FARA NET CONTROL SCRIPT (Rev. K)
Notes:
- Please speak clearly, and close to your microphone.
- Your station should be strong enough for full quieting.
- If any FARA officers check in, Net Control should request an update on club announcements, meeting dates, topics etc.
[Start promptly at 19:30 local time.] [Wait for repeater idle (beep]
“CALLING THE FARA NET, CALLING THE FARA NET! FARA is the Framingham Amateur Radio Association, an active club of interested amateur radio operators. This net has several purposes – to ensure that our equipment is always ready for emergencies, to enjoy activities with our fellow hams, and to offer education to our members and others in order to advance their ham radio skills. To learn more about FARA, go to our website at www.w1fy.org.
Good evening. This is [your name and call], Net Control, about to convene a regular session of the FARA Sunday Evening Net. This is a directed net, so all communication should be as requested by the Net Control only.
If any “in-and-out” stations wish to check in and then leave, we will take you now. Would any “in-and out” stations like to check in?
Our first call will be for Mobile stations only. Our second call will be for Fixed stations only. Our third call will be for Echolink stations only. Please wait to check in until your group has been called. If you are a mobile or fixed station: To be sure you’re not doubling, please check in by saying “this is”, then dropping your carrier, waiting for the beep, and then give your call.
Mobile stations only – please call now.”
[Wait for check-ins.] [As each station identifies, write down his call.]
[When no more Mobile stations check in, say:]
“I have the following check-ins:” [Run down the list of check-ins.]
After all Mobile stations have checked in, make any announcements here. [The reasoning is that mobiles will go out of range quickly.] After the mobile stations have checked in, call each to make their comments, and give each station the “Ham Radio Question of the Week.” Since they may soon go out of range, give each Mobile station the answer immediately.
[Next, call for Fixed stations.] :
“Are there any Fixed stations wishing to check into the net?”
[Handle them the same as the Mobiles]
[When there are no more check-ins, read back the list of fixed stations]
Give the Ham Radio Test Question to the Fixed stations. At the end of the net, after all Fixed and Echolink stations have been handled, don’t forget to give the answers to the Test Questions.
After all have made their comments, take another standby for new check-ins. If there are any, repeat the above.
[Next, call for Echolink stations.]
“Are there any Echolink stations wishing to check into the net?”
[Handle them the same as the Fixed stations.]
Note: After you address an Echolink station, there will be a delay, possibly up to 6 seconds, before you receive that station’s response. It is important that you wait for the delay before the station comes back to you. The delay only applies to his response to your message. When you respond to his message you can speak almost immediately after he finishes speaking.
[When there are no more check-ins, read back the list of Echolink stations]
Give the Ham Radio Test Question to the Echolink stations.
After all have made their comments, take another standby for new check-ins. If there are any, repeat the above.
At the end of the net, after all Fixed and Echolink stations have been handled, don’t forget to give the answers to the Test Questions.
Finally, to close the net, do the following (We are replacing the 2nd go around with the list of check-ins and then asking if anyone has any further comments or questions):
“Thank you all for checking in [List Check-Ins]; we hope to hear you again next week. Before we close tonight’s Net, are there any Stations with further Comments or Questions?”
Once all further comments have been heard, if any, then say the following to close the net:
“This is [your call], net control, closing the FARA net at [time] and returning the repeater back to regular use.”
END OF NET
Further comments on the Test Question of the Week:
It is good to come up with questions where each participant has to provide a different answer, to avoid copying. Example: a different “Q” signal for each person, or a different DX prefix for each person. Also, multiple choice questions are good, with 4 possible answers, similar to those in the Q&A books. Try to avoid “ham radio trivia” questions, and also avoid math questions where the station has to calculate an answer. The purpose of the Question of the Week is the continuing education of our members, and you generally don’t learn useful information from a trivia question.
Please prepare your Test Questions of the Week in advance.
Thank you for your service to FARA!