MID-COAST ARES NET

Operations Procedure

GUIDELINES:

Approximately one minute prior to Net time, Net Control should ask,

 Is this repeater in use? Then, Does anyone needs to use this repeater before we start the Mid-Coast ARES Net?

(In the case of the KS1R 147.21 repeater, make sure that the voice over Internet link is secured before starting the net.)

When the repeater is clear, make the following announcement to start the net:

All stations this net, all stations this net, this is your call, your net control station this evening, establishing the MID-COAST ARES NET. The purpose of this Net is to provide a trained group of Amateur Radio volunteers to support Cumberland, Sagadahoc and Lincoln Counties when needed, plus the exchange of Amateur related information, message traffic and bulletins.

This is a directed net. 

All stations entering the net shall do so with their call sign only.  Provisions will be made for comments when the net is declared informal.

Any station wishes to leave the net should do so by requesting to secure their station.

 Now proceed with the net in the following order:

·         Is there any Emergency traffic? (note call sign and ask), what is your emergency?  Clear all emergency traffic before continuing with net proceedings.  If none, proceed to next announcement.

·         Calling any stations with traffic or bulletins. Acknowledge all announced traffic and bulletins requests and advise that you will be right back with them to get their listings.

·         Are there any mobile or portable stations? (If there is, place them at the start of the informal comment list)

·         Take the traffic and bulletins listings and clear them before starting the roll call. If none, start the member roll-call with the mobile and portables first. State, We will now start with the roll-call.

·         After completion of the roll-call, announce, are there any stations wishing to join the Mid-Coast ARES Net, call sign please. Add the new or late check-ins to the end of the comment rotation.

·         Now declare, we are now entering the informal portion of the net. Go down the list of check-ins for comments.

·         Periodically in the comment rotation take a break and ask for new or late check-ins.

Closing the Net:

After everyone has had a chance to comment and there is no further net business, it is time to close the net.  Make the following announcement:

This is net control your call sign, closing the Mid-Coast ARES Net at (local time). We want to thank all of you for participating in tonight's net.  We also want to thank the Merrymeeting Amateur Radio Association for making this repeater available. This repeater is now returned to normal operations. Your call sign Clear