> On 30 May 97, Ray Wade wrote to All:
 > RW> Lets do a roll call.
 > RW> K5JCM is here.....who else?
 > KF4ICR monitoring...
Now, THAT'S old mail!  :=)
Could you also tell me the difference between saying "KA5THB" on 2m or saying 
"KA5THB -monitoring-"?  If I toss my call out there, isn't it rather obvious 
that I'm on frequency?
I suppose that's not NEARLY as bad as someone in the middle of a QSO squeezes 
their way in and sayd "KC5xxx monitoring!" in about 2 nonaseconds...  Again, 
simply your callsign would work here, if you actually wanted to join in with 
the conversation in progress.
Too many times I've heard a good conversation go down the tubes because 
someone broke in, gave their call sign+monitoring speil, sounding like some 
sports announcer when an exciting part of the event happens, and when they 
turn it to the broeaker, he says "Oh, I didn't have much to say here - just 
wanted to see what was going on..." talking as slow as molasses running on a 
winter day!
Oh, how much more can be learned by just 'listening'!  ;-)
Monitor if you like, but do you -really- have to tell everyone that thats 
what your doing?  If you're wanting to talk to someone on VHF and up, simply 
turn on the radio, listen for a minute before you transmit (in case there's 
something going on) and then simply announce your call.  This get's more 
attention, I think.
Ok = I'm off my soap box now 
   73 = Best Regards
   -Jeff KA5THB
   ka5thb@bigfoot.com
--- FMail 1.02
---------------