Net Protocol
- INTENTIONAL / MALICIOUS INTERFERENCE
- THIRD PARTY TRAFFIC
- Third party traffic can only be handled with countries where there is a third party agreement. The list of countries with which we share reciprocal and/or third-party traffic agreements may be found on the Net Control Area Page of our website. Always have before you the list of countries with which we share reciprocal and/or third-party agreements while operating the net. There are restrictions for handling third party traffic on international nets. Phone patches are simply one method of passing third party traffic and when a check-in wants a patch to or from someone in a country with which we do not have a third party agreement, the Net Control Station
must advise that this cannot be done.
- GUIDELINES FOR STATIONS WITH TRAFFIC AND THOSE ABLE TO HANDLE TRAFFIC
(Previously known as QRU & QRV)
- Do not call "RELAY"
until the net control asks for check-ins. If the Net Control Station is in the midst of handling traffic and some station that he/she cannot hear tries to check into the net, DO NOT interrupt Net Control by shouting "RELAY"! Wait
until Net Control completes what is presently occupying him. Transmit only to the Net Control Station. Also refrain from doing double Net Relays on the net if at all possible. If Net Control cannot hear someone saying "RELAY," and you must do a Double Relay ALWAYS ASK Net Control for permission before telling someone else to go ahead with a relay. No RELAY STATION should start asking for stations to come into the Net for checkins without prior instructions from the Net Control Operator. Side comments to other stations are OUT OF ORDER.
WHEN HANDLING FOREIGN THIRD PARTY TRAFFIC, GIVE HIS CALL SIGN WHEN YOU RESPOND AS WELL AS YOUR OWN.
The net frequency is wherever the Net Control Station is. Zero-beat the Net Control Station. Given the accuracy of modern rigs, there is no excuse for someone being off frequency to the extent that is sometimes heard. Remember
that occasionally, the Net Control Station will move a few hundred cycles just to minimize interference from an adjoining frequency. Do not assume that you know better than the Net Control where the net should be. Always check your
RIT-XIT control to be sure that it is off.
- GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR NET PARTICIPANTS
- If you use the services of the net respect the policies and procedures of the net and the rules of the FCC. If you use the net to get together with another station and then go off frequency and do something which is not in compliance with the FCC rules and regulations,
it will reflect poorly on the Net and perhaps cause you some trouble.
Third party traffic (including phone-patching) is covered in section 97.115.
No international business traffic should be handled. Conduct all third party traffic in English (or in a language in which you are fluent). To do otherwise is to loose control of the use of your station and this is illegal.
Before you check in with traffic, be certain you know what frequency you will move to if you make contact. Also, clearly announce which station will be doing the calling.
The use of "Q" signals such as "QTH, QRU, or QRV" etc., are not necessary when using voice mode on the net. Please use them with the modes that they were originally intended. Remember we are the elmers for those who are newcomers to the net. Let us be mentors to those of our trade.
SOME OF THE COMMONLY USED TERMS YOU MAY HEAR ON THE NET
Net operations will run smoother if the following practices are observed. Do not hesitate to ask the Net Control for advice about net practices. We all started somewhere. The keystone of the Net is courtesy at all times.
- CONTACT
This is used to tell the net control station that the last station heard on frequency is wanted by another. Net Control will quickly acknowledge "Contact" and will try to put you in communication at once. Be ready with
the frequency to which you will move and move off quickly. Be sure to make clear which station will do the calling. Do not tie up the Net frequency with chit-chat. When traffic is light or propagation conditions are poor you
may ask for permission to pass a short message on the Net frequency. Permission is at the discretion of the Net Control Operator.
- RE-CHECK
This is used when two stations have gone off frequency but did not find each other. They have come back to the net to meet and arrange for another frequency to use. As net control, you would say "The re-check, call your lost station".
The station who called recheck would then call the other and they would make arrangements. If the second station did not come back, tell the re-check to standby for his station and call CONTACT when he hears him/her.
- RE-ENTRY
This is used when a station has left the net frequency and is now coming back on frequency. Usually this is used when a station QSY'd to pass traffic and has now come back.
- RELAY
This is used by a station that hears another station trying to check into the net when the Net Control is not hearing them. In this case, give your call-sign and say "RELAY". This helps the net control station pick you up and then
relay in the calling station. This helps eliminate numerous people trying to relay the same station at the same time.
- TWO-WAY
This term is used to indicate that a station has phone patch capability.
- ONE-WAY
This term is used to indicate that a station does not have a phone patch, yet is willing to make a phone call to anyone to pass traffic if needed.
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