Nets

Chapter 4 section 4

What is a Net

• Radio allows groups of people to talk and listen at the same time– Like a big conference call– A group conversation on radio is called a net

• Nets are used for group conversation and exchange – but are a vital link for exchanging emergency information– We practice nets every Sunday evening at 8– In Emergency we would use nets to exchange reports

and help our Priesthood leaders coordinate plans

Unique Issues• Radio allows many to listen but only one to

talk– Phones can allow messy talk overs – radio

can not– Becomes especially important to have order in

conversation

• This done using Net Control Station– Conversation leader who gives go aheads to

talk– Nets can very in how formal or structured they

are

Common Practices

• Net Control Station Comes on and asks for “check ins”– This is a call for those stations tuning to the frequency to identify

their presence– Sometimes with the check in they identify whether they have

information to pass and how urgent the information is

• Net Control Station calls on Stations to pass their information– Urgency is considered first– Usually next is the order of check in– Breaks after information passing indicate whether another

station has commentary• Net control station calls for commentary• Sometimes Net Control will send two stations to another frequency

for detailed coordination and discussion

Protocols

• After checking into a net handling an emergency do not transmit again until called on by net control (T8C03)

– There may be times when you need to offer commentary or response (you may be with your units Priesthood leader)

• Use a break to tell net control you have info or questions

• Sometimes you will be first station to turn on after an emergency– Wards and Stakes should have standard frequencies– If you are the first to tune and no net control is available then you

should open an emergency net and start asking for check ins (T8C08)

• You may have a designated net control but there is no guarantee that person is going to be available

Net Control Duties

• Primary importance for a net control station is a strong clear signal (T8C06)

• Sometimes first criteria is that you are there to start things– Its ok to start and hand off when regular net control becomes

available

• Net Control duties during an emergency are draining– Need to consider about 2 hours maximum service time– Build a rotation

• ARRL Emergency Communication Courses– Level 1 covers basics of emergencies– Level 2 trains people for net control duty– Good for people to go through Level 2

Message Priorities

• Emergency– Time sensitive very near term threat to life or property– Emergency traffic has the highest priority (T8C01)

– If you are net control and someone breaks with emergency traffic stop all other traffic until the emergency has been dealt with (T8C07)

• Priority– Critical planning or response but without immediate threat to life

or property• Health and Welfare

– Finding out if someone is ok, helping people locate or communicate to someone in a shelter

• Routine– Discussion of incidental weather, gas prices, birthdays, what you

had for breakfast

Message Handling

• Longer lists and messages probably more effectively handled by digital methods

• Our nets are built on premise of having large numbers of operators– Thing we can count on is voice

• ARRL has built a National Traffic Message Handling System– While we can’t count on this to handle our Priesthood

leader needs compatibility with basic protocols is good

Voice Message Protocols

• Messages start with a preamble– Preamble is the information needed to track the

message through the amateur radio message handling system (T8C09)

– A must for inclusion with a message is who originated the message (T8C04)

• Need to know where info came from – it may be passed through lots of operators

– Lot of times our messages will pass out of a disaster area by radio to someone with phone access to pass to Salt Lake

• Need to know who to get back to – Standard Church forms ask for originating Priesthood leader and how he/she may be reached

• ARRL format includes phone or contact information for the person to whom the message is directed

Other Message Considerations

• ARRL format includes a check– The check is the number of words the

message should contain (T8C10)

• This helps to avoid – gossip type alterations of messages as they are passed from one station to another

• It is suggested that messages be limited to 25 words or less (T8C11)