March 2008

Add Life To Your "Broken Record" VHF Net

Here's a question for those of you who check in to local VHF nets: If the net control station was feeling a little humorous and played a recording of a net held a month ago, would you know the difference? Of course, if you heard yourself check in that might be a clue that something was wrong. For this example, however, let's leave out that possibility.

First there's the net preamble. The preamble may call for anyone with priority or emergency traffic to call in. I don't know why someone with an emergency would suffer until net time, but I guess it's nice to ask anyway.

Then there's the rest of the preamble, and the usual announcements. Around here it's a list of the weekly nets. After that it's the call for check-ins. Usually the same people check in week after week. And let's not forget those "third party" check-ins. "I'd like to third - party check in (callsign) my XYL, or (callsign), another ham. Should a check-in count if it's not from the actual ham, especially if it's just "for the count"? I can understand if you want to let the Net Control Station know, in an actual emergency, that another operator will actually be available to help but they can't check in at the moment because they are outside cranking up the generator. In other words, a "third party" check-in with an explanation would be acceptable.

One of the weekly nets plays the Amateur Radio Newsline podcast. That might be a giveaway that the net was indeed different from last week's net. One of the nets used to have a little trivia session, and then there was a ham test question session, but those faded away.

Since I don't check in to any nets, I can truly say that a recording of even last week's net would fool me. I'd think it was live and in living color.

But, if the participants are happy, then who am I to complain?

Below are just a few ideas for a more lively net:

Ham questions from net participants - A question can be solicited right after the preamble. Later in the net a call can be made for answers. Rather than trivia type questions, these questions might be of a technical nature, or something about the hobby the submitter really wants to know.
Questions can also be submitted to the Net Control Station by e-mail throughout the week and the NCS can select from the pool.

Ham Test Q&A - There are no shortage of questions for this category. Pop the question after the preamble, invite people to give an answer as they check in, reveal the answer near the end of the net.

Amateur Radio Trivia - Again, no shortage of question possibilities here. Try to think of things not easily found on the Internet while people are waiting to check in!

Local History or Geography Trivia - Who was (name a local school) named after and why? What business used to be in the building currently occupied by Elmo's Restaurant?

Emergency Power check-in night - How about having all participants check in to the net using either battery or generator power. This could be done three to four times a year.

Simplex check-in night - Get off the repeater and run the net on a simplex frequency. This will immediately expose weaknesses in the equipment of the station checking in, as well as the Net Control Station. Make the necessary improvements and try it again in a few weeks.

73,

WF5TX