145 Alive Net Control Guidelines.

These guidelines are as they suggest, for guidance only, and are not edicts from on high.

What’s it all about?

Essentially 145 Alive is a participation event and is designed to generate activity on145 FM Simplex plus 144 SSB and is not a Contest. It was initially established to simply generate activity on the Band. It’s about ACTIVITY.

Who’s it for?

It’s for everyone, all operators, experienced or those who are brand new to Ham Radio. You can operate as a ‘Caller’ or as a ’Net Controller’. As a Caller you simply set up your station from the Home QTH or from somewhere out portable or Mobile and call into a Net that you can hear.

What do I need to take part?

To take part you don’t need anything fancy, you could operate as a caller using a simple inexpensive handheld and just take part. Ok, you may not hear everyone, but undoubtedly, you’ll hear someone and enter into a short QSO.

You can be more sophisticated and set up a bigger station, using a Base station Rig and bigger antenna etc, if you wish. You may hear more Nets and be able to enter a QSO with more ‘Callers’.

As Net Controller again you can do this in a simple way or a more sophisticated one. You will however be well advised to read the following if you are a Net Controller.

What’s A Net?

Let’s start with a Net, what is it? Net, short for “network,” in the context of amateur radio, refers to an organized, scheduled on-air gathering of amateur radio operators, usually facilitated by a designated net control station. 

Joining a 145 Alive net is a great way to connect with other operators, gain on-air experience, and learn more about the amateur radio hobby.

All Nets will be allocated a frequency which will be publicised a week before the event and each Net Controller will operate on that frequency. The frequencies have been allocated to reduce or mitigate interference, but of course local conditions and propagation may determine that the Net must move frequency slightly on the day. But this should be done with other Net proximity in mind.

How do we envisage a 145 Alive Net will run and what might I need as a Net Controller?

As mentioned in the previous paragraph we envisage that the Net Control Controller will facilitate the involvement and interaction of others.

Speaking from experience of running previous Nets. This is what I do….

• Start on time and announce that this is a 145 Alive Net, who I am and the Net location.

• Gather in several initial Callers enough to create an initial Net. (maybe 10-15) more if you are confident.

•  Inform Callers how the Net will operate, i.e. ‘we will start with 10-15 and will ask the first on the list (by Callsign) to make say 2 calls to those that they can hear. Remember, although the Net Control may hear everyone, that doesn’t mean others will.

• It’s important to stress that QSOS should be short and not a Rag chew or people will get bored and leave. Keep it swift and dynamic. Net Controllers should move the Net along.

•  Log all joiners to the Net and ensure that you can (after the event) export that log in ADIF Format to [email protected]. Most logging software will do that and there are lots of logging software generally available.

•  Keep an active list of the name / callsign and Maidenhead location of those callers on the Net. Callers should know their own locator by using https://www.whatsmylocator.co.uk You can record all this using pen and paper or by using logging software to indicate who is current and who has left.

• Progress down your list asking each in turn to make 2/3 calls. Don’t encourage too many calls as people ae waiting to have a go.

• As people leave the Net (ask them to tell you if they are leaving) put a call out for new joiners to the Net. Add them to the list and simply try to maintain an accurate list.

• I try to make a call for new joiners every 20 mins or so.

As a Net Controller.

• Keep it friendly at all times. 

• You should not feature in all QSO’s in fact you are there to facilitate the interaction of others. Its not a chance to rake up as many QSO’s as you can.

• You may find some callers simply want to log into the Net and move on to see if they can log into other Nets. That’s fine if that’s what they want to do, but there will be just as many who stay for a while and then leave and some that will stay throughout the whole event. All are welcome.

ABOVE ALL ELSE!!

This should be a fun exercise aimed at generating activity on 145 FM and 144 SSB. All activity is good. Stay Safe and Enjoy it.

Any further advice contact [email protected]

Mark (M0XIC) and John (M0XJA)