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Toccoa Amateur Radio Society

2 Meter Net Manual

Revised: July 1, 2007

Original author:
Current revision by: Holt Rogers, Fred Rickman, Bill Graham

1. Introduction
1.1. The Toccoa Amateur Radio Society 2 Meter Net is composed of FCC licensed Amateur Radio Operators who have volunteered their time in order to serve in the event of an emergency.
1.2. Communications are furnished without compensation of any kind as stated in the FCC regulations.
1.3. The Toccoa Amateur Radio Society 2 Meter Net is under the direction of the Net Manager and supported by the Toccoa Amateur Radio Society.
1.4. In the event of an emergency, this net will be activated by the Net Manager or a Net Control Station and/or even by a Toccoa Amateur Radio Society member.
2. Purpose
2.1. The purpose of this manual is to provide a written guide containing the information concerning this net.
2.2. The primary responsibility of the Toccoa Amateur Radio Society 2 Meter Net is to furnish communications in the event of an emergency.
2.3. All drills, training and instruction shall be carried out to insure readiness to respond quickly in providing effective amateur radio emergency communications whenever an occasion may arise.
2.4. The four main purposes of this net are:
1) Emergency Communications 3) Information
2) Pass Traffic 4) Fellowship
3. Drills/Alert-Test/SET’s
3.1. The Toccoa Amateur Radio Society 2 Meter Net that meets on Monday and Thursday nights at 8:00pm local time on 145.250 PL Tone 71.9 (TARS Repeater) is considered a training drill.
3.2. All unannounced Alert-Test will be held twice a year for the preparation and readiness of this net.
3.2.1. The Alert-Test net will only be a check-in net. This Alert-Test net will NOT have a rag chew portion! ONLY check-in will be accepted.
3.2.2. Participants in the Alert-Test net should check-in by calling Net Control, next drop his/her carrier, give his/her Call Sign, and Location, then wait for further instructions.
3.3. Simulated Emergency Test (SET) – is a once a year emergency preparedness net that is held for the purpose of training amateur radio operators to be more proficient in operating in an emergency.
3.3.1. An emergency situation is first given to the net, then a Net Control Station for the Toccoa Amateur Radio Society 2 Meter Net will activate the net.
3.3.2. Once the net is activated, Net Control will give the simulated emergency situation and instructions, then Net Control will start taking check-ins. Next Net Control will take, pass and/or coordinate SET traffic (relating to the simulated emergency). From then on Net Control should take check-ins periodically. When Net Control has coordinated all the traffic that was presented to the net and has received all the check-ins he/she can get; Net Control will secure the net.
3.3.3. Participants of the SET should state before and after each transmission “This is a drill”.
4. Net Frequency
4.1. The Toccoa Amateur Radio Society 2 Meter Net frequency is 145.250 Pl Tone 71.9. The TARS repeater is located on Currahee Mountain.
4.2. In times of repeater failure and ONLY in times of repeater failure, 145.250 simplex will be used and then be considered the main frequency. Also available is repeater 442.500 PL Tone 88.5. This repeater belongs to a TARS Club member and is available for use at any time.
4.3. In times of repeater failure, the Net Manager may also get permission from another repeater group to operate the net on a temporary basis on their frequency until the Toccoa repeater is back in operation.
5. Duties of Net Control Stations
5.1. Net Control is responsible for calling the net on his/her assigned net day. If he/she is unable to call the net for some reason, he/she should FIRST call his/her alternate Net Control Station. In the event the alternate Net Control Station cannot be contacted, then the scheduled net control station should contact the Net Manager.
5.2. AFTER roll call and BEFORE the rag chew portion of the net, Net Control should FIRST get formal traffic out of the way, NEXT get the announcements, THEN get the informals (informal traffic).
5.3. Formal Traffic: When Net Control has a station with traffic, he/she should first list the traffic. After roll call, Net Control should call for any station that could handle that piece of traffic (when making the call indicate where the traffic is going. Ex. “Is there anyone who could handle traffic for Winder, GA”…). If Net Control cannot get anyone to handle that piece of traffic, have the station that had listed it to stand-by in case later during the net you have a check-in that could take it.
5.4. Announcements: A formal announcement would be any important information, such as Test Sessions, Hamfests, etc. When a station gives a formal announcement, he/she should give an announcement number at the end of his/her announcement. Most of the time this number can be assigned by using the current date. Ex. 5-1-07A, 5-1-07-1, 5-1A or 5-1-1. Net Control cannot assign an Announcement Number. However, he/she can suggest one and then confirm it with the station listing the announcement. When there is an informal announcement listed, an announcement Number is not needed.
5.5. Informal traffic (informals): Once Net Control has taken care of formal traffic and announcements, let stations wishing to conduct informals call their station.
5.6. In the event Net Control is in the rag chew portion of the net and formal or informal traffic or announcements are listed in this portion, they take priority over comments. Therefore Net Control should give them precedence before continuing with the rag chew.
5.7. Net Manager’s Report: Before Net Control secures the net, he/she should give a net report to the Net Manager. This net report should consist of the date, net number (this number is used in order to keep a record of total T.A.R.S. 2 Meter Nets), total amount of check-ins, amount of traffic handled, and total number of announcements listed. A net report will be counted as one piece of traffic.
5.7.1. Net reports: If the Net Manager is not around when Net Control gets ready to give the net report, it is Net Controls responsibility to give it to the Net Manager when he/she checks-in or calls the next net.
5.8. The Net Control should identify the net periodically during net time.
5.9. Any Net Control or member of the Toccoa Amateur Radio Society, who, for any reason, suspects a communications emergency exists, should notify the Net Manager by telephone or radio to inform him/her of the matter.
5.9.1. The Net Control or member who is first aware and has every reason to believe life or property is in danger, should go ahead and activate the Toccoa Amateur Radio Society 2 Meter Net.
5.9.1.1. A station taking responsibility as Net Control in this event should activate the net as quickly as possible.
5.9.1.2. The net control should record all communications in a log, including: call signs, location, type of traffic, the date, time, etc. and all logs, messages, etc. MUSTBE SIGNED BY NAME, CALL SIGN OF NET CONTROL AND DATED WITH CURRENT DATE.
5.9.1.3. Stations checked into the net DO NOT need to transmit UNLESS the station has Emergency or Priority traffic or can offer assistance in the matter at hand.
5.9.1.4. Net Control should secure the net as quickly as possible ONLY if ALL Emergency and Priority communications DO NOT exist.
5.9.1.5. The Net Control’s job during a communications emergency is to supervise and coordinate all communications being passed.
6. Responsibilities of the Net Manager
6.1. To obtain all net reports.
6.2. To schedule Net Control Stations.
6.3. To assign an Assistant Net Manager in his/her absence (to assign responsibilities to members of the Toccoa Amateur Radio Society 2 Meter Net on a temporary basis).
6.4. To hold net meetings in order to keep his/her net staff (consisting of Net Control Stations) informed of plans, etc.
6.5. To inform the Toccoa Amateur Radio Society on the net.
6.6. To direct the net in a manner for the best interest of the Toccoa Amateur Radio Society.
7. Net Procedures
7.1. Clear all communications through Net Control.
7.2. When checking-in, call Net Control, then drop your carrier, next give your call sign, name, location, and indicate whether or not you have traffic, announcements or informals, and whether or not you will be around for the rag chew portion of the net.
7.2.1. If you have no traffic, announcements or informals then indicate by one negative and if you have no rag chew or cannot remain for the rag chew indicate with a second negative.
7.2.2. Do not make any unnecessary comments.


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