The ESS Bulletin

February totals: QNI 323, per session 11.5 (Jan 10.5); QSP 50, per session 1.8 (Jan 2.1). A good month overall; checkins were up, but traffic was down. Net control stations should have some idea of probable outlets for listed traffic; several checkins may frequent higher-level nets (or nets with different “black holes” than ESS’), but they won’t know if there’s traffic on the hook if they’re off frequency clearing other traffic. “Auctioning off” traffic (WHO QSP MARILLA?) is generally less successful than a little friendly persuasion. All’s (almost) right with the world now that Joe, W2RBA, is back. You’ve probably noticed the absence of VE3FAS; Mary, VE3MVM, emailed that Phil is recovering well from spinal surgery, listens to ESS on an SDR, and is itching to get back on the air. It’ll be a good day indeed when he’s back with us. Many thanks to Matt, K2EAG, for his dedicated service as WNY section traffic mananger; section mananger Scott, W2LC, reports that Andy, W2ZXN, is the incoming STM. There’s been a bit of uncertainty about which way to send stations to clear traffic—up or down the band? Since the 80-meter digital subband nominally begins on 3570 kHz--although you’d never know it by the QRM all over the place--it’s better to send traffic pairs down 3 or down 5 on our “home” band (keeping in mind that QMN begins at 6:30 on 3563 kHz). On 40 meters, the space cadets seem to congregate down the band from 7110 kHz (our alternate frequency there), so it’s better to send traffic pairs up 3 or up 5 kHz. Birthdays: March—K2EAG 1, WB2GTG 11 and KA2GJV 25. April—KT2D 4 and N2TQT 8. Hope you missed my oopsie last month, when I listed W2XS’ birthday in consecutive months; John’s birthday is in February, not March. Additions and corrections, preferably by radiogram, are always welcome!

It seems like only yesterday that we returned to standard time, because Daylight Shifting Time lasts twice as long—from early March to early November. The time change affects ESS due to the net’s starting time, and you’ll notice a difference in propagation when the clocks spring forward. The skip becomes shorter, and those of us with cloud-warmer antennas (a high take-off angle; life is compromise) become a bit harder to hear. Net participants are—or should be—more interactive, relaying checkins and traffic as needed. Our QSY to 40 meters worked well last summer, although the checkin count didn’t increase as hoped. We’ll stay on 80 as long as possible, and see what the other nets which seasonally change bands are doing. Each NCS is the boss, of course, and can send traffic pairs (or the net) to 40 as needed.

I’m sure you remember the fairy tale about Goldilocks and the three bears. Goldilocks wanders into the bears’ cottage (as I remember—it’s been a while) and finds three bowls of porridge on a table; one bowl is too hot, a second is too cold, and the third is—you guessed it—just right. It would be nice if we had a “Goldilocks” level of traffic, with enough to keep us engaged but not so much that we run screaming for the nearest exit.

Traffic-handling, unfortunately, seems to have a checkered reputation; there are a lot of former traffic-handlers out there. There are also a fair number of traffic-handlers who leave the sub-hobby feet first, as it were. Who stays, and who goes?

When I was first licensed in the mid-1980s, the general advice was to have about a year of operating experience under one’s belt before venturing onto the traffic nets. This is useful advice, I believe; finding our way around the bands—and the equipment—and learning the ins and outs of traffic-handling are both skill sets with (to put it mildly) a bit of a learning curve, and it’s wise not to tackle them both at once. As someone who recently changed cellphones and computers only days apart, believe me—I know (and may never straighten out File Explorer). Learning to walk before trying to run minimizes the likelihood of digging the rut of operation on only one band (or mode). It’s human nature to prefer one band or mode over another, but solely operating CW or on local nets (to note only two examples) discourages the flexibility required by liaison between nets—an essential part of traffic-handling. Anyone can originate traffic; the number of mass originators is proof of that. If you live in (or near) a large city, your talents are needed to deliver traffic and—if needed—originate return traffic. If you’re rarely called upon to deliver a message and find yourself tempted to check your email or social-media feed during nets, your place may be on the duty roster of the net of your choice as a net-control or liaison station.

The perception that traffic-handling is boring may be a factor in the number of former traffic-handlers. An (occasional) quiet net is certainly not a bad thing, however, and is counterbalanced by the distinct pleasure of a “workplace” of more-or-less like-minded hams dedicated to a common cause. A more serious factor is burnout, which can afflict precisely those traffic-handlers it’s painful to lose. It’s an easy trap to fall into. We start checking into nets, and are warmly welcomed. The nets are fun. Help is needed to run a net and relay traffic between nets, and it’s satisfying to volunteer or accept a request.

This is where things can get sticky. An enthusiastic op takes on more and more, and what was once enjoyable becomes a chore. The difference between burning out and sticking around lies in one’s ability to set boundaries, an indispensable skill in walks of life beyond amateur radio. “The amateur is balanced”, says the Amateur’s Code, and it’s all too easy to lose that balance when we begin to feel (or are encouraged to feel by a net manager in search of low-hanging fruit) irreplaceable. The need for personal boundaries is important!

Burnout is easier to prevent than to treat, but I can say from experience that it’s possible (and desirable, for oneself and one’s family) to step back from the cliff. If you feel like something’s got to give, make a list of your nets—duty-roster skeds and nets you enjoy. Look the list over, and cross out what you can live without; if you’ve decided to quit a duty-roster slot (NCS or liaison), don’t forget to notify your net manager! Hopefully you won’t have to trim too much fat but in any case, the pleasure of traffic-handling will return.