Hi Tom,

Well, if you think that's bad, the rule is the same in Canada--except 
that it's only once every half hour--just as it is for commercial radio 
and TV in the US and Canada.

One thing that always troubled me was that many times--particularly on 
HF, you get involved in what the old timers called 'a round robin.'  
That is where maybe up to 20 or 30 hams are talking one after the other 
in tight rotation.  Some of those old guys--particularly the guys who 
came from the old AM days will key down for over ten minutes.  With that 
many people in QSO, are you supposed to key up over the guy and give 
your call sign.

Let's say for example, that you were number 3 in rotation and by the 
time you get to number 5, that guy is going on and on and on and the ten 
minutes is now up for your identification, if you don't key up and 
identify, technically, you're in violation--since you started a 
transmission ten minutes ago and now while still technically in QSO, you 
haven't identified.  However, if you arbitrarily key up on top of the 
guy who is ragging on and on, you are creating interference.

Now some groups do allow for an un-key and then all stations 
Identifying, but this is generally not the case.

One FCC/OO told me once that the spirit of the law is to make sure that 
every station in QSO knows who is on frequency and can easily inform 
others of that matter.  Therefore, a hard and fast interpretation of the 
identification laws in such cases is not required.

...And then what happens to someone who (as I have in a number of cases) 
falls asleep during such a large 'round robin?'  When one wakes up an 
hour later after everyone has signed, are you now in violation when you 
finally sign and then clear frequency?



On 2/1/2016 12:31 AM, Tom Fowle wrote:
> Ron,
> Seems to be the case, doesn't make any sense. That means you can come up on
> any freq or any repeater and babble away for nine and a half minutes then
> give your call once and quit.
> tom Fowle WA6IVG
>
> On Mon, Feb 01, 2016 at 12:16:22AM -0500, Ron Canazzi wrote:
>> Hi Tom,
>>
>> As far back as I can remember, the only requirement for US hams as far
>> as call sign identification is to state your call sign every ten minutes
>> and at the end of your transmission.  By end of transmission, I mean
>> just before you sign off.
>>
>>
>> On 1/31/2016 11:06 PM, Tom Fowle wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>> Now I get to slightly embarrass my self.
>>> Are U.S. licensed hams still required to send both own call and call of
>>> station with whom we're attempting to communicate both at beginning and end
>>> of exchange? as well as every 10 minutes during long qsos?
>>> TNX&73
>>> Tom Fowle WA6IVG
>>>