Thanks to Don W0DEW who kindly provided this information.
Introduction
The Wheatshocker Net is an informal net that is very easy for anyone to run and is fun to do. There are no real formalities involved with the only exception being that of checking for emergency or priority traffic before it begins.
Anyone checking in with emergency or priority traffic will always be recognized immediately and asked for their traffic.
There are no real records to keep except for your own personal use for running the net.
The whole idea is for a lot of people to get on the air at the same time and give comments, ask questions, provide information or just make contact with another station that they may have been wanting to get hold of.
It's kind of like a big round table discussion. The problem that occurs when there are multiple people on the air at the same time is that when a person finishes a transmission that individual may not now whose turn it is next or doesn't even know who all the stations are that are in there. When this happens some stations get inadvertently left out of the conversation or are just plain forgotten.
Enter the Net Control
The net control keeps things orderly. The net control will keep track of all the stations that check in and the order in which they check in making sure they all get their turn. This way the stations that check in don't have to know who gets it next or even who else is on the air. All they have to do is make their comments and turn it back to net control. Net control will then turn it to over to the next station.
If a station has a question for a previous check in or is looking for a particular station, net control will call on that station to make certain they are still there and then allow the two stations to make contact. If the contact is going to be an extended contact with multiple exchanges, net control may ask the stations to move to another frequency so that the net can continue. Normally if this is the case the station checking in will request to take a station off the net to another frequency.
As net control you decide how you want to run the net. Since it is informal there are no right or wrong ways to do it. When you ask for check-ins you can ask for 3 at a time or just let them check in. You must write the calls down as you hear them. If you are getting behind because they are coming too fast you just stop them where they are and ask for repeats. If you copy only part of a call, ask for a repeat of the station indicating the part of the call you did get. Anytime you stop the check-ins always recognize all the stations you have heard so far. This way if you have missed anyone they will not hear their call and they will try again. You can always ask, "Have I missed anyone". You can take a limited number of check-ins and then go down the list for comments or you can just take a long list of check-ins and then go down the list for comments, its up to you. If a station checks in as a mobile I like to turn it over to them right away because they may wind up at their destination before you get around to them. If a station checks in and indicates he has information or traffic for the net it is best to give priority to that station instead of just going down the list until you get to him.
When you reach the end of the list you can ask for additional check-ins. When you run out of check-ins and all stations have made their comments you can close the net. You decide when the net is over. If you wish to end it after 30 minutes that's up to you. You just stop taking check-ins.
The following is a suggested preamble to use at the start of the net, during the net and at the end of the net. It is not necessary do this word for word. Feel free to use your own words as long as you get the basic information.
Thank you for your interest in being a net control for the Wheatshocker Net. Have fun and feel free to pick up the net and go with it if no one else does.
"The WHEATSHOCKER Net" is the official net of the Johnson County Radio Amateurs Club of Johnson County, KS. We operate the net under the club call sign of W0ERH. Your net control this evening is (your name, call sign). This net meets each Thursday night at 8:00 p.m. local time, on a frequency of 145.290 Mhz.
Meetings of the Johnson County Radio Amateurs Club are held the 2nd & 4th Friday of every month at 7:30 p.m. In November & December we have only one meeting on the 2nd Friday of the month. Meetings are held at the Overland Park Christian Church located at 75th Street and Conser, Overland Park KS. Visitors are always welcome to join us at our meetings. Information about the club can be obtained from our website at www.qsl.net/w0erh, or by post to the Johnson County Radio Amateurs Club, PO Box 93, Shawnee Mission KS 66201.
This is an informal net. You do not have to be a member to check in. Everyone will be given the opportunity to make comments, and comments are encouraged. Your net control this evening is (your name, call sign). We are now looking for check-ins. Please remember to give your name and indicate if you have traffic, information, or third parties, when you check in. Please call W0ERH now.
(During the net periodically identify with the following) This is "The WHEATSHOCKER Net", the official net of the Johnson County Radio Amateurs Club of Johnson County, KS. We operate the net under the club call sign of W0ERH. Your net control this evening is (your name, call sign). We are looking for further check-ins. Please call W0ERH now.
I wish to thank all the stations that have helped to keep this frequency clear so I could call this net. Also thanks to all stations that have checked in with or without comments. I will now close the net at ___________ PM. 73, and good night. This is WOERH returning the repeater to normal use.