New Weekly Net Times and Format Clarification

[KT2T - Mike Oliver]

Hey folks, just a note to let you know that, pursuant to the poll taken during the February 2009 club meeting, the weekly radio net time has changed from 19:30 to 19:00 start time beginning this week.  This time change will stand for the foreseeable future.

As far as the format goes, I am not going to impose my views about the suffix-only check-in method on anyone.  If you prefer to run the net by only asking for the suffix then that's fine with me.  If you prefer to ask for the entire call then that's fine as well.  The important part is to be clear up-front when you start running the net and announce to all participants the format you prefer.  If you don't know the full call of the majority of participants then simply hearing the suffix may not be sufficient to log the check-in and you will have to ask for the full call to complete the log entry.  On the other hand, I can see where suffix-only check-ins can save some time for experienced Net Control operators.  Either way, I would ask that the Net Control op do what is most comfortable for themselves and not be governed by what works best for someone else.  The informality of our net will allow you to test either style and become familiar with one or both, so take advantage of this opportunity.

For those of you checking in to the weekly net, please respect the wishes of the Net Control op and supply your call in the format requested, either full or suffix-only, and most importantly, please use phonetics (slowly, and repeat) if requested by your Net Control.  While it is a somewhat informal net, it is still managed by a designated Net Control op and the wishes of that op need to be adhered to as much as possible.  Remember, some folks are new to the Net Control op chair and/or they may be slow writers and/or may have difficulty hearing you for a variety of reasons, so please be respectful of their wishes for running the net.  Checking to ensure you aren't doubling with another operator will also ease the burden on Net Control by avoiding unnecessary requests to repeat check-ins.

Thanks folks, it's a pleasure serving you as net manager.

73,
Mike Oliver, KT2T