CW and CW NCS Tutorials

CW Net Overview and Etiquette

County hunting exists because there are mobiles that will operate from counties where few or no hams live.  The mobiles spend considerable time and expense operating under less than ideal conditions, often stopping to put out counties on needed bands and modes.  They deserve a measure of help, respect and appreciation from the fixed stations.

Net suggestions to help the mobile:

  1. The first station to work the mobile should announce the mobile’s call and county to others on the net minimizing confusion.
  2. Help the mobile with relays at the end of the run, if desired by the mobile.
  3. Do not treat the mobile like a rare DX station.  Not all mobiles are expert CW operators and they may be driven away by the behavior of the fixed stations.
  4. Encourage and tolerate newcomers who may in time become competent and regular mobiles.

Examples of net operation:

The following scenarios are done with an overview, text explanation, and accompanying CW that can be heard demonstrating the net operation.  Stations acting as net control stations (NCS) may operate in a slightly different manner than the scenarios.  There are no NCS schedules or requirements and all are welcome to help.  All the scenarios are done at a speed of 20 WPM and different pitches have been used to distinguish the stations in the exchanges.

  1. NCS checking for mobiles on an active net and there are no mobiles ready.
  2. NCS wishes to check for mobiles but is unsure of the usage of the frequency.
  3. NCS checking for mobiles on an active net and there is 1 mobile ready.
  4. NCS checking for mobiles on an active net and there are 2 mobiles ready.
  5. There is a mobile ready and an NCS or other station steps up to help.
  6. The mobile has completed the run and is asking NCS for help with relays.
  7. The NCS gives a relay and asks for additional help.
  8. The NCS finishes the run.

Scenario 1:

NCS checking for mobiles on an active net and there are no mobiles ready.

Players:

NCS: W0QE (medium pitch)

Dialog:

NCS:CHN DE W0QE ANY /M QRV? (pause)
County Hunter's Net this is W0QE. Are there any mobiles ready? Pause.

NCS:NIL QSX
Nothing heard and standing by on frequency.

 

Click here to play the scenario

Scenario 2:

The NCS wishes to check for mobiles but is unsure of the usage of the frequency.

Players:

NCS: K2NJ (medium pitch)

Dialog:

NCS:QNF? (pause) QRL? (pause)
Is the net frequency busy? Pause. Is the frequency busy? Pause.

NCS:CHN K2NJ ANY /M QRV? (pause)
County Hunter's Net this is K2NJ. Are there any mobiles ready? Pause.

NCS:NIL QNF K2NJ
Nothing heard, net is not active, and NCS probably leaving the frequency.

Click here to play the scenario

Scenario 3:

NCS checking for mobiles on an active net and there is 1 mobile ready.

Players:

NCS: W0QE (medium pitch)
Mobile: W0GXQ (high pitch)

Dialog:

NCS:CHN DE W0QE ANY /M QRV? (pause)
County Hunter's Net this is W0QE. Are there any mobiles ready? Pause.

Mobile:W0GXQ QRV
W0GXQ ready to go.

NCS:W0GXQ NR1 ANY OTHER /M QRV? (pause) W0GXQ UR 579
W0GXQ, you are the number 1 mobile.Check for other mobiles and none heard.Give W0GXQ a 579 signal report.

Mobile:579 UR 599 CASS ND
W0GXQ acknowledges the 579 and returns a 599(5NN) and says he is in Cass, ND.

NCS:599 CHN DE W0QE HAVE W0GXQ CASS ND PSE GA
Acknowledge the 599(5NN). County Hunter’s Net this is W0QE, we have W0GXQ in Cass, ND and tell him to go ahead with run.

Click here to play the scenario

Scenario 4:

NCS checking for mobiles on an active net and there are 2 mobiles ready.

Players:

NCS: W0QE (medium pitch)
Mobile#1: W0GXQ (high pitch)
Mobile#2: N9JF (low pitch)

Dialog:

NCS:CHN DE W0QE ANY /M QRV? (pause)
County Hunter's Net this is W0QE. Are there any mobiles ready? Pause.

Mobile#1:W0GXQ QRV
W0GXQ ready to go.

NCS:W0GXQ NR1 ANY OTHER /M QRV? (pause)
W0GXQ, you are the number 1 mobile.Check for other mobiles.

Mobile#2:N9JF
N9JF also ready to go.

NCS:N9JF NR2 QSY OR QRX?
N9JF you are not next to run.Do you wish to run off frequency or wait?

Mobile#2:QSY UP2 PIATT IL UR 559
N9JF says he will run up 2 KHz, HE IS IN Piatt, IL and gives the NCS a signal report.

NCS:559 UR 579 CHN HAVE N9JF PIATT IL UP2
Acknowledges 559 report and gives N9JF a 559 report. County Hunter’s Net, we have N9JF Paitt IL to run up 2 KHz.

(here N9JF may insert a quick 559 acknowledgment)

NCS:W0GXQ UR 579
Give W0GXQ a 579 signal report.

Mobile#1:W0QE DE W0GXQ 579 UR 599 CASS ND
W0GXQ acknowledges the 579 and returns a 599 and says he is in Cass, ND.

NCS:599 CHN DE W0QE HAVE W0GXQ CASS ND PSE GA
Acknowledge the 599. County Hunter’s Net this is W0QE, we have W0GXQ in Cass, ND and tell him to go ahead with run.

Click here to play the scenario

Scenario 5:

There is a mobile ready and an NCS or other station steps up to help.

Players:

NCS: W0QE (medium pitch)
Mobile: W0GXQ (high pitch)

Dialog:

Mobile:QNF?
County Hunter's Net this is W0QE. Are there any mobiles ready? Pause.

NCS:QNF W0QE
Net is not in use this is W0QE. (Do not reply with QNF or GA.Have the respect for the mobile to give your call and announce mobile.)

Mobile:W0GXQ CASS ND QRV UR 599
W0GXQ, Cass, ND ready to go and gives a 599(5NN) report.

NCS:599 ALSO 599 CHN HAVE W0GXQ CASS ND PSE GA
Acknowledge the 599(5NN) and returns a 599(5NN). County Hunter’s Net, we have W0GXQ in Cass, ND and tell him to go ahead with run.

Click here to play the scenario

Scenario 6:

The mobile has completed the run and is asking NCS for help with relays.

Players:

NCS: W0QE (medium pitch)
Mobile: W0GXQ (high pitch)

Dialog:

Mobile:QRZ (pause) W0QE QSP PSE
W0GXQ sends last QRZ of the run and asks W0QE specifically for relays.He could also just say QSP? And then would have to pick who to do the relays.

NCS:CHN QSP FOR W0GXQ CASS ND QSP? (pause)
County Hunter's Net doing relays for W0GXQ in Cass, ND. Relays come now.

Click here to play the scenario

Scenario 7:

The NCS gives a relay and asks for additional help.

Players:

NCS: W0QE (medium pitch)
Mobile: W0GXQ (high pitch)
QSP: N2OCW (low pitch)

Dialog:

NCS: QSP? (pause)
Asks for next relay.

QSP: N2OCW
N2OCW wants a relay.

NCS: N2OCW RST
Tells N2OCW to send report.

QSP: 339 339 339
N2OCW sends a 339 report.

NCS: K
Tells mobile that N2OCW has sent report.

Mobile: 339 UR 559 559 559
Acknowledges the 339 and sends a 559.
   (A mobile may send 339 To confirm the report with the NCS.
The NCS would respond with a R or C (roger or correct).
The mobile would then send the report.)

NCS: K
Tells the QSP station that the mobile has sent report.

QSP: 559
N2OCW acknowledges 559.

NCS: GUD QSP? (pause)
NCS verifies contact good and looks for another relay.

NCS: QSP? (pause)
NCS asks again for another relay.

NCS: ANY HEAR QSP? (pause)
NCS asks if any one else wishes to check or hears a station looking for a relay.

NCS: W0GXQ PSE LC
NCS tells W0GXQ to take a last call.

Click here to play the scenario

Scenario 8:

The NCS finishes the run.

Players:

NCS: W0QE (medium pitch)

Dialog:

NCS:CHN RAN W0GXQ CASS ND QSY 20M NEXT BARNES ND DE W0QE ANY /M QRV? (pause)
County Hunter's Net W0GXQ Cass ND now going to 20m, next county is Barnes ND. (If the mobile indicates what is next the NCS usually passes that info on to those who may not have copied.) This is W0QE and are there any mobiles ready? Pause.

NCS:NIL QSX
Nothing heard and standing by on frequency.

Click here to play the scenario



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Announce the mobiles
County hunting is about helping each other regardless of band or mode. Simply announcing a station that wants to run is a huge benefit to all and best of all it is not hard. While you are at it please spot the station on one of the spotting nets.