[wkars-announce] Just 8 ticks to 8pm - the quick way onto the West Kent Net! 145.375MHz FM, 8pm/ 2000hrs

From: secretary@xxxxxxxxxxxx
To: wkars-announce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 14:53:07 +0000
Radio aficionados, technical experts, scientific authorities, communications 
specialists, physics connoisseurs, keen constructors, engineering buffs, 
operating devotees, wireless fanatics, transmitting addicts, manic chatterers 
all, please join us on the West Kent Monday evening net tonight.  You don't 
need to be a WKARS member in order to join the net, everyone is very welcome.

Experienced operators need read no further, and act no more than to switch on 
the radio at the appointed hour and join.  For those operators who don't have 
hundreds or thousands of operating hours under their respective belts, or 
indeed those who've not been on the radio perhaps for many years, then please 
read on for some additional tips.

Monday evening net 8-point checklist for the less experienced or plain absent 
minded (thus includes the author!):

1.      Time - 8pm/ 20:00hrs GMT - tick

2.      Radio with PSU - 2 meters, FM, narrow deviation - tick
                No 2m radio?  a Baofeng UV-3R handy will set you back typically 
less than £23 (yes, really, twenty-three!)  Get in the car and drive up a hill 
and you're done.  That's less than a return to London, and, best of all, you 
don't have to go to London!

3.      Frequency - 145.375 simplex, no tones required - tick
                If the frequency is not clear, the net might need move to 
another channel, so do listen around

4.      Antenna (vertical polarisation preferred): 
                beam - bearing to Tunbridge Wells area - tick
                omnidirectional - high as you can - tick
                mobile - car or on foot, highest point you can get to, line of 
sight preferred - tick
                check your SWR, if you need help, please contact us.

5.      Log book & pen:  prepare table for signal reports sent/received - tick
                Note everyone's readability and strength during their over.

6.      No S-Meter?  no problem!   Here is a quick guide:
                BBC quality - hiss-free ?  S9+
                Fully quieting?  S7-S9 (virtually no hiss)
                Some hiss?  S5-S7
                Lots of hiss?  S2-S4
                Need to keep the squelch off, use headphones?   S1

                Readability - some suggestions to help:
                BBC quality - R5
                Some minor audible artefacts, noise, clipping, hum, R4
                Significant noise, low or high deviation, low or high audio R3
                Difficult to read, muffled or very crackly, variable levels, 
need headphones, have to ask for repeat information R2
                Only formula QSO possible, slow speech, phonetics & lots of 
repeats R1

7.      Comfy chair - tick
                Sit on it!

8.      Tea/coffee/glass of water - tick 
                Don't spill it onto the rig!

Listen to the other stations and aim to copy the key elements around procedure, 
but bear in mind that even the experienced operators don't always get 
everything right.

A brief station description generally accepted and expected, be it a Baofeng 
handheld or a TS2000 with a multi-element beam,  this helps the other 
operations understand the signal reports more clearly.  Equally, location 
information is also helpful so that beams can be pointed and such like.  
General radio activity always welcome, as are other personal matters.  The 
weather is always a popular topic, from getting wet in the street to 
temperature inversions opening up 6 meters!!

If you've nothing particular to say, then pass round quickly to the next 
station, but don't forget to give the reports you've been so diligently 
collecting!  If you cannot remember who is next, feel free to ask the net 
controller to remind you.  When the net gets very busy, it's polite to keep the 
overs short, you'll always get another turn.  The formula is something like:  
'G8PHM on the West Kent net now passing to G4JED'.   This clearly identifies 
the stations handing over, the name of the net and clearly identifies that it's 
not a one to one QSO.  There are many versions - pick one you like.

Don't worry about making a mistake, and remember, it's only radio and it's for 
fun and your enjoyment!


73 Mark G8PHM - Secretary West Kent Amateur Radio Society

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[wkars-announce] Just 8 ticks to 8pm - the quick way onto the West Kent Net! 145.375MHz FM, 8pm/ 2000hrs

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