What Next: What to say

What Do I Say on the Radio?

You’ve got your licence, you’ve got a radio, and you’ve found someone to talk to. There’s just one problem: what are you supposed to say?

If you’re nervous about pressing the transmit button for the first time, you’re certainly not alone. Talking on amateur radio can feel surprisingly daunting at first, particularly when you know other people may be listening.

The good news is that you don’t need to sound like an experienced radio operator. Give your callsign, say hello, and have a conversation. Confidence comes surprisingly quickly once you’ve made a few contacts.

Start by listening

One of the best ways to learn is simply to listen to other amateurs.

Spend some time listening to local repeaters, simplex activity or a local net. You’ll hear how people:

• Give their callsigns
• Start and finish contacts
• Hand the conversation back to the other person
• Use the phonetic alphabet
• Join an existing conversation

You’ll probably also notice that most contacts are far less formal than you expected.

Your first conversation

If possible, arrange your first contact with somebody you already know. Perhaps another amateur from your course, a local club member or someone you’ve met online.

Knowing who is going to answer removes a lot of the uncertainty. Once you’ve done that a couple of times, calling somebody you’ve never spoken to becomes much easier.

If you don’t know another amateur, a local repeater or net can be a good place to start. Our First Contact guide has more information on finding someone to talk to:

What Next: Making Your First Contact ↗

So… what do I actually say?

There isn’t a compulsory script. Once contact has been established, a perfectly good first QSO could start something like this:

“Thanks for coming back to my call. The name here is Pete and I’m in Southend. I’ve only recently got my licence, so you’re one of my first contacts.”

That’s enough to get a conversation started.

The other station will normally tell you their name and location, and may ask about your station. From there, you can talk about much the same things you’d talk about if you met another amateur face-to-face.

Common topics include:

• Your name and location
• Your radio and antenna
• How well you’re receiving the other station
• How long you’ve been licensed
• What got you interested in amateur radio
• Your local club or area
• What parts of the hobby interest you
• And, inevitably, the weather!

You don’t have to fill every silence. Short contacts are perfectly acceptable, particularly when you’re starting out.

Tell them you’re new

There’s nothing wrong with saying “I’ve only just got my licence” or “This is one of my first contacts.”

In fact, it’s useful. The other operator then knows that you may need a little more time to copy a callsign or work out what to do next.

Most amateurs will remember making their own first contacts and will be happy to help.

Keep a few notes in front of you

You don’t need a complicated script, but having a few prompts on a piece of paper can take away some of the pressure.

Before transmitting, write down:

• Your callsign
• Your callsign using the phonetic alphabet
• Your name
• Your location

During the contact, make a note of:

• The other station’s callsign
• Their name
• Their location
• Any signal report or other information you want to remember

Writing down the other person’s callsign is particularly useful. It saves that horrible moment halfway through a contact when you’ve completely forgotten who you’re talking to!

Using your callsign

Say your callsign clearly and don’t rush it. If it isn’t being copied correctly, use the standard phonetic alphabet.

When you press the PTT button, it’s also worth pausing briefly before speaking. Some radios and repeaters take a fraction of a second to start passing your audio, and speaking immediately can result in your first word being clipped.

Speak normally, clearly and at a moderate pace. There’s no need for a special “radio voice”.

Joining a net

A local net can be an excellent way to build confidence because somebody else – usually the net controller – is managing the conversation.

Listen to a net first to understand how it works. When the controller asks for people to join, give your callsign as instructed.

Your first contribution can be very simple:

“Good evening everyone. The name here is Pete, I’m in Southend and I’ve only recently got my Foundation licence. Just thought I’d join in and say hello.”

You don’t need to prepare a speech. Listen to what the other participants do and follow their lead.

Don’t worry about making mistakes

This is probably the most important advice on this page.

You will make mistakes.

You may forget a callsign. You may stumble over the phonetic alphabet. You may press the wrong button, forget what you were going to say or accidentally talk over somebody.

Experienced operators make mistakes too.

If something goes wrong, correct it if necessary and carry on. Amateur radio is a hobby, not a broadcasting examination.

The best cure for “mic fright”

Listening and preparing will help, but eventually there’s only one way to become comfortable talking on amateur radio:

Press the PTT button.

Your first contact may feel like a big event. After several contacts, much of the nervousness will have disappeared. After a few more, having a conversation on the radio will probably feel completely normal.

Don’t wait until you feel completely confident before transmitting. Making contacts is how you gain that confidence.

More operating help

Our main operating guide has more information on calling CQ, answering calls, phonetics, signal reports and typical amateur radio contacts:

Amateur Radio Operating – Getting On Air ↗

If your problem is actually finding someone to talk to, rather than knowing what to say, start here instead:

What Next: Making Your First Contact ↗

Was this helpful?

What Next? is still in beta. If there’s something about making contacts or talking on the radio that you’re still unsure about, please tell us. Your feedback will help us improve this guide for other newly-licensed amateurs.