Yrurtj

The seminal work "Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio Amateur" suggests in subsection II.8.1 to perform tuning only on a dummy load.
My understanding is that a dummy load matches the transceiver impedance so tuning is probably a) not necessary and b) without any predictive value for how the actual antenna will work with the tuning parameters.
What am I missing?

The text you refer to seems to be (emphasis mine):

Sometimes before transmitting it is necessary to tune (adjust) the transmitter (or antenna tuner). Tuning should in the first instance be done on a dummy load.

This is not referring to the use of an antenna tuner, whether integral or external. Rather, it is referring to tuning the final output stage ("finals") of a vacuum-tube-based transmitter (or external power amplifier). These are also impedance-matching adjustments, but involve elements internal to the transmitter/amplifier rather than exclusively the transmitter to the antenna. (The antenna impedance is also involved, so in some cases there could be some amount of antenna matching, if not as much as a dedicated antenna tuner. Or so I understand — I'm not an expert on this part of the technology.)

Solid-state radios operate differently and do not require these adjustments, so the recommendation you read does not apply. However, there are other uses for transmitting into a dummy load — for example, checking if your microphone is working, you're not over-modulating, or even that a computer-controlled transmission is correctly controlling your radio's frequency and PTT.

We use a non-radiating dummy load at first so that we minimize the chance of interfering with others.

When our tuning adjustments are as close as they can be using that, then we can switch over to our antenna and make any needed adjustments.

The HF bands are full of annoying carriers because hams perform their entire tuneup procedure into their antennas.

You're not missing anything. Tuning into a dummy load accomplishes nothing unless you know the antenna has the same impedance. Admittedly, it's possible you have a vacuum tube transmitter or amplifier, and maybe you had it tuned for a random wire and now you're switching to a 50 ohm load. I have a better solution to that: draw some marks on the knobs with a sharpie at the approximate settings for 50 ohms. Now you can return to those settings even without switching to the dummy load!

Here's what you need to know about tuning:

• Try to do it on a clear frequency. Avoid doing it on recognized calling frequencies.


• Do it at low power.


• Keep it short by writing down the approximate settings for each band beforehand.

This should be common sense to most people.

I think the text is just a little too eager to provide advice which maybe isn't as authoritative as it wants to seem. A few lines above, this document also states:

Some subjects which are a no no in amateur radio conversations on the air are:

• religion


• politics


• business (you can talk about your profession, but you cannot advertise for your business);


• derogatory remarks directed at any group (ethnic, religious, racial, sexual etc.).


• bathroom humor: if you wouldn't tell the joke to your ten year old child, don't tell it on the radio;


• any subject that has no relation whatsoever with the ham radio hobby.

Yes that's right, not only should you tune into a dummy load, but the only thing you can talk about on ham radio is ham radio itself. Want to talk about the weather? Make plans to meet a friend? Your favorite coffee? No.

(In case it's lost in text, that was sarcasm.)

Another example:

Saying 'CQ from Victor Romeo two Oscar Portable' is not very clear. Either VR2OP calls SQ using an incorrect spelling phonetic, or VR2O/p calls CQ and omits to add the expression 'stroke' while calling CQ. This can lead to a lot of confusion.

Yes, very confusing. Who would think "portable" means, you know, the station is portable? Oh, and don't get me started on "mobile".

The text also says on several occasions that you must not end a CQ with "over". Apparently you should end it with "and listening", "and standing by", or if you are feeling the need to be extra clear, "and standing by for any call". Because you know, you could be doing something else after calling CQ.

If signals are not very strong and if the readability is not perfect, you can spell out your name etc. Example: 'My name is John, spelled juliett, oscar, hotel, november ...' Do NOT say '...juliett juliett, oscar oscar, hotel hotel, november november'. This is not the way you spell the name John.

Four shalt thou not count...