Posted: 7/12/2015 10:46:02 PM EDT
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Ok. Who's been net control and what size net?
I just finished up doing net for the Nebraska IRLP net (for the first time), and have done backup net for the ArF Friday night Echolink/IRLP drinking net. ArF net is easy net. Scooter trained us well to self control, so he can drink with less interruptions. . Tonights directed net was 14 nodes and 27 checkins. I only screwed up notably once because my provided call/node list shows one node for 2 towns, and then just below it the second town (and another node) being the same as half of the first one. So those 2 cities both were checking in at the same time. Lesson learned: 2 different nodes, 2 different towns even though they are only 40 miles apart and probably use which ever repeater is clearer. |
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You need a script. Written preamble.
Here is a generic preamble, you fill in the blanks, edit as needed, print it out, put it in plastic sleeves, keep it by the station in a 3 ring binder or a report binder. ------ Is this frequency in use? (Pause to listen.) Is this frequency in use? (Pause to listen.) Hearing nothing… CQ, CQ, CQ… Calling the _____________ Net. This is ________________ (your call sign, letters and phonetic) and the name here is__________________(name, stated and phonetic), your Net Control for this session. This net meets _______(days of week)________, from _______ to _______ CST as a public service. The net also convenes at the discretion of the Net Manager to provide emergency or special event communications. The Net is also part of the National Traffic System of the American Radio Relay League. This is a “directed net” which operates in accordance to parts 97.1A of the FCC rules and regulations. In other words, we will avail ourselves to assist in the passage of emergency traffic should the occasion arise and friendly traffic as often as it is presented. All amateurs licensed to operate on this frequency are invited to participate. The net also has a web site at _____________. Please check it out! Do we have any emergency or priority traffic? (Pause to listen) Any relays? Do we have any announcements? (Pause to listen) Do we have any mobiles, short time, or low power stations? (Pause to listen) Any relays? Do we have any stations with traffic? We will now take check-ins from stations with or without traffic, come now with your call signs. Periodic Comments Frequently The net is holding no traffic, (or) The net is holding traffic for (list of traffic) Every 10 minutes (or less) This is _____________ (call sign) _________________ (name), located in _________________ (city), Net Control for this session of the (name of net) Net. If you are licensed to operate on this frequency and wish to check in with the _____ net, please come now with your call sign. Every half hour (plus the above) This Net meets from _______ until _______ Monday through Saturday. Net Closing This Net meets Monday through Saturday from 8:30 am until 9:30 am Central Standard Time on (freq) mhz. The Net also convenes at the discretion of the Net Manager to provide emergency or special event communications. I would like to thank all the people who brought and received traffic, the people who did net calls and all the relays. This is _____________ (call) _______________ (name) now closing this session of the ____________ Net and returning this frequency to normal amateur use. This is ______________ (call) now clear. EMERGENCY OPERATING PROCEDURE The (net name) operates under normal conditions Monday through Saturday from 8:30 am until 9:30 am Central Standard Time. During emergencies and/or special events, the Net Manager will arrange for extended sessions to be called in addition to regular sessions. The times for the Net to be in session will depend on the emergency and/or special event, but generally should run as propagation permits. The Net will terminate at the discretion of the Net Manager or Assistant Net Manager. The additional sessions should be called by the alternate Net Controls first and then the regular Net Controls. All regularly scheduled Net Controls should keep their sessions. All Net Controls should be regular DTTN members and be assigned by the Net Manager with times set by availability of the alternates and/or regular Net Controls. The Net Manager should set up a schedule of the Net Controls and let each know who their relief will be. Net reports for each session should be sent as usual to the Net Manager after the emergency and/or special event. Net operations should take into account the emergency and/or special event. If it is an emergency, special attention should be paid to standing by often for any emergency. Chatter must be kept to a minimum and any traffic should be handled off frequency as much as possible. To help keep and orderly net during bad band conditions, which is of the utmost importance during an emergency, Net Control should appoint a station or stations that have a good copy to be their relay stations. Net Controls should make announcements often of other frequencies being used for emergency traffic. |
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Here is another script with preamble.
------------ Is this frequency in use? (pause to listen) Is this frequency in use? (pause to listen) Hearing nothing... CQ, CQ, CQ, This is (YOUR CALL) calling the (YOUR NET NAME) net. This is (YOUR CALL), my name is (YOUR NAME), and I am located in (YOUR CITY/STATE). The (YOUR NET NAME) net meets each (STATE DAYS AND TIMES, both UTC and local time) on or about 3.898 Mhz. This net is an informal round table discussion concerning matters of interest to the members of the (YOUR NET NAME). When checking into the net, please give your call sign, name, and location. After taking checkins, I will open up the net for any announcements, comments, questions or discussions that anyone may have. All amateurs are welcome to join the net. ––––- "Is there any emergency or other time sensitive traffic for the net? If so, please call now." (pause to listen) "Is there any Health & Welfare traffic for the net? If so, please call now." (pause to listen) "Are there any QST's or announcements for the net? If so, please call now." (pause to listen) "Are there any QRP or mobile stations that may soon be out of range that would like to check in? Any station may relay. If you are a QRP or mobile station that would like to check in, please call now." (pause to listen) "Now taking general checkins. If you would like to check in, please call now." or "Any checkins for the (YOUR NET NAME) net, please call now." –––– "Since there are no additional checkins, at this time I will open the net for general ragchew." –––– Is there any further business for the net before I close? Hearing nothing, this is (YOUR CALL) closing tonight's session of the (YOUR NET NAME) net. I would like to thank everyone who participated in the net and those who stood by during the net. The (YOUR NET NAME) net will return next (TIME AND DATE). This is (YOUR CALL) returning the frequency to general amateur use. 73. |
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And another script.
------------ Northwest Georgia Emergency Communications Net CQ, CQ, CQ. This is the Northwest Georgia Emergency Communications Net. This is a directed net. Please direct all communications through net control. The purpose of this net is to promote emergency communications in Northwest Georgia; to share ideas and information; pass traffic; and serve as a preparedness and training tool. Our group is on the web at www.ares-races.org or our alternate entry at www.ngecg.org This is __________(callsign). My name is __________, I am located in ____________ and I will serve as net control for this session. Is there any emergency or priority traffic? (If there is traffic listed, pass traffic at this time) Is there any routine traffic? (If there is traffic listed, pass traffic at this time) Are there any announcements? (If announcements, take them now, make notes, and be prepared to recap at end of net) We will now take check-ins from RACES or ARRL officers. Are there any RACES or ARRL Officers who wish to check in? Because this group's primary purpose is to serve Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, and Walker Counties in Northwest Georgia, we will begin by taking check-ins from each of those counties first. When checking in please state your callsign slowly and phonetically and advise if you have a comment or other information for the net. Stations located in Catoosa County please call now. Stations located in Chattooga County please call now. Stations located in Dade County please call now. Stations located in Walker County please call now. We will now go to regular check-ins. All other amateurs regardless of location are now invited to check in. We will now take comments: (Call stations that listed comments when checking in) Any late check-ins for the Net? (Recap announcements.) Any questions or other business before we close the net? Best Regards and our thanks to the Tri-States Amateur Radio Club for use of this repeater. This is ____________ your Net Control Station closing the Net and thanking each one of you for taking time to check-in. Your participation is what makes this Group a benefit to the public. This repeater is now returned to normal operation. 73! |
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I would be glad to help you tailor a net preamble/script to your particular needs, just IM.
Once you have the script done, with all blanks filled in (but I would leave your call and name as blanks) either publish it on your club's or organization's website, or put in an email to distribute to all members. There is no one set standard so feel free to edit, or combine several other preambles into one that suits your particular needs. Having a script to follow will really help new Net Controls understand what they should do, and what they should say. Just follow the script. Listen to other nets, how the net control handles various problems? "Would someone please relay for that station?" or "Hold on, you doubled... the Sierra Tango station first." And many of these skills will help you contesting, handling pile ups, and just general operation. And a huge boost to a new, mic-shy operator. Go ahead, jump in, the water's fine! |