KENTUCKY CW
NETS
OPERATING PROCEDURES
This manual on net operation and procedure is for the guidance of Kentucky CW net operators in order to standardize methods and assure efficiency. There are many different ways to operate nets, but for a net to operate efficiently, standard procedures such as these are needed.
Even with the incorporation
of digital modes into traffic handling, no other mode provides all the
advantages of CW, even in 1997. When a balance of accuracy, efficiency,
skill, timeliness, and especially concern for doing the job correctly is
taken into account, CW still comes out on top.
These advantages, however, did
not come by accident. Our challenge is to recruit and train new CW
operators in these skills. The discipline and skills learned in regular
net operation gives one essential training and background in traffic handling
procedures. An operator unfamiliar with procedure only kills precious
time during an emergency when he tries to find out THEN how the net works
and what he is supposed to do.
This manual is revised by K4AVX, and was originally printed in 1976 by
K4FUM, W4CDA, and K4NYO. It was revised in 1988 by K4AVX and KC4WN.
Some ideas came from the operating booklet prepared by WD4CQF and KB4UJA
for the Kentucky Novice Traffic Net. We thank KA4BCM for the original
KYN roster of stations, and for many other ideas incorporated here.
KENTUCKY CW NETS
KSN - Kentucky Slow
Speed Net
3721 Khz., 0300Z (10:00 PM ET) Daily
KYN 3599 KHZ.
0100Z or 8 PM EASTERN TIME DAILY
Updated March 3, 2000
CW Net Procedure - How to operate in the typical CW Net.
CW Abbreviations for Net Use - Including those used to get fills in messages.
Net and Regular Q Signals - Used to facilitate net operation.
Net Tips - Some concepts that will help you operate efficiently.
1. NCS (the net control station) opens the net with a preamble such as:
KYN QNA NET REPS DE W4NCS K (etc. until all net representatives have checked in)
2. All stations checking in should make certain they are zero beat with NCS before transmitting. After liaison stations to other nets have checked in, NCS will call for other stations:
3. Stations reporting in will at first opportunity (to avoid doubling with other stations) transmit a "ditdit" or a letter of the alphabet to get the attention of the NCS.
4. Hearing this, NCS will reply with the same letter or "K" indicating that the station checking in should go ahead. Net control stations will return to stations checking in at the same speed as the entering stations.
5. The station KE4STN then reports in:
If he has traffic, he says instead:
6. NCS then acknowledges :
7. Next station checks in. If check-ins cease, NCS will again call:
8. Knowing that KE4STN has 1 message for LVL and that K4RAR (near Louisville) has checked in, the NCS may direct that the message be cleared off the net frequency as follows:
9. Both stations then signify they have heard by sending "G" or "GG" (for going) and move up 5 Khz. The station receiving the traffic normally calls the station sending the traffic on the new frequency:
10. KE4STN then replies:
11. If conditions are poor, NCS may use the following to send stations to pass traffic:
12. Under good conditions, NCS may simply call the two stations then say:
13. If another station, N4KYA, has checked in while KE4STN and W4RAR are up 5 Khz. and has traffic for KE4STN, the NCS may advise him to go up and wait for them to finish and then pass the traffice to KE4STN:
14. Stations that are moved off the net frequency to pass traffic should return to the net frequency after the traffic has been passed, unless the NTS has instructed otherwise. They should give their call upon returning to the net frequency.
15. Stations in the net should stay until dismissed by the NCS. The NCS may dismiss stations singly or by calling several at once:
The directed net (QND) is ended when all traffic has been cleared. NCS then says:
SOME COMMON CW ABBREVIATIONS USED ON NETS:
SPECIAL "Q" SIGNALS FOR CW NETS
(Capitalized words are guides to definitions)
QAN -- Request Qso After the Net with __________.
QNA -- ANSWER in prearranged order.
QNB -- Act as relay BETWEEN___________________ and______________.
QNC -- All net stations COPY.
QND-- The net is DIRECTED.
QNE -- ENTIRE net please stand by.
QNF-- Net is FREE.
QNG -- Take over as NCS (GUARD frequency)
QNH -- Your net frequency is HIGH.
QNI -- Report INTO net.
QNJ -- Can you copy _____________?
QNK -- Send message for (place or call) to __________.
QNL -- Your frequency is LOW.
QNM-- You are QRMing. Please stand by.
QNN -- Who is NET control? NET control is _______.
QNO -- Going OUT of net.
QNP -- Unable to copy you (or _________ ). POOR conditions.
QNQ -- Move frequency to _______, and wait for _______ to finish traffic; then send him traffic for _______.
QNR -- Answer __________ and RELAY or RECEIVE his traffic.
QNS -- Following stations in net.
QNT -- Leaving net TEMPORARILY. QNU -- ___________ has traffic for U.
QNV -- Make contact with ________ on this frequency, then move to (freq.) send him traffic for ________.
QNW -- Through WHOM shall I relay messages for _____________?
QNX -- You are eXCUSED from the net; or I request to be eXCUSED.
QNY -- Please shift to new frequency or to ________ to prevent QRMing other net stations, or to clear traffic with ________.
QNZ -- ZERO beat your signal with mine.
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 checkin, 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.
ARRL PUBLIC SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS MANUAL
ARRL: MORSE, THE ESSENTIAL LANGUAGE
ARRL OPERATING MANUAL
VARIOUS TRAFFIC HANDLING OP AIDS
FSD-3 ARRL Numbered Radiograms
1. 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 one you can refer back to and be certain which message is meant.
2. 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 work "QUERY."
3. A "BT" 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."
4. 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.
5. Odd words in a message are repeated after a question mark, i.e., "ROENTGEN ? ROENTGEN" to assure that the receiving station has it correct.
6. 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.
7. 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.
Updated March 3, 2000.