American Radio Relay League, Incorporated
Santa
Barbara Section
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NET/SANTA BARBARA SECTION
OPERATING GUIDELINES
REVISED
March
15, 2003
Purpose
and Background
These
operating guidelines are intended to convey sufficient information to enable an
amateur radio operator to actively participate in the regularly scheduled
operations of the Southern California Net / Santa Barbara Section
(SCN/SBS). SCN/SBS is part of the
American Radio Relay League’s National Traffic System (NTS).
Participating
in SCN/SBS will be a rewarding experience if you will first familiarize
yourself with these guidelines, and then listen to a few net sessions to get
the "swing" of things.
When you
feel confident that you are ready to check-in to the net, JUMP IN! Please follow these guidelines at all times
in the interest of an effective net operation.
Remember, SCN/SBS is a public service net established to handle formal
written radiograms, and in emergencies, support the Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES).
Please
keep in mind that this is a traffic net.
Our main purpose is public service. Checking in just to check in does no good
unless participants are willing and able to accept messages for prompt delivery
or relay.
Net
Session Schedule
SCN/SBS
meets in regular session daily at 2100 Pacific local time on the WB6OBB
Repeater (147.000+ MHz - PL 131.8), with both a 449.30- MHz (131.8 PL) and a
224.90- MHz (131.8 PL) link.
At the
request of an ARES District Emergency Coordinator (DEC) or Emergency
Coordinator (EC), special sessions of the Net may be called to support
emergency communication needs. An
emergency-support request should be directed to the Net Manager, or to the
Assistant Net Manager/Net Recorder in the absence of the Net Manager. The Net Manager (or a designee) should
coordinate with Section Traffic Manager to organize Net Control Stations and
liaisons when special sessions are activated.
An alternative frequency plan is under development. If all repeaters are down attempt contact on
147.000 simplex.
Net
Control Station
Every
regular session of SCN/SBS is under the direction of a Net Control Station
(NCS), or an Alternate NCS. (If neither
the regular or alternate net control station appears to direct a session, wait
for TWO MINUTES before volunteering as the net control station for that
session). Net control stations are appointed by the Net Manager, who selects
them from the membership for their qualifications. To a great extent, the NCSs are the face and
personality of the net, so they are a critical net function.
The average
length of SCN/SBS session is 15 minutes.
Net Control Stations are required to summarize and report activity of
the net session to the Net Recorder. The
net session report is sent as a formal message as soon as practical after the
net session. An NCS session
report-message example follows:
“10 R
KG6JYK 23 Arroyo Grande CA Jul 14”
“KD4GBA SCN/SBS Net Recorder
VANDENBERG AFB,
CA
BT
Sat/Jul/13 CT/0
BU/1 CKIN/15 TFC/4
YR/RN6/1 NBI/SM Pkt/3
JYK/NCS OIF/RN6 SHU/SLO Pkt
DQK/SB Pkt DKU/GB
LW/MT/NTN/WPSS/SB CCA ZV/SB
NCA Z/SLO SCA
DIE/HSX OBB/NAH/ZRJ
HT/OIF/1 HT/DQK/1 HT/Z/1
HT/OBB/1 BU/Z
73
BT
Chuck KG6JYK”
The critical
elements of each report message are: session date, totals for contacts,
bulletins, check-ins and traffic handled; stations listing; NCS; liaisons;
stations checked in and handling;
It is
important that the Net Recorder get these session report messages so that the
monthly Net Activity Report can be prepared with accuracy and on a timely
basis. Missed reports make the
Recorder’s job difficult. The Net
Recorder may set a preferred message format for net control stations to follow.
An NCS may
elect to delegate some or all of the Session’s business to an Assistant
NCS. An example might be to call role,
coordinate the passing of traffic on an off-Net frequency, or as a training
devise to give an NCS-prospect some experience.
Such a practices is at the discretion of the NCS assigned for the
Session.
NCSs have
an important recruiting function.
Welcome newcomers and encourage their participation. If they are interested in joining the net
forward their name, call sign, and location/address to the Net Manager. NOTE:
It makes a good impression if listening NCSs take note of visitors so
you will be able to greet them by name on future check-ins.
Net
Session Format
Each NCS
adopts a Net session-directing style, but all keep to the following Net format:
I. Net Call Up (see Net Control Station Guide).
II. Call
for - any emergency or priority traffic;
liaison stations with traffic from Sixth Region Net (RN6), other
traffic nets, packet BBSs, ARES groups;
stations with formal traffic to list;
bulletins (announcements of interest to Net members); and contacts between Net members
III.
Identify stations to handle RN6 traffic (all traffic destined outside the Santa
Barbara Section - Ventura, Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo counties).
IV. Call
the roll in alphabetical order, using the current Net Roster.
Remaining Liaison Stations will identify during roll call. (Check-ins
should advise NCS of any listed traffic they can handle)
V. Call for any other check-ins
VI. Clear
Bulletins; Excuse those not needed; Handle traffic, followed by contacts. If it is known that a contact station has a
schedule to meet or the contact is urgent, contacts may be made prior to
handling traffic. (NCS retains
discretion in managing the Session’s business)
VII. Call
for late check-ins
VIII.
Close the net (See Net Control Station Guide)
Note: The Net session priorities are to quickly and
efficiently: (1) get the traffic moving; (2) send bulletins; (3) get
members/visitors checked in; and (4) clear contacts.
Sample
Net Session
I. Net Call Up with standard Net Opening
NCS: “Good evening. This is Chuck, KG6JYK, in
Arroyo Grande, opening the Southern California Net/Santa Barbara Section. This Net meets every evening at 2100 hours
local time on the WB6OBB repeater. The
purpose of the Net is to handle formal traffic into and out of the tri-counties
area. This is a directed net, to break
in, give your call sign and be acknowledged by Net Control. All amateurs are welcome to participate in
handling traffic listed. As you check
in, please advise Net Control if you can handle any listed traffic, and if you
need to be excused early. Please stay on
frequency until the session is closed, or until excused by the Net Control.”
II. Call for Listings
NCS: “Is there any emergency or priority traffic
to be listed?” (Nothing heard)
NCS: “Liaison stations with traffic, please
check-in. call signs only”
RN6
Liaison Station: “K6YR”
Santa
Maria Packet Liaison: “KC6NBI” (No others heard)
NCS: “Good
evening Rob, K6YR please lists your traffic.”
RN6
Liaison Station: “K6YR , RN6 with one
for Santa Barbara”
NCS: “K6YR lists one for Santa Barbara. Please
stand by. KC6NBI, good evening Tony,
please list.”
Santa
Maria Packet Liaison: “KC6NBI, Santa
Maria Packet with one for Summerland, one for RN6 and one for KD4GBA.”
NCS:
“KC6NBI lists one for Summerland and, for RN6, and one for KD4GBA, please
stand-by.”
NCS: “Are there any stations with traffic,
bulletins or contacts? Please come first
with your call sign.”
Net
Recorder: “KD4GBA” (No others heard)
NCS:
“Avery, KD4GBA, please list your traffic and stand by for traffic.”
Net
Recorder: “KD4GBA, Vandenberg Packet
with one bulletin for the Net.”
NCS: “KD4GBA lists one bulletin for the Net.
III. If RN6 traffic is listed call for Liaison
Stations to RN6
NCS: “Is there a station that can handle RN6
traffic?”
RN6
Liaison Station: “K6OIF, RN6, I can
handle.”
NCS: “Good
evening Chet, KF6OIF, thanks and please stand by.”
IV. Call
the Roll
NCS: “Net stations, please check in as you are
called. We have traffic for Santa
Barbara and Summerland.”
(Using
current Net Roster, the NCS call roll.)
example of exchanges:
NCS: “KE6DIE”
KE6DIE: “KE6DIE, Golita” NCS:
“Good evening John, thanks for checking in. KE6DKU”
KE6DKU Golden Bear Liaison:
“KE6DKU, Golden Bear, Ventura.”
NCS: Good evening Michael thanks
for checking Golden Bear. WA6DQK.” WA6DQK Santa Barbara Packet: “WA6DQK Santa Barbara Packet, Carpenteria, I
can handle Summerland traffic.”
NCS: “Good evening Jack, please
stand by. etc, etc, “WB6OBB.”
WB6OBB: “WB6OBB, Santa Barbara,
I can handle the Santa Barbara traffic.”
NCS: “WB6OBB Good evening Dennis,
Stand by for the traffic.”)
(The NCS
proceeds through the entire Roll, receiving and acknowledging each station
checking in. During roll call, it is not
necessary to call the name, when a station responds acknowledge by name.)
V. Call for Other Check ins
NCS: “Are
there any late check-ins or visitors?”
W6ZRJ: “W6ZRJ - visitor.” (No others heard)
NCS: “W6ZRJ. Good evening. May I have your name and location?”
W6ZRJ: “My name is Doc and I am in Los Osos.”
NCS: “Thanks for visiting Doc. we are a traffic net and meet on this
repeater every evening at 2100 hrs.
Please check in often.”
VII. Clear Net Session Business
NCS: “Avery, KDRGBA, go ahead with your bulletin
now.”
(The bulletin
is sent by KDRGBA)
NCS: “Except for stations involved with listed
traffic, all stations are excused. Thank
you for your participation and good night.
KF6OIF call KC6NBI and pick up
the RN6 traffic.”
KF6OIF: “KC6NBI, KF6OIF...good evening Tony, I am
ready to copy your traffic.”
KC6NBI: “KF6OIF, KC6NBI, Hi Chet, please copy number
--(message is read in ARRL Radiogram format)”
(All traffic is
cleared between the remaining stations.)
NCS: “Are there any late check ins?” (Nothing heard)
VIII. Close the Net with Standard Closing Statement
NCS: “To those participating tonight, thank you
and good night. The Southern California
Net/Santa Barbara Section is now closed and the frequency is open. Our thanks to WB6OBB for the use of the repeater. KG6JYK clear.”
Net
Policies and Practices
When checking
into the Net without traffic, just give your call sign, and location. The words, “no traffic,” are unnecessary.
All
stations checking into the net are expected to remain until the net is closed
or until excused. Any station unable to
remain the full time may request to be excused and will be excused by the NCS.
The use of “Q”
signals is intended for CW operations only. Avoid using them -
especially “QRU” and “QSL” - on the Net.
SCN/SBS is
a directed net. It is the job of the NCS
to see that the Net Session runs smoothly and quickly. Informalities that cause delay and confusion
make the NCS job more difficult, while spoiling the Net’s reputation. Let the NCS run the Net Session. Resist volunteering to help unless
requested by the NCS. Pay attention to
directions given.
If you are
taking traffic, wait for the NCS to direct you to do so. Don’t arbitrarily call the listing station.
You may be
tempted to jump in unannounced to “help” the NCS with a station. Resist. If you hear something that the NCS may not,
don’t jump in to repeat it. Transmit,
“Relay” or “Info” to get the attention of the NCS. When acknowledged and directed, transmit your
assistance.
Listing
and Passing Traffic
Messages
handled during a Net Session should be in proper form, written down and
containing a text that jibes with the preamble “check-count” so become familiar
with the ARRL standardized radiogram format.
The
sending operator can make it a lot easier on the NCS and receiving operator by
following these tips:
· List traffic
destined for an address in Ventura, Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo by city;
traffic destined for places outside the these counties should be listed for
“RN6” (the NTS region net that includes the Santa Barbara Section. For locations within “RN6” like Sacramento,
list “RN6-Sacremento”. This will assist
NCS to possibly direct the traffic to another liaison.).
· List traffic to
the Net staff or participants by call sign.
· Do make a positive
effort to speak clearly and distinctly.
· Do speak at a rate
that the receiving operator can copy.
· Do be aware that
some words take longer than others to write down.
· Do read phrases
that will make sense to the receiving operator.
· Do spell unusual
words, using accepted phonetics, if appropriate.
· Do transmit
complete messages, with pauses and breaks, as may be customary to the net, mode
or circuit being used.
· Do learn how to
respond to requests for fills.
· Don’t run words
together.
· Don’t speak in a
conversational tone of voice. Emphasize every word.
· Don’t interrupt
the transmission to ask if the receiving operator is copying OK unless
conditions warrant that practice.
· Speak in phrases
of about 5 or 6 words.
· Don’t use the
trite expression, ”common spelling, this date.”
· Don’t use
phonetics unless needed. Just spell it out.
When used, use standard phonetics.
· Don’t inject your
own comments into a message. Just send the message.
· Don’t be upset if
the receiving operator ask for fills.
After the
addressee’s name, don’t say “number group.” Just say the numbers. Everyone
knows the street numbers are next. For the ZIP code, don’t say “zipper” or “zip
code.” Just say the numbers.
The word
“telephone” is OK. Just say “telephone” and give the number and repeat it.
That’s right, always give the telephone number twice.
* *
* *
The Net,
as part of the ARRL National Traffic System, makes every effort to follow the
traffic handling principles and procedures of that system. Your active and skilled participation helps
make it possible to get messages delivered, or at least relayed on to the
addressee.
Remember:
Always
consider taking traffic that you feel you can relay on - not just deliver.
Net participants are active on other nets, or have access to other
circuits, such as BBSs or other repeaters, where stations are closer to the
message addressee. One mark of a
skillful traffic-handler is to be innovative at knowing and finding circuits to
get the traffic through!
Repeater
Protocol
The Net is
operational as a user of the WB6OBB repeater, located just northwest of Santa
Barbara. It is critical that all Net
participants exercise sound and courteous practices while on the repeater. Such practices not only comply with the
station/operator licensing conditions, but also demonstrate respect for the
repeater service, and serve as a good example to other users and
listeners.
Operating
Aids
Nets such
as SCN/SBS cannot be entirely independent of other traffic nets and related
organizations. We must all cooperate for
the common good of Amateur Radio in general and the National Traffic System in
particular. We learn from others, they
learn from us, by working together.
Neither
can we, as a section net - without dues, assessments or financial resources -
afford to publish and distribute quantities of traffic handling or station operating
aids which seem so necessary to the operation.
Therefore, we publish only what we consider essential to supplement the
information obtainable from recognized sources, and information then pertinent
to SCN/SBS.
In
addition to these SCN/SBS Operating Guidelines, ARRL publishes the ARRL Handbook,
Operating an Amateur Radio Station, the Net Directory, and the Public
Service Communications Manual. These
publications contain information on NTS, traffic net operations, "QN"
signals, emergency operations and Amateur Radio operating in general. You may obtain these publications from your
Section Traffic Manager or from ARRL, 225 Main Street, Newington, Conn.
06111. Members of ARRL receive QST each
month AND will find it another source of traffic handling information,
viewpoints, latest changes, etc., in the "Operating News" and
"Section News" sections of the magazine. The ARRL Public Service Communications
Manual, which contains many of these items, is also available on the
Internet. A very good training manual on
the Radiogram was available until recently, check with the net manager for a
file of the content. The Net publishes a
periodic bulletin/assignment schedule and roster to its members. These materials, together with model NCS
Session forms, are available from the Net Recorder or Net Manager. Having up-to-date operating aids is an
important part of being prepared.
Net
Management
Overall
Net operations is the responsibility of the Net Manager, a ARRL Section Field
Organization leadership position, appointed by the Section Traffic Manager.
The Net
Manager appoints an Assistant Net Manager/Recorder to assist with Net affairs
as assigned, to collect and report key net activities, and to act in the
absence of the Net Manager. The Net
Manager makes all other appointments to "leadership" positions, such
as Net Control Stations and liaison stations to RN6, other nets, and local
traffic nodes (NTS-designated packet BBSs).
All appointments are made only to volunteers, and are based upon their
ability to perform the function.
Everyone has an equal opportunity to serve in any or all of these
positions. When you feel you want to
fill a certain position, let the net manager know. We will find a spot for you. Volunteer when you are ready.
Members
are the “Heart-beat” of the Net
You are
encouraged to go beyond the "checking-in-with-no-traffic"
participation stage by accepting an alternate or net control station assignment
and/or liaison station duties. It is a
lot of fun and will improve your operation skills in short order! Give it a try.
Net
participants are also encouraged to originate messages for handling on the
Net. Even though the net opening states
“the purpose of the Net is to handle formal traffic into and out of the
tri-counties area”, this does not preclude traffic within the section. For example, your monthly Station Activity
Report and/or Public Service Honor Roll to the Section Traffic Manager, can be
submitted as a radiogram. The practice
of originating and handling formal traffic will hold all in good stead when we
are called upon to do it in urgent conditions.
Also consider sending greeting messages to your relatives and friends
using the standard-text, ARL numbers.
You
have joined SCN/SBS because you WANTED TO.
You
have been invited because we WANT YOU.
Welcome
to SCN/SBS, serve well, and have fun.
BEST REGARDS & ORIGINATE MORE TRAFFIC!
Chet
Hadley, KF6OIF, Net Manager
Avery Wright, KD4GBA, Net Recorder