Net Control Procedures

WCARA Net Control Format

  1. It’s 8:00 pm and time for the West Chester Amateur Radio Association Monday night net. This is a directed net; all communications should be directed to WC8VOA net control. My name is _______.
  2. We have a website at wc8voa.org. Our website has complete details about the club’s regular over-the-air activities, on-site activities, technical specifications for check-ins, upcoming events, and training. Click the Licensing information tab for those interested in obtaining a ham license or upgrade examinations.
  3. Over-the-air activities include this Monday night net and a weekly informal net on Tuesday evenings on HF at 3.840 MHz (+/-) QRM. Both nets begin at 8:00 pm.
  4. On-site activities have recently changed.  Instead of a monthly Thursday meeting, every Wednesday evening open shack will offer a mini-technical topic.  The business meeting continues to be on the second Wednesday.  All on-site activities begin at 7:00 PM at the Voice of America facility on Tylersville Road in West Chester Township.
  5. Besides FM check-ins. you can join this net via EchoLink or on most digital modes, including YSF, DMR and D-Star via the K8JTK node.
  6. Following check-in and comments, we will transmit the Amateur Radio Newsline if available.
  7. Following Newsline, we hold a digital net in YSF mode. FM stations may set their receive tone squelch to 123.0 to avoid the digital signal.
  8. NET CONTROL STATIONS INFO – DO NOT BROADCAST – When EchoLink is involved, allow 3 seconds between transmissions for all systems to reset.
  9. We will now proceed to check-ins. Is there any emergency or priority traffic for the net? Call WC8VOA and my name is ___________.
  10. Do we have any club officers with announcements? Call WC8VOA.
  11. We will proceed to mobile, portables, or short of time stations. Call WC8VOA with your call sign and name. You don’t have to be a member to check in, all stations are welcome.
  12. We’ll now take check-ins from EchoLink or VOIP stations. Call WC8VOA with your callsign, name, and location. Please pause about 3 seconds between transmissions to permit the network equipment to reset.
  13. Now we will go to regular stations. Call WC8VOA with your callsign and name.
  14. This is the portion of the net where stations give their comments.
  15. Call again for additional checkins – first EchoLink and VOIP, then stations on the repeater.
  16. If there are no other stations, we will close the net and play the Amateur Radio Newsline.
  17. Turn the net over to WBØNPN if Newsline is available, otherwise close the net.
  18. This is WC8VOA closing the net and returning the repeater to normal operations.