Practices and Procedures of the PNW QRP CW Net
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PNW QRP CW NET
Procedures and Practices
by Wayne McFee NB6M
Updated 23 July 2008
NOTE: There is some editing still in progress on this document to get bolding and layout to work correctly
GENERAL PHILOSOPHY
As are all of the meetings of the PNW QRP Group, the PNW CW Net is an informal, on-the-air gathering meant for anyone who wishes to participate, whether they are already part of our group or not. Although our primary focus is on QRP operation with Five Watts or less, we understand that at times it may be necessary to use a little more than 5 Watts in order to make contact. The point is that the net's primary purpose is in promoting on-the-air socialization among the members of the PNW QRP group, providing CW and general operating practice in a fun and interesting environment, and giving us a venue for the testing and comparison of different rigs and antennas.
The PNW CW Net is also there for those who wish to pass urgent or emergency traffic to any competent authority.
While none of us wants to get bogged down by a bunch of "rules", I will outline some usual net procedures here, since following a loose format does help make things move along more smoothly. Identifying and describing the procedures and practices of the PNW CW Net will help all of us, but especially those who are unfamiliar with CW nets in general.
If I am able to be on the air at net time, I (NB6M) will act as net control station. If I am not able to be on, anyone can step in as necessary, to fill in. Even if the net control station's identity is not known beforehand, any one of the group, at net time, can ask who is net control, and if no response, take control of the net.
Net Time and Frequency
The PNW CW Net meets each Monday, at 7:00 PM local, on or about 3.551 MHz. If that frequency is busy, tune down to the next clear frequency and look for the Net Control Station, who will be calling and opening the net.
ORGANIZATION OF TOPICS AND TRAFFIC FLOW
Note that Net Signals and Abbreviations are in Bold Text.
First Query
At net time, presently 7:00 PM local, the net control station will query QRL? QRL? If the frequency is busy, net control will move to the nearest clear spot down from the announced net frequency, and will open the net there.
Net Identification and Opening the Net
Once the net frequency is established, net control will send CQ PNW CQ PNW de(net control station call) (net control station call) PNW QRP NET QRV.
For example:
Short Time or Emergency Traffic
As the PNW Net becomes more and more regular, those of us who may be out backpacking, camping, or otherwise operating from portable locations will want to check in from those locations. Since those portable stations will most likely be operating from battery packs, they will appreciate being checked in earlier than home-based stations.
If you are operating portable, the simple solution is to send your suffix, slant portable wherever, when responding to an invitation to check in. As an example, Bruce would respond with RR/7 (We know Bruce is going to be out there, don't we?). That way, when net control hears the "slant wherever" on the end of your suffix, he or she will know you are both portable and wish to be placed at the head of the list for battery conservation.
If you have limited time to check in, send ST (for short time) after your suffix, such as MWP ST. Again, that lets the net control station know your situation, and you will be placed at the top of the list.
The other situation where you want to be checked in right away would be when you have urgent or emergency traffic to pass. Sending your suffix and an abbreviation for emergency, such as RR EM will alert us that you want to get in right away and pass urgent traffic.
In order to get those stations with emergency traffic, or with time or power supply constraints checked in to the net right away, net control will query EM or ST?
This will be sent twice, like this:
If there are stations with Emergency Traffic, or Short Time stations, net control will recognize those stations and take their check-ins and traffic at this time. Net control will record any pertinent information for urgent or emergency traffic, and will re-broadcast pertinent information to the net.
If there is emergency traffic to pass, net control will then either ask for a loudly heard station to take over temporarily as net control and will, him or herself, pass the emergency traffic via telephone, or ask another station who copied all pertinent info to leave the net temporarily and pass the traffic to the appropriate authorities.
If nothing is heard by net control station, he or she will query RELAYS?
Obviously, if net control does not hear or respond to anyone with either "slant wherever" (portable), ST (short time), or EM (emergency) traffic, any stations as necessary should relay that station in, by sending their suffix and type of check-in, such as RR /7 or RR ST, or RR EM, de your suffix.
For example, a station heard with emergency traffic would be relayed in by the hearing station sending:
Net control will then stand by and let the hearing station handle the emergency or short time traffic.
IF the signal EM should happen not to be recognized, send SOS to indicate emergency traffic for the net.
Station List
If there is no Short Time or Emergency Traffic, net control will then move on to forming a list of check-ins, by sending PNW NET de (net control call) QNI? K.
Stations wishing to check in will respond with their suffix, such as RXV, WW, or 7P, depending on whether the call is 1 X 3, 2 X 2, 1 X 2, or 2 X 1. The use of just the suffix at this time saves time and allows for getting the list of interested stations made up more easily than if full calls are used.
Net control will take a list of check-ins, listening and recording until no more are heard by net control.
Net control will again query QNI? And, will record further check-ins heard.
Net control will then send a list of suffixes heard, and will ask for relays of stations not heard, by sending QNB?
If any station has heard a signal not listed as checked in, respond with your own suffix, QNB, and the heard station's suffix, such as RDP QNB ABC. By doing that, net control will have both the suffix of the hearing station and the suffix of the station being relayed in, so that the hearing station can be called on to relay traffic.
Full Check-In
Once all stations heard by any station on frequency are listed, net control will either call on each station listed, in turn, and continue to follow the formal net procedure, or, should there be only a few check-ins, can change the net format to an informal, round robin QSO, and disregard the remainder of the formal net procedure.
Note that, during net time, net control will identify his or her station each ten minutes.
Net control will then indicate the change from listing stations to full check-ins, and invite the first listed station to transmit, by sending (suffix of first listed station) de PNW PSE K.
For example, ABC de PNW PSE K.
When called on, each station will respond with their full call, name and QTH, give a signal report on net control and other stations heard, and identify their rig, power output, and antenna type, and then will finish with their full call and bk.
As an example, W7ABC Chuck Seattle 579 to 599 K2 5W dipole de W7ABC BK.
Sending the full call at the beginning of the transmission, and again at the end, takes care of two important items. At the beginning, it gives net control and other listening stations a chance to hear and write down the sending station's full call.
Sending it at the end takes care of the requirement of sending your full call at the end of a transmitting period.
The general information of name, QTH, rig, power level, antenna, and any signal reports is of interest to us all, as we will be comparing signal strengths with power levels and antenna types, and it gives each of us feedback on how our stations are doing, as well as how the band is doing.
Remember, when you finish checking in, end by sending your whole call, and turn the frequency back to net control by sending (net control call) de W7ABC K or PNW de W7ABC K or simply BK de W7ABC K.
Once all listed stations have fully checked in, net control will ask for any further check-ins, by sending QNI?
If any are heard, or relayed in, they will be recognized and called on in turn.
General Traffic (comments or items of interest)
When all stations have been called on and have transmitted their full information, net control will ask for general comments or items of interest to the group, by calling on each person in turn, conducting the net as a round robin QSO.
Each person will respond in turn, commenting on previous content, or providing new interest items as well as allowing all to practice copying in varying conditions.
When the round robin period has apparently wound down, net control will query for any further general comments by sending
PNW de (net control call) QRU? QRU?
Stations with further comments, items of interest for the group, or announcements of upcoming events, respond with their suffixes.
Net control will record the suffixes of those stations and will call on each in turn.
Those stations will respond with their full call, transmit their comment or item of interest, and finish with their full call, turning the frequency back to net control by sending BK after their call.
Net control will pause and listen to see if there are any questions or comments from the group on the item sent.
Stations with questions specific to the item sent should call the sending station and QSO directly with him or her. Once those questions are answered, both stations clear by sending their full call and BK.
Those stations with comments specific to an item will transmit their call, comment, and then finish with their full call and BK.
General Traffic is also the time for any station that wishes to QSO directly with another station to do so.
The station desiring a direct QSO with another station should send his or her suffix in response to the query QRU?, and when called on should call the desired station directly, such as W7ABC de AA7ZZ K.
Net control will then stand by while the desired station answers, and the QSO continues until completion. If the QSO is to be a long one, the calling station should ask the desired station to stand by on frequency for after-net traffic, rather than tying up the net for long periods.
When both stations have finished, and signed off with their full call and BK, and there is no further general traffic, net control will terminate the net.
Closing the Net
Once all comments and/or questions have been dealt with, and there is no more general traffic for the net, net control will terminate the net by sending PNW de (net control call) QNF AR dit dit.
It is customary then for participating stations to also send dit dit at that time, as a group ending to the net.
After-Net Traffic
Once the controlled portion of the net is over, any stations that wish to remain on frequency and QSO are certainly welcome to do so, and at that point stations may adjust sending speed as desired.
In Summary
Our PNW CW Net is intended to be relaxed, friendly, and fun for all participants, whether it is conducted as an informal, round robin QSO, or is conducted with the more formal procedure that is appropriate when there are several check-ins.
Net Control station will send at a slow enough pace that all can copy, and will endeavor to call on stations in turn so that each check-in can participate in a timely manner.
As in the past, when signals were more chirpy and we mostly had to do "split" frequency operation even to have a QSO at all, it is really fun hearing, and beginning to recognize, the individual signals and "fists" of the members of our group.
After all, the main point of all of our self-education and building efforts in the QRP interest area of Amateur Radio is to get on the air and operate. Our CW Net gives us a chance to do that as a group, allowing us to socialize with each other more often, compare the effectiveness of our individual stations, practice our operating skills, and have a lot of fun along the way. I hope to hear you on the net.
73 de NB6M dit dit
Net Control Topic List
A master checklist for Net Control operators is available at Net Control Topic List so that you can print it out and use it for a reference during nets.
