GBARC

    To encourage more people to participate in the GBARC net as net controller we recommended this guideline. This is just a guideline, if you have any suggestions or comments we would be happy to hear from you.

    If the scheduled net control station is not on the air at the designated time, it will be up to anyone participating to come up on the net frequency and become net control. It is customary on HF to inquire as to whether the frequency is in use, one or two calls should suffice to ensure the net is not causing interference to a QSO in progress. On VHF it is not possible to QSY however most stations that might happen to be on at net time will likely yield the frequency if you explain the net is about to begin.

“This is (give your call sign), Is this frequency in use?”

If nothing is heard then continue as usual but if a station acknowledges that the frequency is in use, offer your apologies then make a quick announcement that the HF net will QSY up or down 5kc or so (your choice) and repeat the above.

“This is (give your call sign), Net control operator for the Georgian Bay Amateur Radio Club Net. This is an informal Net, held weekly on
either
     Tuesdays at 7:30 pm on VE3OSR, 146.940 Mhz, tone 156.7 hz
or
      3.782 Mhz +/- QRM, Sundays 9am (EDT).”

Check-in's usually come in small groups, keep a list of call signs as you hear them and at the next pause read off the calls and ask for any others.

“The Net is now open for check-ins, if you have any announcements, please advise as you are called. Are there any stations with emergency traffic for the net?
Please come now to (give your call sign)”

Unkey and wait 5 seconds to permit any emergency traffic to be announced. If emergency traffic is announced, offer help to the person calling.

“Are there any mobile stations to check in to the net? Please come now.”

Unkey and wait 5 seconds, take mobile stations first as they often drive out of range or encounter terrain waiting to be called on the main list.

“Are there any other stations to check in to the net? Please come now.”

“I have ve3???,va3???, ____, are there any more checkin's to the GBARC net” ,
repeat till there are no more checkins.

What follows is usually a roundtable discussion, controlled by the net control operator, call each checkin in turn starting at the top of your list.
Usually there are two go-arounds or twice through the list.

“Starting at the top of the list, ve3/va3???” and so on...

When you have gone through the list twice.

“Are there any late or missed check-ins?”

Acknowledge check-ins by repeating their callsigns and record to the list. Allow the late checkins a turn at the discussion.

“Are there are any volunteers to take Net control next week, please give your call sign now.”

Acknowledge volunteer and thank them.

Offer any information that may be of interest to the members;
ask if there is any news that members would like to announce. The latest RAC bulletin is included on GBARC website forum page incase the Official Bulletin Station is not on frequency. Remember, this is a public Net, so don’t talk about personal or club business that would not be proper for general distribution. However, you can talk about upcoming events, etc, that are of general interest.
When this is complete, close the Net with the following statement.

Thanks to all for participating in this net, there were ?? checkins including myself.
“The GBARC Net is now closed. Returning the frequency to normal use.
This is (your call sign) Clear .”

6 April 2010