Weekly Net - what mode/freq/time/day?

[buxyrk]

This thread is for discussing the mode, frequencies (or atleast band), times and days for a weekly net if we get enough interest.

Here is the link for posting if you are interested in joining. viewtopic.php?f=42&t=73428

Here is the connundrum. We have multiple people in varying locations with varying privileges and varying equipment and capabilities and varying availability and varying timezones. Therefore my 2 cents is that we cannot make everyone happy with any one choice.

So here is my broad suggestion: We alternate bands, modes, and even times and days if necessary. We could do ssb one week, psk31 another, cw another, 40 meters one week, 17 another, 10 another, even throw in echolink from time to time, for those who only have 2 meter rigs. If we end up having enough interest in packet, I would suggest having 2 nets a week, one for packet and the other for ssb.


This is an example of what I think it might look like.
wk1. 40M ssb 11pm EST Sat
wk2. 17M ssb 10pm EST Sun Echolink 4pm EST SAT
wk3. 10M ssb 10pm EST Sat
wk4. 20M psk31 11pm EST Sun Echolink 4pm EST SAT

For a 2 net per week example (if we actually get to that point.)
wk1. 40M ssb 11pm EST Sat 10M PSK31 10pm EST Sun
wk2. 20M PSK31 11pm EST SUN 17M ssb 10pm EST Sun Echolink 4pm EST SAT
wk3. 10M ssb 10pm EST Sat 40M psk31 11pm EST Sun
wk4. 17M psk31 10pm EST SUN 20M ssb 11pm EST Sun Echolink 4pm EST SAT

Please keep in mind that no one would expect everyone to check in to all of these, thats why they alternate, so that hopefully most people could check in atleast half the time with the equipment they already have.

Anyways, that is my 2 cents, please critique/offer your own ideas, I just made these examples up in the last 15 minutes.



EDIT: also if anyone knows of a repeater that wouldnt mind us taking it over from time to time via echolink, please post it.

[Medic77]

I think that sounds like a good workable possibility for a Net schedule. As an alternative, I would also like to suggest maybe an East Coast Net and a West Coast Net either on the same day or on separate days.

And for ZS events or other meet-ups there could be an assigned ZSARC "talk-in" frequency so that everyone knows in advance which frequency everyone will be on.

[gary in ohio]

This is an example of what I think it might look like.
wk1. 40M ssb 11pm EST Sat
wk2. 17M ssb 10pm EST Sun Echolink 4pm EST SAT
wk3. 10M ssb 10pm EST Sat
wk4. 20M psk31 11pm EST Sun Echolink 4pm EST SAT

For a 2 net per week example (if we actually get to that point.)
wk1. 40M ssb 11pm EST Sat 10M PSK31 10pm EST Sun
wk2. 20M PSK31 11pm EST SUN 17M ssb 10pm EST Sun Echolink 4pm EST SAT
wk3. 10M ssb 10pm EST Sat 40M psk31 11pm EST Sun
wk4. 17M psk31 10pm EST SUN 20M ssb 11pm EST Sun Echolink 4pm EST SAT


Keep in mind that 10,17 and 20m Are going to be pretty worthless bands at 10/11pm for anything but local communications.
40m might work, but your going to have to fight with the big broadcasters. YOu might do some testing on 80m.

[American_Infidel]

Gary took the words out of my mouth.
When playing on the radio, I hang out on 28.120 for a while and haven't heard anything on in a few weeks now. Even 20m is closing down at sunset.
40m below 7.200 ain't too bad nowadays since most of the BC stations have moved.
80m is quieter this time of year than it is in summer and is nice to play around on at night.

[Noven]

Im game, but I got only a Tech ticket.

[buxyrk]

I think that sounds like a good workable possibility for a Net schedule. As an alternative, I would also like to suggest maybe an East Coast Net and a West Coast Net either on the same day or on separate days.

And for ZS events or other meet-ups there could be an assigned ZSARC "talk-in" frequency so that everyone knows in advance which frequency everyone will be on.

Unsolicited comments: We might want to split nets East Coast/West Coast nets by two hours. Weeknights might be best to avoid contests, etc.
Regardless, I'm in.

Doing 2 seperate nets, one for east and one for west coast sounds good to me. Nothing says you cant check in to both if youre bored and good propagation.
I'm fine with doing weeknights, especially since it wouldn't have to be so late having two different regions.
As far as ZS talk in freq, I think its a good idea, It's just as easy as arbitrarily picking a frequency that is not commonly used for repeaters. Though it may change from location to location if somebody has a repeater up on that freq.

Keep in mind that 10,17 and 20m Are going to be pretty worthless bands at 10/11pm for anything but local communications.
40m might work, but your going to have to fight with the big broadcasters. YOu might do some testing on 80m.

Gary took the words out of my mouth.
When playing on the radio, I hang out on 28.120 for a while and haven't heard anything on in a few weeks now. Even 20m is closing down at sunset.
40m below 7.200 ain't too bad nowadays since most of the BC stations have moved.
80m is quieter this time of year than it is in summer and is nice to play around on at night.

See, this is where my lack of activity in hf is hurting me. What bands and times would yall suggest? The suggestion I made was more or less arbitrary just to get ideas going.



EDIT: Being realistic, In all likelihood, we probably wont get an hf net going until after new years, life for most if not all of us will be too busy with family and christmas, So, as we continue to iron out the details, lets try to get a couple echolink nets between now and then. I think it would be great practice and we were already wanting to do them in addition to the hf nets on atleast a semi-regular time frame to involve those without hf privileges.

To Recap:
1. Continue ironing out hf net schedule
2. We need an repeater whose locals wouldnt mind us barging in and doing a net every now and again, any suggestions?
3. Does anyone have any experience running a net, Ill try my hand at it if no one else wants it, but I've never ran one. Its not hard though.

[American_Infidel]

See, this is where my lack of activity in hf is hurting me. What bands and times would yall suggest? The suggestion I made was more or less arbitrary just to get ideas going.

If it gonna be in the late evening, I'd suggest trying 40m first. Something between 7.175 and 7.200. That portion of the band is open to General class holders for SSB communications and is below where the majority of the BC stations moved to (above 7.200).

[Snipe]

I am sure we can get a sub channel on the IRLP western reflector if we ask. Also I like the one net per month per mode and we can cover techs generals and extras.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[Doctor Jest]

I would like to get some kind of activity going on this. Maybe we could start small, and try an east/west net, perhaps on 40 m. I'm not set up for 80 m, but I am okay on 40 m.

[American_Infidel]

I call a 2m net tonight at 8 pm CST, should be GTG after the net (830-845 CST) if you wanna have a go tonight.

[Doctor Jest]

Tonight is not good for me. I have to make up a test (coincidentally, on EM waves) for one of my classes.

[ke4yqd]

OK. Let’s cover some specific problems with a net.

HF is great. I love HF. However, it presents some unique challenges.

1)HF needs ANTENNAS. Not some hamstick bolted to your chimney. ¼ wave is a good start, and are easy to build. I can put instructions on how to build a multiband “Fan Dipole” that can be built for less than $40. It can be made to cover most sets of bands (10-15-20-40-80 is pretty common) and are easy. However you need space. Like 120’ in the horizontal axis, and at least 40’ vertically. So if you are living in an apartment you can’t even think about something like this.

2)Conditions are better on the higher bands during the day, and better on the lower bands at night. The higher bands tend to cover the states better, as it skips more, but the timing is wrong (everyone is at work). The lower bands cover broader areas nicely, but SKIP LARGE AREAS. I ran a net on 3.982.5 for 3 years and would have local checkins and east coast checkins. But nothing in the middle. However with a more excited ionosphere during the day, low bands can cover those areas. Go figure, still at a time that doesn’t work.


3)Digital modes work like gangbusters on HF at night, the only issue there would be the amount of people that are running digi-modes. We could say, buy this radio and this controller if you want to participate in the nets, but that would be a little extreme. Everyone’s situation is different and not everyone can buy the equipment for digi-modes.

VHF / UHF is right out, without linking. This would not be an issue with ECHOLINK, providing users are on PCs and or receive permission from their local repeater trustee to connect to a node for a net. IRLP requires specialized equipment which makes it less desirable to try to organize.

For simple nets I think Echolink is the best way to go, as you don’t need special permissions like using IRLP, unless everyone wants to dual boot their PCs with linux. Echolink is easily accessible and can be downloaded, installed, and working in several min. It can also be used on Android, and IPhone devices. However in an emergency it is not the best mode. But I am sure we all have our own nets to run in the event of an actual emergency.

I live in Omaha Nebraska, and have good results on 40m. I also have a lot of free time and can run a net, if we can find some interest. The comments made about 7.175-7.200 are spot on, and if it is run on 40, that is where it should be!


So, What nights, and what times would be best.

[ke4yqd]

I put this up in a different post, and think it would do as well here.

I will be on 7.190 + / - depending on activity at 0200z - 0215z (2000-2015 central) every day for the next 7 days. KE4YQD in OMAHA Nebraska.

15 Feb 2011 on 7.190 RIGHT NOW!!!
kd8hdk vernon on 7.188
Then a whole bunch of DX hunters kicked in around 10 after. But I heard both east and west coast, and into Cnanananada.
We'll do this again tomorrow and see how it goes! Make sure to identify with Zobmie Squad!

16 Feb 2011 Same plan!
Sorry, got drunk, and forgot.

17 Feb 2011 7.1885!! right now
no one heard

18 Feb 2011 7.190 RIGHT NOW!!

[cd45]

I know that I am coming in a little late but, here we go. We need a net, at least once a week. I get on one a couple of times a week on 80M. It is on 3.916 LSB.
I am capable of 10M-15M-20M-40M-and 80M. Let's get this going. I would like to talk to all of you on the radio instead of the comp.

[JeffMurdock86]

we ever going to start a weekly net?

[nk14zp]

Any one ever get a net going?

[zommoz10]

Should just do it over echolink or maybe dstar.
Problem solved.

[Grant]

Unrelated to making a new one, there is a preparedness net on 3.818 at 9 p.m. EST on Sunday. I only have a THF6A, but I listen in by hanging a wire from a tree. Works great and last Sunday learned a great deal about REAL off-grid construction from several people who have been living like that for some time. I don't have any HF equipment despite being an Extra, but, like those who are Techs, there's no harm in listening in.

[ke4yqd]

We have had a net on echolink in the past. I've been out of the loop since field day, so I'm just getting back on top of things.

Echolink U-NODE reflector so that we can join up IRLP-enabled stations as well. Please join Echolink conference U-NODE or join via IRLP channel 9669 if able on Sundays around 18:30 Central time, so like 0030Z.

I would get a hold of NOAM and ask her as she is the Prez and would know if they are still doing the net!!!

I just handle money, of which, there is none.

[zombieresponder]

I'd be game, but I haven't even powered up my TS450. Going to pick up a few more bits to build an antenna today.

[yale]

Tuning 40 meters right now. Anyone on the air?
de KC5SAS