Callsigns, operating and the logbook

The callsign is your radio identity, unique worldwide. It reads in two parts: a prefix that designates the country (allocated by the ITU — French prefixes start with F, for instance) followed by a suffix specific to the station. Spoken aloud, you spell it with the phonetic alphabet to avoid any confusion.

Golden rule: you must identify yourself regularly (at the start and end of a contact, and periodically during it) by giving your callsign. Transmitting without identifying is forbidden.

The flow of a contact (QSO):

General call: "CQ CQ CQ de [your callsign]" to solicit a contact.
Reply: give your callsign, exchange a report (see RST), first name, location, equipment.
Closing: say goodbye and each station re-identifies.

Additional prefixes/suffixes signal a situation: portable station, mobile, or operating in another country under the CEPT agreement (see Amateur-service regulations).

The logbook records contacts (date, UTC time, frequency, mode, the other station's callsign, reports). Beyond any legal obligation, it's a precious tool for tracking Wave propagation and your own performance.