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yamanx1 Profile
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Head Honcho

Registered: 09-2007
Location: In a world of my own
Posts: 4894
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Languages


This may sound a little jingoistic, but its not meant to be emoticon

When I move around the bands I often hear stations from Italy, Germany, Spain etc calling in their own language, ok fine, but who are they calling to?

Spainish is very widely spoken throughout the world but German? I'm listening to 40m atm, and there is a German station calling and calling CQ contest, in German, apart from other German stations who is he trying to work?

Maybe I'm just being a typical ignorant Brit who thinks the whole world should be speaking in my tongue. But "most" DX stations do work English, dont they?

---

By all means think yourself big, but never think others small.... R.F.Scott
1/May/2010, 2:29 pm Link to this post Send Email to yamanx1   Send PM to yamanx1
 
Hot Fusion Profile
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Registered: 03-2008
Location: South West England
Posts: 1389
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Re: Languages


english was once considered the language of radio.

I'm supposing the german was calling in a german contest? There is someone calling CQ contest on 3.76153 as indicated by my readout - no round number there incidentally! emoticon

EDIT:
It's the ARI DX contest - I may have a pop or three...

Last edited by Hot Fusion, 1/May/2010, 10:48 pm


---
Andy - 26 FB107
1/May/2010, 10:29 pm Link to this post Send Email to Hot Fusion   Send PM to Hot Fusion
 
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Freebander

Registered: 04-2009
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Re: Languages


Maybe he cant speak another language??????
most of the brits cant.

vc7 Jon
10/May/2010, 7:16 am Link to this post Send Email to VC7   Send PM to VC7
 
Hot Fusion Profile
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Registered: 03-2008
Location: South West England
Posts: 1389
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Re: Languages


Sad to say, he's right.
We get a good dose of Johnny Foreigner at my workplace, and it's surprising how many of them are multi-lingual. One was able to speak in 9 languages!

How many languages does the average brit speak?
Barely one in some cases.

I sadly fall into this category but do have a desire to brush up on my french, and to be able to ask more than "what is the time" and "where is the dinner"...

---
Andy - 26 FB107
10/May/2010, 7:39 pm Link to this post Send Email to Hot Fusion   Send PM to Hot Fusion
 
26fb010 Profile
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Accomplished DX-er

Registered: 01-2009
Location: BLACK COUNTRY
Posts: 574
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Re: Languages


we dont have to speak other languages really, everyone speaks english.
english is THE inernational language, air traffic use english as do naval traffic worldwide.
most music lyrics are in english, as are movies etc etc.however, i have gone out my way to learn German and Spanish."when in rome" and all that.
 
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topbuzzuk Profile
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Big Cheese

Registered: 11-2007
Location: Wiltshire, UK
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Re: Languages


i can count to 40 in german and ask for a ice cream in french, i spent 2 years learning to count to 40 and i have never been anywhere near germany. I also think to make languages stick in your head the learning needs to be fun, i would of learnt more i'm sure.

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26FB118
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K5TEN Profile
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Registered: 07-2010
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Re: Languages


I learned German in High School and college. I use it on the air from time to time...as well as a little Dutch and Spanish.

I have always done radio as a profession. You folks call them "presenters", but I was an air personality (morning shows and afternoon shows,mainly)for 26 years. The down side is even if you have great ratings they can "sack" you for no reason--even if it's to put up a dish and replace you with some syndicated show. Taking that into consideration...

I was in between radio jobs for a few months back in 1986. I'd apply for jobs all morning, then go home and get on 10 and 15 meters. The only thing on the band was propagation called TE or Trans-Equitorial. In other words from my then North of Chicago location, the only thing on the band was the Southern half of South America...and they POUNDED in 20 over S9.

These Argentines, Uraguayans, Chilean, and Paraguayans were VERY cool. They spoke little or no English, but helped me to learn Spanish phonetics, numbers for signal reports, and how to tell them my equipment, antenna, and QSL route and "73". FANTASTIC! Then (since they were the only stations to work) I could confidently get on and make a contact in Spanish. I even learned how to say "Sorry for my bad Spanish, but I'm working on it" in Spanish. They ate it up because they knew I had made the effort.

Most times, I'd run into the same 5-6 guys multiple times a week. Each time they would teach me something new I could use on the air. They didn't have to do it...they were just being good hams. I'd call CQ in Spanish and the next thing I'd hear was "Hola Bruno, Que Pasa?" ("Hey Bruce, what's happening?") Some of them even had 10-10 numbers. If they didn't I could tell them about 10-10 (there were no such things as websites back then).

Most all of them religiously QSL'ed via the QSL bureau. Soon, their cards will be going to ARRL HQ for checking for my DXCC Award.

I'll turn that certificate into a really nice wooden plaque over the radio.

There are plenty of "translation" sites on the internet now. All you really need to know in any language is a simple greeting, your callsign phoneticly, numbers for signal reports, your location, thank you, and how to say 73...that's it. While English IS the international radio language, if you want a QSL it seems to grease the wheels in their mind from someone who made the effort.

73

Bruce

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26fb010 Profile
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Accomplished DX-er

Registered: 01-2009
Location: BLACK COUNTRY
Posts: 574
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Re: Languages


translation sites......ahhh.
i went to berlin to buy a campervan, so the fella in spandau (van owner) sent me "babelfish" translated directions via email.
boy that confused matters, it was like it was put together by a 4 yr old russian!!
i had to phone him so he could explain in german so i could write it down.
babelfish is ok for the odd word or two, but forget it for whole sentences.
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Kaosss Profile
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Registered: 04-2008
Location: County of Flintshire, N. Wales
Posts: 1890
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Re: Languages


Babelfish, I used that to translate some instructions I had for some bits for my bike, it really confused things! Good for the odd word but cant seem to string a sentence together.

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Al -163FB777 - N.Wales, UK
Kenwood TS-480SAT, TS590, MC-90, Yaesu FT1000D, FT2000D,RCI 2995dx, Heil 781, 5 eli beam, F/S G5RV, K40 when mobile, A99 for portable. Optima V3,Portapack. RM KL500-modded, PMR`s.Ranger 1k Amp
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K5TEN Profile
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Registered: 07-2010
Posts: 31
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Re: Languages


The UK folks are kind of in a quandry. Within 600 to 800 miles for an E-skip zone and 1,000 to 2,000 miles for a half-way decent F2 bounce there are boatloads of languages, much less local dialects on your radio.

When I was in Germany back in '79 I was in the North and there they speak Plattdeutsch. My German was pretty good but I couldn't understand jack what the Plattdeutsch folks were saying.

Not as tough for North Americans. Spanish, Portugese, and some French in the Caribbean and from Quebec and that's about it.
9/Aug/2010, 8:39 pm Link to this post Send Email to K5TEN   Send PM to K5TEN Blog
 


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