Sounds good Tom, thank, and thanks to others who have replied with ideas
off-line. I remember seeing something about the net, so that is
probably the link you are talking about. I will catch his next
announcement. I try to catch the early net, but get busy, and then too
late for the later one. Getting tired and head isn't on straight.
David Wilburn
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
K4DGW
K2 #5982
Tom Hammond wrote:
Hi David:
I have been working at improving my CW skills for what seems a very
long time. I have not checked into a CW net, and I would like to
check into ECN, but it is admittedly difficult here from the right
coast. I have listened one time and was a bit overwhelmed with trying
to copy, understand, and figure out what I needed to do.
I have looked at traffic net protocols, and I understand that practice
will improve understanding. Is it possible to have a script somewhere
of what will happen, so us newbies / slowpokes can follow along, and
try to figure out when to send out our call?
I thought Kevin offered something along this line on the web site he
references at the end of each weekly ECN announcement...
Shoot...! Thought I had a copy of his last announcement, but must have
dumped it.
My plan would be to listen to the 20m net, and then try to stay awake
and attempt to check in on the 40m net. Rig is K2/100 w/80m loop. So
main handicap is the operator.
In general, we have a main NCS (Net Control Station), who is Kevin
KD5ONS. After he picks up as many stations as he can easily find, he'll
usually try to turn things over to me (N0SS, in the midwest) for a
second shot.
The general call is "CQ ECN DE {call} QNI? K", "CQ ECN EAST DE {call}
QNI? K" or something very similar to that.
As soon as the "K" is sent, we are listening for stations wishing to QNI
(check in) to send a 'hail sign', usually one or two characters from
their callsign (such as "DG", if you were attempting to QNI).
When the NCS hears the hail from another station he will respond to that
station by sending back the hail which he heard (or which he THINKS he
heard). That's all... usually no other response from NCS.
If you hear the NCS respond with your hail, that's your cue to send "DE
K4DGW David in FL Kx (fill in the Elecraft model #) NR (fill in your
serial #) K".
Assuming NCS gets all of your info, he will acknowledge you and welcome
you to the net, possibly asking for more comments or info. Otherwise,
you will often be asked to stand by with the "AS" prosign, or you may be
allowed to check out as well.
If the NCS does NOT copy your info, he may ask YOU for a repeat, or may
ask someone else to relay (QSP or QNB) is possible.
If you are trying to QNI at the first of the net, when there may be many
other stations trying to QNI as well, you may be well down in the 'pile'
of callers, so it may take a while for the NCS to dig down to you. BE
PATIENT, and PERSISTENT! Wait for the next call for check-ins and try
again! Repeat as required unless it's obvious that the NCS is not
hearing you. We TRY to pick up all callers, but sometimes we just cannot
pull everyone out of the noise (summertime QRN out here in the midwest
often runs S7-S9, even on a 'quiet' night. If I don't get any responses
to calls for QNI, I will usually ask for any relays of stations I can't
hear.
When I am NCSing, I try to set my character speed at 20 WPM with added
spacing between characters, for an equivalent speed of about 15-16 WPM.
If that speed is too fast for you, feel free to send at whatever speed
is comfy for you and we will try to match YOUR sending speed. If we
don't BE SURE to ask for a QRS... no dishonor in asking that!!!
Hope this helps a bit.
73,
Tom Hammond N0SS
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