UK 2m & 70cm Repeater Etiquette: Sound Like You Belong
Listen first, get CTCSS and offset right, keep overs short, and leave gaps for mobiles — the Cross Reference UK house style for UK repeaters.
Shared community infrastructure
UK repeaters are shared community infrastructure. The RSGB points operators to the ETCC’s ukrepeater.net for the authoritative list. Practical guides such as Essex Ham’s repeater basics remain excellent for newcomers.
Get the radio right before you speak
- Output — frequency you listen on (repeater TX).
- Offset / input — where you transmit. On 2m, offset is commonly −600 kHz.
- CTCSS — wrong tone = silence.
- Prefer sensible deviation so you don’t over-drive the box.
On-air manners (UK norms)
- Listen first — then listen more (RSGB operating etiquette).
- Don’t CQ like HF. A common UK form is: “[callsign] listening” or “listening through [repeater].”
- Short overs; watch the timeout. Wait for the reset before keying again.
- Leave gaps so others — especially mobiles — can break in.
- To join a QSO, wait for a pause and give your callsign.
Digital repeaters
DMR/D-STAR/Fusion boxes still need correct colour code / mode / time-slot discipline. On BrandMeister, don’t park a long ragchew on 2350 — QSY to a chat group. Check the keeper’s notes on ukrepeater.net before assuming slot maps.
Even receive-only hobbyists benefit: learn your local GB3/GB7 outputs, CTCSS, and net times, then graduate to licensed TX when ready.