Nets and Net Control

Turn on a local repeater some weeknight and there is a good chance you will hear one station reading a short welcome, then calling for check-ins. Another station answers, then another, and soon a dozen people have said hello. That is a net, and it is one of the easiest ways for a new ham to get on the air without worrying about what to say.

Nets come in many flavors, from relaxed club gatherings to message-handling networks that practice for disasters. This article covers how they work, how to check in, and what it takes to sit in the net control chair yourself.

Directed and Open Nets

A directed net has a net control station, often called NCS or just net control, who decides who talks and when. You check in when invited, you wait to be recognized, and if you want to speak with another station you ask net control first. This keeps a busy frequency orderly, and it is the normal format for traffic and emergency nets.

An open net, sometimes called an informal net, is looser. There may still be someone who opens and closes it, but stations take turns on their own, much like a round table. Many social and hobby nets work this way. If you are not sure which kind you have found, listen for a few minutes: if one voice keeps calling stations by name, treat it as directed.

Kinds of Nets

• Social Nets: Club and repeater nets where people check in, share news and chat. These are the friendliest place to start.
• Traffic Nets: Nets that pass formal written messages, called radiograms, from station to station. ARRL’s National Traffic System links local, section, region and area nets for this purpose.
• Emergency and Training Nets: Nets run by groups such as ARES to practice, or to support served agencies during storms and other events.
• Special-Interest Nets: Nets for a mode, a band, a kind of equipment, a hobby, or a group of people with something in common.

If formal messages interest you, our guide on how to send a radiogram walks through the message format that traffic nets use.

Finding a Net

Your local club is the best first stop, since most clubs list their nets on a website or newsletter. Repeater owners often post a weekly net schedule as well. Our page on clubs and nets has more on finding a club near you.

ARRL keeps an online Net Directory at arrl.org, which lists registered nets, mainly in the United States and Canada, with a focus on traffic and emergency nets. Schedules change, so treat any listing as a lead and confirm it by listening at the posted time.

How to Check In

1. Listen from the start so you hear the preamble and know how this net takes check-ins.
2. Wait until net control calls for check-ins, or for your group, such as mobile stations or stations with traffic.
3. Press the mic, pause a moment, and say your callsign clearly, using phonetics if the net asks for them.
4. Add only what the script asks for, such as your name, your location or whether you have traffic.
5. Release the mic and listen. Net control will acknowledge you and may come back to you later for comments.

Being a good check-in is mostly about patience. Keep your turn short, stay on the subject, and let net control run the show. If you need to leave early, ask to be excused so net control can update the list. Remember that you still have to identify with your own callsign at least every 10 minutes and at the end of your communication, as Part 97 requires.

What Net Control Does

Net control is part host, part traffic officer. The job is to keep the net moving, make every station feel welcome, and keep the frequency usable. A good net control speaks slowly and plainly and never makes a newcomer feel rushed.

• Open and Close: Read the preamble, identify the net and the station, and close the net on time.
• Keep the Log: Write down every check-in, including weak stations heard through a relay.
• Take Turns in Order: Recognize stations one at a time and give each a fair share.
• Handle Priority Traffic: Stop everything for emergency traffic. The rules require every operator to give priority to stations providing emergency communications.
• Be a Good Neighbor: No frequency is assigned to anyone for exclusive use, so check that it is clear before starting, and be gracious if another group was there first.

Scripts and Preambles

Most nets use a written script so that any trained operator can run them the same way. The opening part, the preamble, tells listeners what the net is and how it works. A typical script covers these points, in roughly this order:

• The net’s name, its purpose and the net control’s callsign.
• A call for any emergency or priority traffic first.
• A short description of how to check in.
• Calls for check-ins, sometimes by group or by area.
• Announcements, then a round of comments from each station.
• A last call for late check-ins, a thank-you and the closing identification.

A script is not a cage. It is there so you never have to wonder what comes next, which frees you to listen to the stations.

Running Your First Net

Check in to the net you want to run for several weeks first, so you know its regulars and its habits. Then tell the net manager you would like to try. Many clubs are glad to add a new name to the rotation.

Before your night, print the script and have a pen and a log sheet ready. Arrange for an experienced operator to listen and help with relays. Test your station a few minutes early, start on time, and speak a little slower than feels natural. If you lose track, it is fine to say so and ask stations to repeat. Everyone on the frequency started out exactly where you are.