a reply
If someone responds, they will call your callsign and give theirs. Respond immediately: "[their callsign], this is [your callsign]. Thank you for the call. You are [signal report]. My name is [name], QTH is [location]. Back to you." Then listen.
Answer someone else's CQ
This is often easier than calling CQ yourself. Tune the band and listen for stations calling CQ. When you hear one, wait for them to finish their call and the brief pause, then transmit just your callsign once clearly in phonetics. If they come back to you, proceed with the standard exchange.
| Letter | Phonetic | Letter | Phonetic | Letter | Phonetic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Alpha | J | Juliet | S | Sierra |
| B | Bravo | K | Kilo | T | Tango |
| C | Charlie | L | Lima | U | Uniform |
| D | Delta | M | Mike | V | Victor |
| E | Echo | N | November | W | Whiskey |
| F | Foxtrot | O | Oscar | X | X-ray |
| G | Golf | P | Papa | Y | Yankee |
| H | Hotel | Q | Quebec | Z | Zulu |
| I | India | R | Romeo |
What if I freeze up and forget what to say?
It happens to nearly everyone on their first contact. Keep a short cheat sheet next to your radio with your callsign, signal report format, name, and location. If you stumble, just slow down and speak naturally — the other operator has been a new ham too and will be patient. No one expects perfection on a first QSO.
Do I have to give a signal report?
It is standard courtesy to exchange signal reports, but it is not a regulatory requirement for casual QSOs. In contests and certain nets, signal reports are required as part of the exchange. For a general casual QSO, give an honest RST report as part of the opening exchange — it is good practice and the other operator will appreciate it.
What is the difference between over and out?
Over means I have finished transmitting and I am expecting a reply from you. Out means I am finished with this contact entirely and not expecting a reply. Never say 'over and out' — it is contradictory. On simplex and HF you will often hear neither — operators just release the PTT and wait. On repeaters, brief pauses serve the same purpose as 'over.'
What should I log after a QSO?
At minimum log: date and time (UTC), the other station's callsign, the frequency or band, the mode (SSB, FM, CW, FT8, etc.), and the signal report exchanged. If you intend to upload to Logbook of the World or apply for awards like DXCC or WAS, accurate logging from the start saves a lot of work later.
How do I know what mode to use on HF?
By convention, phone (voice) on HF below 10 MHz uses LSB (Lower Sideband) and above 10 MHz uses USB (Upper Sideband). So 40m and 80m phone is LSB, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, and 10m phone is USB. CW and digital modes use the lower portions of each band. Your radio likely has a mode selector — set it to LSB or USB as appropriate for the band you are on.