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NET CONTROL
SCHEDULE
Friday Night Net, 07:30PM local,
146.865 -600/100 HZ
First Friday of the month - KD0FCW
or KD0FCV
Second Friday - OPEN
Third Friday - KL7IJG
Fourth Friday - KD0FCL
Fifth Friday (if there is one) -
KL7IJG
 NET
CONTROL RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Start the Net on time.
A. Know what time your Net is supposed to start.
B. Monitor the Net frequency at least 15 mins before the
Net starts to accustom yourself with the activity there.
C. One minute before the net starts, announce on the Net
frequency that you are about to start a net and ask if
anyone needs the frequency before you start.
D. Have some way of setting your clock to within 30
seconds of UCT (GMT) so you will know what time it is.
2. Be on Frequency.
A. On HF and CW/SSB make sure your transceiver is warmed
up (old tube rigs) and does not drift significantly.
B. On HF, Zero beat with WWV for dial accuracy or
calibrate your dial with internal standard, after rig warm
up.
C. On 2M and FM you do not have to worry as much, just be
on the right channel.
3. On FM and SSB Use standard plain English to run the
net.
A. Practice taking call signs and names from other
nets.
B. Use standard phonetic alphabet
C. Prosigns, Q signals and abbreviations are best suited
for CW.
D. CB lingo and 10 codes are best left on the CB
band.
4. Know the purpose of your Net. Formal traffic net,
that's traffic with a number and a precedence.
A. First, ask, on the air, for anyone with Emergency or
Priority traffic. If you hear no one, say so on the air.
There may be someone you did not hear.
B. If you hear someone with Emergency or Priority
traffic, get their call-sign and the destination of their
traffic.
C. You are NOT responsible for delivery of their traffic,
only its proper handling while listed on your net.
D. Once you have the Emergency or Priority traffic taken
care of (sent to its destination or determined it can't be
delivered), call for Routine traffic.
5. Make sure to call for low power/mobile
stations.
6. Once Routine traffic is taken care of, call for
general check-ins (people with no traffic). Once every 5
mins or so call your list of traffic on the net frequency,
and ask if anyone can deliver any of the traffic.
7. Copy all formal traffic sent on net frequency for
relay if necessary. You do not have to acknowledge receipt
of traffic, just possibly aid in its delivery.
8. Be on the look out for check-ins who say they are
from the TCC (Trans-Continental Core). They have the least
amount of time for chit-chat, they usually have traffic for
the area your net covers. Always take their traffic even if
you have no one on net who can take it for delivery.
9. Special purpose and Training/Exercise Nets.
A. Roll-call nets, are just that. Stations on a roll-call
only, general check-ins only when asked for.
B. Know who is doing the training/exercise. Call them
after the net is checked in and ready to go.
C. Stand-by until training is over, then close the net,
if necessary.
D. Informal, social net. There may be traffic but not
normally.
10. Just call the net and then get out of the way.
Social nets have a way of taking care of themselves.
11. The net may last for hours or may be over in 15
minute.
12. Be tolerant of check-ins who don't know or follow
any check-in procedures. It's not your responsibility to
EDUCATE check-ins, being contentious with check-ins does not
further communications, either. They will learn proper
procedures from the other check-ins or from you as you go
about the business of the net. It's your job to make
everyone feel comfortable and welcome.
A. Check-ins who pile up on one another, get as many as
you can. Ask for repeats for those you think you missed.
Always repeat the call-signs of those who checked in, then
asked for anyone you missed.
B. Check-ins who check in just for the count! Their
location is the most important reason for checking in,
possibility of deliver of traffic. For 2 meter FM, the area
of coverage is pretty well known but for HF CW/SSB it may
not be.
C. Check-ins who check in with no formal traffic and do
not want to tell you who they are and where they are or what
they want.
D. Check-ins who call right on top of Net Control or
other check-ins without regard to net procedures.
E. Check-ins who don't know how to format a message
properly.
F. Check-ins who use "Over" and "Out" or "Standby" but
don't really mean it.
13. Be aware, your only net control because the folks
on the net allow you to be.
Lee Branum KL7IJG/0
NET
CONTROL STUDY GUIDE AND TEST
The Current River Amateur Radio Club has provided an
opportunity in an aspect of the hobby that permits radio
amateurs a challenge to both equipment and personal
operating ability.
The objective of this study guide is to provide each
prospective Net Controller with a working knowledge of the
club’s operating procedures and the policies under
which the club’s nets are conducted.
The study guide is in the form of an open book exam. It
is intended that when all questions have been answered, the
answers are to be forwarded to the club training officer.
The candidate will then be given a trial run as a Net
Controller which will be critiqued privately with the club
training officer.
Before tackling the questions, the NCS candidate should
have a realistic expectation as to the character of the job.
To be sure, an NCS operator must be aware of the use and
limitations of their equipment. They must have a good
understanding of antenna use, and ability to adjust filters
on their receiver, get the most out of their transmitter and
maintain their station in good working order, etc. But
beyond that, Net Controlling is an art. It is technique
– the ability to operate well – that makes a
successful Net Controller.
They must be understood clearly, since the entire net is
dependent upon their directions. In addition to maintaining
the proper distance from their mike, they should practice
good enunciation of words. They should stick to standard
phonetics. An example you will run into many times, is the
difference between “nine” and “five”
reports. Often the two are confused; but by using
“niner” instead of nine the difference through
noise or interference becomes quite distinguishable.
The Net Controller must always operate in the best
interests of the net. The Net Controller must always treat
every station evenly and fairly. Don’t play favorites
even if your best buddy, KD0XXX, is also on frequency.
The Net Controller represents the Current River Amateur
Radio Club. Casual listeners to the net draw their opinions
of the club from the Net Control Station. On occasion –
NCS must bite their tongue. This is particularly important
when NCS receivers inappropriate requests. Handle them with
a certain amount of grace. This is not to say that the NCS
should ever give up any of their authority over the net, nor
the they can’t be insistent about what they are trying
to do. Good judgment based on the foregoing, however, is
essential to the good order of the nets.
Read the question carefully. Choose the correct answer
and then place a prominent check mark over the letter of
your choice.
Net Preparation
1. Net Control station is told to monitor the intended
frequency prior to the net time for which of the
following:
(A) To move other hams off the frequency
(B) To check for potential net members
(C) To ensure a clear frequency for the net
(D) To conduct a social time before the net
2. On SSB, in order to avoid noise on the net frequency,
you should move the net a maximum of:
(A) 2.5 KHZ
(B) 3 MHZ
(C) 5 KHZ
(D) 3 KHZ
3. The 2 meter frequency of 146.865 is reserved for the
Current River Amateur Radio Club:
(A) True
(B) False
(C) Sometimes
(D) Only at net time
Net Operations
4. According to FCC rules, NCS must identify ever:
(A) 5 minutes
(B) 20 minutes
(C) 10 minutes
(D) 7 minutes
5. During an emergency, net operations:
(A) Will cease immediately on request
(B) Will be turned over to competent authority if
necessary
(C) Will be suspended for the duration of the
emergency
(D) All of the above
6. On SSB, if NCS experiences intentional interference
during the net, they should:
(A) Ignore it
(B) Try to find who it is causing the interference
(C) Cease net operations
(D) Move net frequency 3 KHZ
7. In question 7, if the interference follows the net,
the NCS should:
(A) Cease net operations and contact an ARRL Official
Observer
(B) Ignore it
(C) Cease net operations and contact the local FCC
monitoring station
(D) Ask the interfering station if they have an
emergency
8. When taking check-ins, certain information about a
given check-in should be repeated. Which of the following is
correct:
(A) Status, such as mobile or portable or base
station
(B) Their location
(C) If they have formal traffic or not
(D) All the above
9. A station checks in and you do not know their name or
location. You should:
(A) Welcome them and move on
(B) Do nothing more than announce their call sign
(C) Give them a detailed explanation of the net
(D) Get their name and location
10. A station checks in with routine traffic for a
location where no one on the net can deliver it. NCS should
do what with the traffic?
(A) Take the traffic for later delivery
(B) Do nothing
(C) Assign the nearest station to take the traffic
(D) Request a net station to take the traffic
11. Should NCS need to cease operations for any reason,
during the net. The current NCS must:
(A) Make the net wait till they get back
(B) Assign a net station alternate NCS
(C) Ask for volunteers to take NCS duties
(D) None of the above
12. During net operations, NCS ceases operations,
unexpectedly, the net should:
(A) Wait till NCS comes back on the air
(B) Have free-net operations
(C) Look for a volunteer NCS
(D) Have free-star net operations
Lee Branum KL7IJG/0
Cassa McCampbell KC0YCU
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