Running an Amateur Radio Net

On the Air

For many new operators, nets are one of the easiest and best ways to connect with other hams. Some nets are focused solely on emergency communications, others provide the opportunity to pass formal traffic throughout a region, while others are purely social occasions where you can get to know other active hams. Scheduled nets can take place monthly, weekly, or daily, and no matter their frequency (see what we did there!), nets are a great way to practice using your radio and get comfortable with the conventions of communicating on the air.

The success of any net is due, at least in part, to the Net Control operator. Net Control actually runs the net, keeping everything — and everyone — organized. What’s it like running a net? What skills do you need? Are there common pitfalls? Best practices? In this episode, Ginger Wilder, KI5TJE, discusses her first time running the McKinney Amateur Radio Club (MARC) net and how she prepared to take on the challenge. She talks about her preparation and some of the unexpected things she learned from running the net. As a bonus, you can read a copy of MARC’s Net Control script on the On the Air blog at www.arrl.org/ota-blog.