Amateur Radio Protocol & Procedures - Why do so many get it wrong?

 It is amazing how many experienced amateur radio operators seem to have forgotten the basics. 

Simple things like getting callsigns in the right order during a QSO or when calling a specific station.

You only have to listen for a short time on the amateur radio bands to hear stations giving their callsign followed by the callsign of  the station they are calling or handing it back over to during a QSO. This is of course the wrong way round. When in QSO or calling a specific station You should first give the callsign of the station You are calling followed by Your callsign. It is easy to do this correctly and there is no reason to get it wrong. 

Giving impossible signal reports is also becoming more common. 

Anyone who has listened to the amateur bands during a contest will be well aware of false 'You are 5/9' signal reports.  I have heard many poor excuses for why this is done during a contest and it seems to be generally accepted that fake signal reporting is fine during a contest. 

Whatever excuse is used during a contest there is NO good reason to give false signal reports the rest of the time. If You were Really being received as a proper 5/9 (Readability 5 = Perfectly clear and understandable) there would be no reason to be asked a second time for Your callsign or to repeat information. 

Incorrectly using QRZ instead of CQ when calling for a contact.

Calling on amateur bands for a contact by giving Your callsign followed by QRZ instead of CQ is a very common mistake. QRZ and CQ have specific meanings! QRZ should NOT be used instead of CQ.  QRZ should only be used AFTER a station has called You. QRZ means "who is calling me" 

These mistakes (and many others) are heard every day from supposedly experienced operators who should know the correct procedures and protocols. There is no sensible reason to get the basics wrong. 

I have often thought that there should be some sort of refresher course every few years to remind operators of the correct operating procedures and protocols as this would help them to correct their bad habits and do it right.  

Look up the Amateur Radio Q codes and use them properly, it is easy to use them correctly & there is no reason to get it wrong. 

If it is worth doing at all it is worth doing it Right.

73 de MM7WAB