Remembering Ham Names and Callsigns

[K1JJ]

OK, OK, I know what you're thinking... another odd thread by JJ... but I don't mind taking the heat...  

Everyone is aware of it....  we check into a QSO and sometimes they know you and sometimes they don't. No big deal.  But how do we feel when we check in every day for a week and still no one says our name or recognizes our call?  Is it because we are not "important enough" for others to take the time to memorize our names and calls or are we just too lazy? It takes an effort to memorize so I think it's just laziness.

It happens to most of us, but I notice it especially in newer hams who are overwhelmed by large groups. They will check in and say something like, "Well, everybody is strong here and everyone sounds great and I'm just here to say a quick hello and then 73."  What happens is they never learn the names of the group's individual members. The next time they check in the same thing happens. The group often learns the newcomer's name and call very well but the newcomer never feels quite at home without learning others' names and calls.

There's many variations of this. In my case I know a handful of old timers who after 30+ years have NEVER said my name, just "him, he or JJ."   I don't really care -  I'm just showing that everyone gets the bum's rush at times.

The real maestro is Tim/HLR. He knows EVERYONE's name and call, from the most infrequent pissweaker from Wisconsin or Idaho to the big guns up and down the east coast. He took the time to learn them all and continues to every day. When someone breaks in, most of us take a cue from Tim to identify the break-in and act like we knew all the time...  

Another good example is when I heard George/HJK  from Queens for the first time. He was very PW using a "city-antenna" but after just one quick QSO he knew my name and call and was always there for a QSO. I knew he was going to be around for a while so learned his info too. He now knows everyone and is quite a popular guy. It's not signal strength, it's more than just that.

I remember Steve/ QIX had a list on the web of all the active AMers showing names and calls. I'd like to get a current copy and have it handy on my desk.

Bottom line is if we have talked with someone new at least three times in the last week, why not make an effort to memorize their name and call?  Just one a day - and in two weeks we will know fourteen more names and calls by heart.

There's nothing smoother and friendlier than immediately greeting someone by name when they break into a QSO.


Tom, K1JJ

[W1ITT]

I don't think it's entirely laziness.  Some people have an exceptional ability to connect names, faces, voices and context.  I'm amazed at a few friends in the business world who can meet people from all over the world at conventions and recall names and details from ages past, one right after the other.  I believe that Mr Smith of Skowhegan is clearly one of those.
I am in the other camp.  Years ago I stopped by at the college where my brother was attending.  He is a year younger than I and we grew up together, me on the top bunk.  He had the bottom bunk.  I went to the dormitory where I knew he was staying and asked the Resident Assistant at the front desk what room.......  and I went blank.  I couldn't remember his name.  In a stroke of pure genius, I recalled that his last name was the same as mine!  So I continued, "Can you tell me what room Blake is in?"  And I went on up to knock on my brother Tristan's door, having recalled his name by the time I got there.
My work has taken me all over the world and before I get to customer sites, I have to write down the names of people who I have met there before, relying on notes from past visits.  It helps.  I have seen and tried a few of the fancy mind tricks to recall names and they mostly don't seem to work for me.  My Dewey Decimal system doesn't work.
I don't think it's necessarily laziness or unfriendliness when hams in groups don't say our names.  It just means we haven't  yet spent enough time yakking. 
73 de Norm W1ITT

[K1JJ]

Hi Norm,

Yep, there's probably many reasons we don't remember names and calls for sure.

I'm just trying to raise our awareness of it.   Recently I've met a lot of new hams on 75M and realized I didn't know some of their names after several nights - and decided to make an extra effort to do so...


T  

[KK4YY]

Tom,

   You mentioned Tim/HLR as remembering names well. Tim has a fantastic memory, not just for names, but for almost everything. I'm impressed by each old buzzard transmission he makes in that he can recall details with such clarity, of events that happened so long ago, and tell a story that flows almost like a Jean Shepherd stem-winder. And there's then there's George/HJK... a consummate gentleman. As such, of course he knew your name!

   But, there's an interesting facet to how we communicate; our calls are our names. Our calls are required by law and uniquely identify ourselves not just to authorities, but to each other. Forgetting an operators call is as much, if not more, of a faux pas that not remembering their given name. Without visual queues, we have only the sound of someones voice to recall their identity. And what identity do they provide time after time — their call.

   I've had operators taken aback when I used their name. If we hadn't spoken many times they can be unnerved by the use of their name up front. A persons name is, well, very personal. Some guard it jealously, while other consider it a compliment when hearing it spoken.

   Stick with an operators call and you can't go wrong... mostly.


Don, KK4YY

[K1JJ]

I've had operators taken aback when I used their name. If we hadn't spoken many times they can be unnerved by the use of their name up front. A persons name is, well, very personal. Some guard it jealously, while other consider it a compliment when hearing it spoken.
Don, KK4YY

Interesting comments, Don!

You made me curious... why would someone become unnerved when hearing their own name?....  IE, if someone breaks into a QSO using their callsign, we cannot say "hello W2XXX", rather we say, "hello Joe."   Why would that rattle them?   Most people love to hear their own names, no?   Or maybe you mean a first contact and  looking the name up on QRZ, surprising him?
  
T

[WD8BIL]

Hi to Tom, if that's Tom in there.

I was just digging through some old computer files and found that XL spread sheet of calls n names. When I get home from work I'll email it to you, JJ!

Buddly

[KK4YY]

I've had operators taken aback when I used their name. If we hadn't spoken many times they can be unnerved by the use of their name up front. A persons name is, well, very personal. Some guard it jealously, while other consider it a compliment when hearing it spoken.
Don, KK4YY

Interesting comments, Don!

You made me curious... why would someone become unnerved when hearing their own name?....  IE, if someone breaks into a QSO using their callsign, we cannot say "hello W2XXX", rather we say, "hello Joe."   Why would that rattle them?   Most people love to hear their own names, no?   Or maybe you mean a first contact and  looking the name up on QRZ, surprising him?
  
T

Methinks it's that they don't recall having spoken with me before and the onus of recalling my name now falls upon them.

[KK4YY]

I suppose another point I might make is that we're all eavesdroppers. We know each other, having never actually spoken, because we spend more time listening (hopefully) than talking. Sometimes for many years. An SWL, who finally get his ticket, probably knows many on-the-air quite well. He may feel a kinship to those when he first contacts them and may feel uncomfortable pretending not to know them. It's just a bit awkward.

Now, imagine sitting in a diner and overhearing a conversation at the next booth. Turning in your seat to join that conversation might be met with skepticism by those such engaged. Particularly, if you were to address the participants by their names (which you may have overheard). A "Hey fella, do ya mind?" might be a retort to such an intrusion. That said, if the people in the next booth to mine are obnoxiously loud they can expect a good glaring from me as a prelude to my own intrusion. If they glare back, the door is now open!

We're engaged in a different etiquette on Amateur Radio. "Intrusions" into a QSO are to be expected, but must be handled with fitting decorum by all participants. But, some folks are just testy. So whatcha gonna do?

[K1JJ]

Methinks it's that they don't recall having spoken with me before and the onus of recalling my name now falls upon them.

Yes, exactly!   It happens in all aspects of life too.


And Buddly/WD8BIL  is another one who lives 800 miles away, but took the time to learn the names, calls and culture of the east coast AM scene.  "Bud in Lorraine," thanks for the offer, OM!   I have the old AMer sheets from maybe 10 yars ago, but was wondering if Steve kept it up to date...


** BTW, when someone calls me "JJ" it feels like I am being called by my last name. Like, "Hey ETP what's happening?"    "Hola HLR, watsup?"  But it's all good.

"JJ"

[W1NB]

Tom,

I can totally relate to this. For the longest time I thought I just had a very forgettable name. I know I’m not on the air nearly as regularly as some, and I’ve not been a permanent fixture for decades like most of the northeast AMers, but after the fourth or fifth QSO with someone you’d think they would, at least, try to remember. I’ve just come to the conclusion that for many, unless there is some compelling reason to learn your name, it’s just not at the top of their to-do list.

-Scott

[N1BCG]

I never, ever, introduce myself by callsign. Those are a jumble of letters and a number, neither of which represent me. I recall several times being introduced as “n1bcg”, and while shaking hands, corrected the introduction with eye contact and “Hi, I’m Clark”.

For me, a callsign nametag is completely out of the question.

[K1JJ]

Well said, Clark -

Think about it...  we almost never use last names on ham radio.  If you said on the air, "The handle here is Clark Jones," they would think you were a very strange one indeed.  But in business or most social encounters we use our last name kinda in place of our callsigns.

A callsign IS a step down - being just a thing, a noun.  Whereas a FIRST name is really our ID and a Pronoun. Our first name is everything. We can easily carry on a QSO conversation just knowing the other guy's name. But do it knowing just his callsign and not his first name and it's awkward.

If someone screws up your call, "W1BCG" rather than "N1BCG"... no problem.  But if someone keeps calling you "Clem" or "Clerk" or "Cluck" throughout a long old buzzard transmission, you may get miffed...  

I just hate it when we ask someone a question in a group and forget the name of the one we are addressing. People are very sensitive to anyone forgetting their names in real time. We stutter, stammer and pray we can pull it up from the abyss in time.   The biggest down in flames scenario is when you have to tell one of your best ham buddies on the air that you just forgot his call - or God forbid...his name!   HA!

Scott: I see it hit home with you. When I was a Novice and young General, I was frustrated at how easily we were ignored and overlooked. But there were a few older guys who took the time to pay some attention, remember us and give us a boost.  I'll bet MANY guys drop out of the hobby simply because of neglect.  It's our friends who keep it interesting. I find it real important to pick them up and get a boost when I need it too.

T

[KK4YY]

Everyone has a name. But you've got to earn it if you want to be remembered.

[Opcom]

I'm very bad at remembering names. (and dates and things also) Even though I write them down next to the call signs, I have to refer to the list. I sometimes write the calls down wrong because I didn't hear correctly. I suspect that some people must have the call book on the PC because they always get it straight. If the order changes, it's  a mess.

[K1JJ]

Then there's the subject of getting stuck with a tongue-twister (and mind-numbing) callsign.

These are the type of callsigns where no matter how many times you talk to someone, you will never remember it and stumble over it every time.  Many of these call holders consider it a matter of pride or loyalty to wave the flag and do their best to overcome the call handicap.   I get it.  I did for the first 15 years. The FCC must have wanted to punish me until I slipped into something more comfortable.

It's like the foreigner with a last name using five consonants in a row. What can you do except ask him how to pronounce it every time?

Here are some made-up calls that hams may have lived with - to get my point across.  Say them to yourself:   KF1QWJ, KB4GKJ,  KJ5XZW,   WE8YUW,  KG2GJQ   ….. get the idea?  Now try to memorize this list. How long did it take?  There's not much a ham can do to remember a call like that.  

People have gone to court for name changes... and have applied to the FCC for call changes.  Take my advice: If you are one of the unfortunate ones stuck with one of these crazy calls, make your ham life easier and apply for something easier to say and remember...   No one will blame you.    

T

[K1JJ]

One more comment to the holders of:   KF1QWJ, KB4GKJ,  KJ5XZW,   WE8YUW,  KG2GJQ  type calls....

There are some GREAT callsigns available out there.  For example, many of the original W1s and K1s have passed on and no one has renewed their calls.

For example, (I haven't checked availability)  imagine getting a call like W1WOW, K1BIG, W1FLY, K1HAM, W1JOE (to match your name)  or the hundreds of real words for a suffix... easy to remember on the first take.   How long would it take you to memorize this list?  Try it and see.

There are waiting lists for two-letter calls, but there are many great older calls available.

T

[N1BCG]

For example, (I haven't checked availability)  imagine getting a call like W1WOW, K1BIG, W1FLY, K1HAM, W1JOE (to match your name)

Those five licensed ops used to be: KF1QWJ, KB4GKJ,  KJ5XZW,   WE8YUW,  KG2GJQ, respectively. Got a bad call? Perhaps you're destined to operate FT-8.

[WA2SQQ]

Tom
I’ve had my call since 1971 so it’s literally become my middle name. Between the license plates, QSL’s and various other personalized items letting “SQQ” go would have a lot of baggage.  In my local group, we have a few Bob’s and 5 Dave’s. With the Daves’ it’s just become the norm to refer to them as “EE” , O2X , AAM and so on.

Than there is the “CRS” element – “Can’t Remember S**t”
I keep my log electronically so once I type the call I get all the info – even the exact map location and Google Earth view in a matter of seconds.

But yes, I totally agree, names are important and you publicly introduced an issue that has entered my mind many times.

[K1JJ]

 

The hams pictured below agree.   Hi to Clark Jones if that's Clark Jones in there...

[KK4YY]

Did someone mention Cheers?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZag1zlecGI

[Steve - K4HX]

Most people remembered Bacon and that wasn't even his name.

I have almost perfect name recall when I hear a call sign, even if I've never talked to the guy before. Wanna guess how?

[KK4YY]

SWL logging software?

[Steve - K4HX]

QRZ.com

[K1JJ]

QRZ.com

Hi Steve,

Yep, that's probably the fastest method other than buying a ham callsign CD.
 
Down in the 75M  DX Window a lot of Europeans hold court and use QRZ.com to say hi to everyone by name that calls in.   Years ago I sometimes thought that they had remembered me and was flattered.  But still, even if I know they are using a computer lookup, I appreciate the fact that they took the time to find out my name up front. 

Though, QRZ.com requires you to be tied to the computer keyboard which can be a little work. 

Then there's the guy named Bartholomew who goes by the name "Moe"  "Curly" or "Shemp" on the air...   How would you know?

T

[n1ps]

Boy do I hate it WHEN I FORGET someone's name on air.  Lets see what was I talking about....oh yes....I guess it is a good reason to keep a log!  But I usually forget that too.   

One of the nice features of AM is we can recognize a voice.  Even a yellowy one.   

Cheers and good subject Tom....

Pete