Net Control Procedures

WCARA Net Control Format

  1. It’s 8:00pm, and time for the West Chester Amateur Radio Association Monday night net. This is WC8VOA net control.  My name is _____________.
  2. This net meets each Monday night at 8:00pm
  3. All amateurs are invited to check into the net. You don’t have to be a member to join our conversation.
  4. We meet to update everyone on club activities, and as a time to get together for some conversation.
  5. The first portion of our net is conducted in FM mode.
  6. When available, we transmit the Amateur Radio Newsline following the FM net.
  7. Following Newsline, we hold a digital mode net. Our repeater is a Yeasu Fusion DR-1x repeater, capable of both FM and digital transmissions.  FM stations may set their tone/squelch to 123.0 to avoid the digital signal.
  8. Our monthly club program meeting is held at 7:00pm on the first Thursday of each month at the Voice of America facility on Tylersville Road in West Chester Township. We offer a variety of programs geared to the active amateur.
  9. The monthly club business meeting is held on the Wednesday following the program meeting, 7:00pm at the Voice of America Building.
  10. We also have a weekly get together each Wednesday at 7:00pm, also at the Voice of America facility. It’s a time to do a little operating, exchange technical ideas, and generally have a good time.
  11. We offer a 75 meter Net at 8:00pm every Tuesday night at 3.835 MHz  (+/- QRM)for general conversation (Sign on to NetLogger for exact frequency).  Check in if  you have HF capabilities.
  12. We also have a website located at WC8VOA.org, where you can obtain more information about the club and keep up to date with current activities.
  13. We invite anyone monitoring who is interested in obtaining a ham license to contact us at qst@wc8voa.org. We’ll help you get started in ham radio.
  14. WCARA is now offering license examinations.  Examination and reservation information is available on the WC8VOA.org website.
  15. With the inclusion of EchoLink and the K8JTK node as access points to the net, it is important that stations pause between transmissions to permit the system equipment to reset.  Allow about 5 seconds to elapse after the repeater drops before transmitting.
  16. NET CONTROL STATION INFO  – DO NOT BROADCAST  –  When EchoLink is involved, allow 15 seconds between transmissions for all systems to reset.
  17. We’ll proceed to checkins – Is there any emergency or priority traffic for the net? Call WC8VOA, and my name is ________.
  18. Let’s see if we have any club officers with announcements?  Call WC8VOA.
  19. We’ll proceed to mobile, portable, or short-time stations. Call giving your callsign and name.
  20. Are there any EchoLink or other VoIP stations(K8JTK Hub) wishing to check in?  Call giving your callsign, name, and location. ( Pause long enough to permit equipment to switch internet connections)
  21. Now we’ll go to regular stations. Call WC8VOA with your callsign and name.
  22. This is the portion of the net where stations give their comments.
  23. Call again for any additional checkins – first for EchoLink/VoIP, then stations on the repeater.
  24. If there are no other items or checkins for the net, we’ll conclude this session.
  25. This is the part were we play the Amateur Radio Newsline.
  26. This is WC8VOA closing the net and returning the repeater to normal operations.
  27. **Make a call to Jeff(K8JTK) for him to initiate the HUB disconnect before proceeding to the Digital Net.  If Jeff doesn’t reply, Jocelyn(KD8VRX) can initiate the disconnect.
  28. EchoLink is now permanently connected, so EchoLink  disconnection preceding the digital net is no longer necessary.  Proceed directly to the digital net.