{"id":627,"date":"2024-11-24T22:08:45","date_gmt":"2024-11-25T06:08:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alaskamorningnet.com\/?page_id=627"},"modified":"2024-11-24T22:12:32","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T06:12:32","slug":"participating-in-a-net","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/alaskamorningnet.com\/?page_id=627","title":{"rendered":"Net Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Participating in a Net<\/h1>\n
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QST\u00a0\u00a0QST\u00a0\u00a0QST<\/strong><\/h2>\n

What is a net anyway?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A net is a group of ham radio operators having a conversation\u00a0\u201con
\nthe air.\u201d\u00a0 They may be formal or informal, directed or
\nad-hoc (rag chew) and may meet\u00a0at a prescribed time on a
\nspecific frequency or pop up spontaneously.\u00a0\u00a0Nets often
\nhave a theme or purpose.\u00a0\u00a0Some are all business and
\nothers are purely social. Other nets meet regularly on the VOIP,
\nVHF, UHF and HF bands.\u00a0\u00a0Each has its own guidelines
\nfor participation.\u00a0\u00a0Often, all you need to do is listen
\nto the net in progress to get an idea how it operates.<\/p>\n

The local nets in the North Pole \/ Fairbanks area are mostly
\nsocial in nature. \u00a0Certain nets\u00a0such as traffic nets,
\npublic service events\u00a0or Skywarn, however, are more formal
\nand focused on a specific purpose.<\/p>\n

Nets have a net control operator who moderates the conversation
\nduring a net.\u00a0\u00a0The net control operator opens the net,
\nprovides the day and time of the net, the frequency, PL tone and
\n(positive or negative) offset when conducted through a repeater
\nand explains the general purpose or topic of the net.\u00a0The net
\ncontrol operator will ask for ham radio operators (or stations) to
\ncheck in.\u00a0\u00a0Net control will specify the information
\nneeded for check in.\u00a0Generally, check ins are\u00a0limited to
\nbasic information such as call sign and location.\u00a0\u00a0Once
\neveryone is checked in, the net control operator will call each
\nstation that checked in and invite them into the topic of
\ndiscussion. \u00a0Rag chews don’t have a net control operator but
\noften have regular participants.<\/p>\n

Here are some phrases you are likely to hear on the
\nAlaska Morning Net net:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cIs there any emergency or priority traffic?\u201d
\n<\/strong>Some net control operators ask for emergency or
\npriority traffic before proceeding with the net. \u00a0Net control
\nis not generally expecting to hear any emergency traffic, however,
\nthis statement serves as a reminder that emergency traffic always
\ntakes priority over net traffic.\u00a0\u00a0A net may be
\ninterrupted for emergency or priority traffic.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a directed net, please pass all traffic
\nthrough net control\u201d:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Each station (radio
\noperator) directs his or her comments to net control.\u00a0\u00a0If
\nwishing to contact another station, for example, tell net control,
\n\u201cI would like to contact <call sign> \u00a0about
\n<topic>.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Net control usually grants permission
\nwith \u201cCall your station\u201d or provides some other instruction
\ndepending on where the net discussion is going.\u00a0\u00a0When
\nthe exchange is finished, say, \u201cback to net control <your
\ncall sign>.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Go direct”<\/strong>: \u00a0Some stations
\nwishing to contact a station directly ask net control for
\npermission and will say something to the effect, “I would
\nlike to go direct with <call sign>”. This is just a
\nvariation on the example listed above.<\/p>\n

“Standing by for check ins or rechecks, please
\ncome now”:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Throw out your call sign and
\nother information as requested by net control.\u00a0\u00a0If you
\nthink of something else to say after you have already had your
\nturn, add \u201crecheck\u201d to your call sign when net control asks if
\nthere are any other check ins or rechecks. \u00a0Occasionally one
\nstation will “double” with another when checking in.
\nThe net control operator often can catch part of someone’s
\ncheck in but may need for you to try again. \u00a0Some net control
\noperators will ask for “additions or corrections.”
\nTry again if need be.<\/p>\n

“In & Out”\u00a0<\/strong>or “No
\nTraffic”:\u00a0<\/strong>The station has\u00a0nothing to say
\nand only\u00a0wants to \u201cget on the list.” \u00a0It’s
\nequivalent to saying, “Hi, I’m present but just\u00a0listening.”<\/p>\n

“Mobile”:\u00a0<\/strong>Mobile stations have
\npriority because they are traveling.\u00a0\u00a0Band conditions
\nmay change, obstacles (buildings, hills\/terrain, etc) may impede
\ntransmission or the station may be traveling away from the
\nrepeater and subsequently, the station might experience a
\nreduction in signal quality while waiting to be called on
\notherwise.<\/p>\n

“Back to net control”<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0The
\nradio operator indicates to net control that he or she has nothing
\nfurther to say. \u00a0Remember to include your call sign at the
\nend of your transmission: \u00a0“This is <call sign>,
\nback to net control.” And yes, net control may pepper you
\nwith questions which means you are not finished with your
\ntransmission after all. \u00a0Each time you think you may be
\nfinished, include your call sign!<\/p>\n

“Machine”<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0Some refer to
\nthe repeater as a machine, computer, hotspot, node.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m going to let this drop”<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0Either
\nnet control or a net participant will say this and release the mic
\nbutton long enough for the radio and\/or the repeater to reset so
\nthat the transmission does not time out.\u00a0\u00a0This phrase
\ntells everyone that the radio operator has more to say.\u00a0\u00a0Some
\nof us can be long winded and might otherwise time out the
\nrepeater.\u00a0\u00a0Take a breath once in a while and let your
\ntransmission drop if your monologue goes on for more than a few
\nminutes!<\/p>\n

“73”<\/strong>: \u00a0Best regards. \u00a0It
\nis pronounced “seven three”.<\/p>\n

“Full quieting”<\/strong>: \u00a0Perfect
\nsignal, no noise or static in your transmission!<\/p>\n

“I’m on QR-Zulu”<\/strong>: \u00a0This is a
\nreference to QRZ.com, a ham radio website.<\/p>\n

Tips & Tricks\u200b<\/strong><\/h2>\n