CW Net Training Aids CW Net Check-in Procedure by Bill Carter, KG4FXG It all started when I visited the web site WWW.QSL.NET/KI8DU and discovered CW Nets. Many CW Nets are traffic handling nets that pass along radiograms as a form of public service. They have slow nets that run about 5 to 8 words per minute. Many weeks I would just listen and copy down what was sent on the nets, it was just as easy as copying W1AW code practice. Then it hit me. I want to check-in not just listen on the side lines. These nets are great for the beginner. You send about two words to check-in and about the same to checkout. The perfect QSO, nice and short, Right? After listening for awhile I just sent what another station did. Here is how to check into a CW Net: You: F NCS (Net Control Station): F You: de KG4FXG ge Bob qru K NCS: ge Bill as next Basically, you said this is KG4FXG good evening Bob no traffic and K which means go ahead. The NCS said good evening Bill, stand by (AS) and the "next" is a call for another station to check-in. Easy, isn’t it? Here is how to check out: NCS: FXG You: c NCS: nw qnx 73 k You: tu Bob 73 de KG4FXG NCS called you by sending your suffix, FXG. You sent C which means yes. The NCS sent QNX which excused you from the net..Easy! If you are interested, NCS will send you radiograms that will train you to receive, send and pass radiograms. Remember that the slow nets are for the beginners. It is acceptable to make mistakes. There will always be someone out there slower than you so help them out and remember, courtesy at all times. There are some pretty neat QSO’s after the nets also, and you get to build new friendships. NOTES ON MESSAGE HANDLING (Excerpts from the ARRL NTS Training Manual) The number in the message is important to make the message record traffic which can be easily traced. If you originate or send a message from your station, use a consecutive numbering system. That can be by the year or month. The number should be one you can refer back to and be certain which message is meant. Write FIVE WORDS TO A LINE in message text whether originating or copying a message. This method will give you a quick way to determine or verify the count by multiplying the number of lines by five. Only words or groups in text are counted. No punctuation signals are used in the text. Use an X for all such dividers, and count it as one word in the check. Instead of the question mark, use the word query. AA is used to separate the address from the text of the message and at the end of the text to separate the text from the signature. SIG is often used before the signature to indicate what is coming. An AR is sent after the end of the message, and either an N for NO more messages to follow or a B to indicate more messages to follow. The B is sometimes followed by the number of messages left, such as AR B 3. Book messages are several messages with common parts (Usually texts and originating information). These messages are handled as books only as long as more than one is being sent to the same station. When they become split up into being handled one at a time they are no longer book messages. If you have several messages of a book to relay to one station, you send the common parts first without a specific message number, then go back and send the individual messages, adding addresses and other specifics. Odd words in a message are repeated after a question mark, i.e., ROENTGEN ? ROENTGEN to assure that the receiving station has it correct. Transmit messages carefully. Errors create confusion and needless repeats. QRS when requested to do so. Good sending at a rate comfortable for the receiving station is best. If your rig has full break-in, use it and send QSK QRV when ready to receive a message to let the receiving station know he can send a few dits and you will pause to repeat what has just been send or what he requests. Do not QSL a message until you have it correct. Be familar with procedure for getting fills. Use these abbreviations: AA - ALL AFTER; AB -ALL BEFORE; WA - WORD AFTER; WB - WORD BEFORE; BN - BETWEEN; PMBL - PREAMBLE ; SIG - SIGNATURE. TIPS FOR NET OPERATION (Excerpts from the ARRL NTS Training Manual) 1. Don't QNO without permission from NCS. You should ask QNX to leave or QNT for temporary absence, and have your request confirmed by NCS. 2. The net usually runs at least 15 minutes. Stations without traffic or who have no traffic listed for them, are usually dismissed by this time. Otherwise, if you must leave the net early, request "QNX EARLY?" when you check in. 3. Return promptly to net frequency after you have passed traffic off the net frequency. If your traffic has been passed, tell NCS: "CLR". If you received another message the NCS may not be aware of, tell him the total number you received. 4. Should you fail to make contact with a station off the net frequency, return to net prequency, zero beat NCS, tell him, and wait for further instructions. 5. The net is for traffic or emergency work. Rag chewing is to be discouraged until after QNF. 6. If you use a letter of the alphabet to check in, avoid B, C, K, N, R, and V. They are procedural signals with definite meanings. Be brief. Use "C" for yes, "N" for no. One "N" is enough. Two may be received as "C". Under poor conditions use "YES" and "NO" to prevent mixups. 7. If NCS fails to show up 3 minutes after net time, any net station can take over NCS. He continues even if NCS shows up later. "QNG" is used to ask a station to be NCS. It's always a good idea to monitor net frequency at odd times, and ALWAYS during an emergency. 8. The NCS must have discipline on the net to dispatch traffic over the most logical routes. His authority is ABSOLUTE and his decisions are FINAL. Courtesy is a mark of a good net. CLARITY and ACCURACY are the first essentials, and BREVITY follows a close second. Since ACCURACY is the essential ingredient of any net, NCS's should return to QNI's at the same speed at which they check-in, and should use this speed for all communications with that particular station. Back to top Home Page Contact Us