Manson Washington

August 20, 2006

16:00 Hours

To: WARTS NET Members

From: Ken Rau K7YR

Director at Large & Chairman of the Board.

The board of directors and the Net Manager has been conducting on-line communications to:

  1. Set up and publish guidelines for the net operation
  2. Establish a standard net roll call sheet and standard direction(s) for all of the net controls.
  3. Establish net requirements to be placed on the roll call, and establish requirements to remain on the roll call.
  4. Establish who can become a net member and be listed on the roll call.

On July 7th I sent a questionnaire to all of the board members and the net manager for comments and voting. The net manager was included as he is the tiebreaker in case of a tie in voting by the board members. Many questions were asked about the roll call preamble and the net control instructions. Some of concerns were, but not limited to:

    1. The net running an extended amount of time sometimes in excess of 40 minutes due to some conditions listed below.
    2. The number of late check-ins during and after the roll call. Stations who do not show up for the beginning of the net.
    3. The problem of uncontrolled relay station activity.
    4. The fact that many members check in and disappear after checking in. As this is traffic net all members should remain on frequency until after roll call is completed.
    5. The different preambles used and way the various net controls run their net.
    6. The lack of understanding of how to become a member and how to remain on the roll call sheet.
    7. The lack of activity by "spouse and family" members located at a common QTH.
    8. The question of who is eligible to be placed on the roll call.
    9. The amount of BS that continues throughout the formal roll call.
    10. The lack of consistency for checking in visitors. Especially visitors in a city that is listed and one who is in a city that is not listed.

Question One:

"Those stations wishing to become members of the W.A.R.T.S. Net are required to check in at least XXX times a month for XXX consecutive months,"

The board voted 4 to 1 that the requirements to become a WARTS member and be placed on the roll call would be 4 check-ins per month for 2 consecutive months.

Question Two:

"then notify the Net secretary that you would like to be added to the roster."

The board voted 4 to 1 that each person who has met the check-in requirements and wants to be listed on the roll call has the responsibility to notify the Net Secretary. While verbal requests may be adequate, the Net Secretary should be notified by e-mail or written notification to be sure that the potential member’s request is met.

Question Three:

"Checking in at least XXX times per month for XXX months by each the listed member stations is our only requirement for continuous membership in this Net."[Each means every station at a common location]

The board voted 4 to 1 that the requirements to remain on the on the roll call would be 4 checkins per month for 2 consecutive months.

Question Four:

"All stations at a common location are required to meet the above requirements."

Presently in many cases the "Spouse" or other person(s) in a household either never has checked in or rarely does. Never checking in to the net does not afford them the training and knowledge to be of much use to the net in case of need. They just take up space on our roll call sheet. It’s a slap in the face for those members who play be the rules to have a non-participant on the roll call.

The board voted 3 to 2 that the above check-in requirement also applies to each of the listed stations on the roll call. Therefore the net expects participation from each of the listed stations at a common QTH. There were 222 stations listed on the roll call in June. There were 17 (family stations listed along side the main operator) or almost 8% of the total roll call.

2 spouse/family stations check-in on a regular basis.

5 spouse/family stations check-in once in a while.

10 spouse/family stations have not been heard from as long as anybody can remember.

Question Five:

"Should Technician license holders be allowed to be on the roll call by checking in, in person, under the control of a control operator, for training and they meet the nets stated check in policies?"

The board voted 5 to 0 to allow Technician license holders to be listed on the roll call if they meet the above check-in requirement of 4 check-ins per month for 2 consecutive months.

Question Six:

How do we notify the people who have been dropped from the roll call because they did not meet check in requirements? Net Controls? Net Manager? QST? Net Secretary?

The general consensus discussed was that we should not make a big deal of it, however as the list is provided to the net controls that the list could be read as a QST by the net secretary one time at the beginning of each month along with a listing of the new members.

 

As the result of the above questions and actions, the Board of Directors presents the final version of the WARTS net Preamble and net control procedure below.

The statements by the net control are in Black, and his/her directions are noted in Red.

Paragraph one is quick and specific.

Paragraph two provides for emergency traffic

Paragraph three provides directions to the members and visitors

Paragraph four provides a on official relay station & allows extra help if needed

Paragraph five announces our Web site & provides time for other announcements.

Paragraphs six through twelve provides directions for net operation.

Paragraph thirteen provides the necessary information on how to become a member and remain on the roll call. It is very specific and understandable.

Paragraphs fourteen through sixteen provides directions for net operation.

This is a quick, specific, and concise preamble and net control-operating directive. It provides member and visitor direction, and it provides the necessary WARTS net information of how to become a member and remain as a member. It provides information about access to our Web Site for everybody.

 

W.A.R.T.S. Net Preamble & Procedure Aug 15, 2006 (REV B)

 

1. "QST, QST, QST. This is net control station ________ my name is_______ located in_________ calling the Washington Amateur Radio Traffic System. This net meets daily at ______PM local time on 3970 KHz."

2. "Is there any emergency traffic?"<If yes, handle it>

3. "Members are requested to be on time and to remain on the net frequency until the end of roll call. Visitor and late stations wishing to check into this net will be called for at the end of the regular roll call. When handling traffic on this net it is not necessary to "Re-Check" unless you have additional traffic. If you must break the net during roll call, break with your call sign only for recognition."

4. "<Designate a relay station and state > "All relays will be provided by ________

unless asked for by the net control."< May ask for additional help for known distant stations>

5. "Please checkout our web site www.wartsnet.org. Are there any bulletins, QSTs, or Announcements?"<If yes, handle them>

6. "Are there any mobile stations with traffic?"<Handle mobile traffic immediately>

7. "Are there any stations with formal traffic? Your call sign only."<List the traffic and then attempt to handle the traffic>

8. "Are there any mobile stations without traffic? Your city and call please"<Call for out-of-State mobiles, then in-State>

9. "Are there any contacts or informal traffic?"<If yes, handle them>

10. "Stand by for roll call."<Even days start at the top. Odd days start at the bottom>

Encourage visitors to wait and check in under visitor checkins. Attempt to complete roll call and traffic handling by 18:20 or 18:25 so that members who have other net schedules or dinner can QSY as they wish>

 

11. "Do we have any late traffic listings or contacts?"

<If yes, handle them>

12. "Do we have any late or missed mobile stations, your city and call please."

13. "Those stations wishing to become members of the WARTS net are required to check in at least four times a month for two consecutive months, then notify the Net Secretary that you would like to be added to the roster. Checking in at least four times per month for two months is our only requirement for continuous membership in this Net. Each Operator at a common QTH is requested to meet the above requirements."

14. "Do we have any visitors? Your city, calls, and name please."

15. "Do we have any late or missed stations in cities A through F? Your city and call please."<Reverse order on odd days> <Do by columns, page, or alphabetical blocks, whichever you’re most comfortable with>

16. "This is ___________ Securing WARTS net at ___________ Hours."

<Please get your report to KJ7SI a.s.a.p.>

Rev. B Aug 15, 2006 K7YR Black are to be read Red are net control instructions.