PATIENCE AND THE NETS -- BY DARYL STOUT, WX4QZ
==============================================

Patience is a virtue, but sometimes, I think that this is rare in
amateur radio...especially in regards to checking into nets.

There is seemingly ALWAYS a pile-up or rush to checkin -- whether on
HF, VHF, UHF, Echolink, Packet, D-Star, D-Rats, etc.; as if certain
ham radio operators feel that "it's the UNPARDONABLE SIN that will
send them to Hell". There is such a sin, but missing checking into a
net, not checking in early, or not in the first group of checkins, is
NOT that sin!!

Ham Radio is a HOBBY -- it should NEVER take priority over church,
family, health, job, or honey-do's -- in the latter case, you could
LOSE that nice new rig that you have your eye on for Christmas (hi hi).

Not all nets do "pre-net" or "early checkins". Some will do them 15
to 30 minutes before the net begins...and sometimes as much as 45
minutes beforehand. It is RARE to have a net start checkins an hour
or more before the net commences.

Remember, the Net Control Station is devoting 1 to 3 hours of their
time before, during, and after the net...so that everything is in
order, for traffic, and logging. And, some Net Controls (like myself)
are involved with nets on a nightly basis...either running them, or
checking into them.

Note that if the checkins are PAUSED at a certain point during the
net, stations need to abide by those instructions from Net Control...
such as if an EMERGENCY TRAFFIC SITUATION develops during the net. If
the checkins are paused as the net starts, if you wait right up until
then to checkin, your checkin will have to WAIT, until the checkins
are resumed. In the cases of Emergency or Priority Traffic, the regular
net schedule, format, etc. goes by the boards, until the Emergency
Situation is resolved.

Emergency or Priority Traffic can break into the net at any time...
and these are LIFE OR DEATH URGENCY to those individuals involved,
such as severe weather warnings...or for "significant weather
advisories". Also, if and when Net Control is asking for announcements,
this is for items such as ham radio license classes, exam sessions,
hamfests, demos, special event stations, question pool updates, etc.

The Emergency or Priority Traffic, or Announcements, does NOT include
details on how your day went, and to invite others to nets. On some
nets, you WILL be called down by Net Control, if you violate this...and
may be banned from the net, or mode itself!!

It's as if some stations feel that "it's an Emergency if they don't
get Priority to pass their traffic first". To me, if you are trying to
check in early, just to see how many nets that you can check into in
an evening (admittedly, several do meet at the same time)...or trying
to see how many prizes, bonuses, awards, certificates that you can get
for doing such, you are doing it for your ego, and are in ham radio for
the wrong reason!! While SOME nets do offer such a certificate, that is
more the EXCEPTION than the rule.

I am NOT going to make an exception for these (thankfully very few)
impatient amateur radio operators...it's as if trying to butt in line
to a sporting event. Try that, and you could be seriously injured or
killed by the anger of others. All of the other checkins patiently wait
their turn to pass traffic, make comments, etc. -- and to these, I say
a hearty THANK YOU!!

So, please be patient on checking into a net, and wait for the
announcement from Net Control, no matter what band or mode...on the
checkins. If you can not be patient in this regard...then you can
either go to another net that is more to your liking...quit checking
into nets entirely...or maybe you should sell your gear, turn in your
amateur radio license, and find a new hobby. Again, there is more to
life than amateur radio, and checking into nets.

Daryl Stout, WX4QZ, Net Control
QCWA CQ100 and D-Star Nets
D-Star Food Net
D-Star Trains And Railroads Net
Arklatex D-Star Net
CERT D-Star Net (1st Thursday, but sometimes more often)
New Mexico D-Star Net (2nd Thursday, but sometimes more often)
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (57:57/10)
■ Synchronet ■ Eye of The Hurricane BBS - hurrican.synchro.net