Nets & On-Air Events Latest Topics

anyone else do the weekly nets or is it just me talking to myself out there

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 01:09:18 +0000

so ive been getting into nets lately, started checking into the local 2m club net on tuesday nights and honestly its become kind of a ritual now. grab a coffee, fire up the 706, call in my check-in and just listen for a bit. nothing fancy but there's something really satisfying about it especially when the net control is someone who really knows how to run things smoothly.

got curious though and started looking into some of the HF nets. found a few on 40m that run in the evenings and the propagation has been pretty decent lately so ive been able to hit a couple of them from here in the midwest. the OMISS net has been fun, picked up a few states i needed for that too which was a nice bonus.

also noticed there's a special event station coming up next weekend for some kind of anniversary, saw it on the ARRL site. W1AW/5 or something like that. anyone been chasing those? i grabbed a few last year during the portable ops event but never really went hard after the special event ones. wondering if its worth setting up early or if the pileups die down quick.

anyway just curious who else makes nets a regular thing and if theres any good ones i should know about that dont show up in the obvious places

anyone else do the weekly nets or is it just me talking to myself out there

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 21:08:27 +0000

so ive been checking into the Tuesday night 2m net through our local club for about 3 months now and honestly its become one of my favorite parts of the hobby. started doing it mostly cause the elmer who helped me get licensed kept bugging me to try it and im really glad he did. theres something kind of weirdly comforting about knowing every week at 7:30 theres gonna be a bunch of people on frequency just... talking and checking in.

anyway i heard there's a big special event station coming up for some kind of anniversary and i have no idea how those work. like do you just call them like a normal QSO or is there some kind of procedure? also does anyone know a good place to find net schedules because i feel like im missing stuff that goes on outside my immediate area. tried googling it but kept getting old pages that havent been updated since like 2015 or something.

anyone else do the wednesday night 40m net? looking for more to check into

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 19:06:18 +0000

so ive been checking into the local ARES net on wednesday nights for about six months now and honestly its one of my favorite parts of the hobby at this point. started doing it just to practice my voice procedure and make sure i had the basics down but now i kind of look forward to it every week. net control does a great job keeping things moving without being too rigid about it.

anyway i started looking around for other nets to check into on other nights — mostly HF, somewhere in the 40 or 80 meter range since thats where i seem to get the best results with my setup. found a few listed on the ARRL net directory but honestly that thing feels a little outdated in spots, some of the listed nets havent been active in years as far as i can tell.

also curious if anyone has done special event stations — theres one coming up apparently for a lighthouse event and i dont really know what to expect. do you just call them like a normal QSO or is there a specific exchange? im a tech who just got my general so still figuring out the HF side of things.

anyone else do the wednesday night nets? trying to figure out check-in times

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:08:43 +0000

so ive been licensed about 8 months now and finally feel comfortable enough to start checking into nets regularly instead of just listening. been monitoring a few different ones but im a little confused about the timing and how formal the check-in process actually is for most of them.

like last week i tried to check into what i think was a traffic net on 80m and i guess i jumped in at the wrong time or something because the net control just kind of moved on and i dont think my call even got logged. wasnt sure if i should try again or just wait. ended up just listening the rest of the night.

also saw something about a special event station coming up for some kind of anniversary, W1AW i think or maybe a different one, and it said you could get a certificate for making contact. is that something you just do like a normal QSO or is there a whole process to it? i looked on their website but couldnt find anything super clear about how to actually submit for the certificate after the fact.

new to nets — when do people actually check in and how does it work

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:00:15 +0000

so ive been licensed about 4 months now (general) and i keep hearing people talk about nets but i honestly still dont fully understand the whole thing. like i know theres a net control and you check in but what actually happens after that? do you just say your callsign and thats it, or do they actually talk to you? ive been lurking on 7.250 and a few 2m repeater nets locally but i get nervous to jump in because i dont want to mess up the flow or say something wrong.

also someone at my club mentioned there are special event stations during holidays and stuff — are those related to nets or completely separate? i looked up W1AW and saw they have a schedule but the page was kind of confusing to me. just trying to figure out where to start honestly, any nudge in the right direction would help

first time trying to check into a net — totally lost on the process

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 04:17:07 +0000

so ive been licensed for about 3 months now and i keep hearing people talk about checking into nets and i finally decided to try it last week. found a local 2m net that meets every tuesday at 7pm and i just... sat there with my radio on and honestly had no idea when to jump in or what to say when the net control called for check-ins.

i think i missed my window like twice because i waited too long and then someone else was already talking. eventually i just said my callsign and the net control came back to me and got my info but i felt like such a mess the whole time. is there like a standard thing you're supposed to say when you check in? i just said my callsign and my name and location but the guy before me gave like a whole signal report and mentioned if he had traffic and i had no idea what that meant

also how do you find out about special event stations, i saw something about a W1AW operation coming up and want to try to work it but dont really know how those work either

trying to find a good weekly net to check into — where do you even start

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 02:03:19 +0000

so ive been licensed for about 8 months now (general) and i keep hearing people talk about checking into nets but i honestly have no idea where to start. like i know theyre out there but how do you find one thats actually active and not just listed somewhere with no activity. ive tried a couple times on 40m in the evenings and either nobody answers or i cant tell if im even on the right frequency at the right time.

also i saw something about a special event station for a national park anniversary coming up and i have no idea how those work either — do you just call them like any other station or is there some special procedure. sorry if this is a dumb question i feel like everyone else just knows this stuff already

first time checking into a net — what actually happens?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 01:52:37 +0000

so ive been licensed for about 3 months now (general) and i keep hearing people talk about checking into nets but i honestly have no idea what to expect. like i know the basic concept, you listen for the net control, you give your callsign, but then what? do they ask you stuff? do you need to have something specific to say or can you just check in and kind of listen?

theres a local 2m net on tuesday nights that a guy at my club mentioned and i want to try it but im a little nervous about doing something wrong on air. also i saw something about a special event station for a historical society next weekend and wasnt sure if thats the same kind of thing or totally different. any advice would help, been putting this off for a while now

trying to find a good net to check in to — where do you guys start?

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 23:31:44 +0000

so ive been licensed for about 8 months now (general class) and i keep hearing people talk about checking into nets but honestly i have no idea where to even begin. like i know they exist and i know the concept but finding one that actually has activity in my area is another thing entirely. i tried the ARRL net directory a few times but half the frequencies i tune to just sound dead or i cant tell if im even on the right time.

also someone at my club mentioned there are special event stations that do on air contacts for like historical anniversaries and stuff — is that a separate thing from nets entirely or do some nets do special events too? i feel like im missing something obvious here. any advice on how to actually get my first real check in would be great, im getting a little tired of just scanning around hoping something happens

First-time Net Control nervousness - Any tips for a new NCS?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:45:16 +0000

Hello everyone! I've been checking into the local 2M net for about six months now, and they asked if I'd like to try being Net Control next week. I'm honored but honestly pretty nervous about it. What are some practical tips for a brand new NCS?

I know the basics - follow the script, keep good logs, acknowledge check-ins properly. But what about the little things that experienced NCS operators do to keep things running smoothly? Any advice on handling doubles or dealing with weak stations would be greatly appreciated!

first time checking into a net — what actually happens?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:57:19 +0000

so ive been licensed for about 3 months now (technician) and everyone keeps telling me i should check into a local net to get comfortable on the air but honestly i have no idea what to expect. like i know i tune to the frequency and wait but then what? do i just say my callsign when theres a pause? what if i mess up the phonetics or forget something? the net i found in the repeater directory is on tuesday nights at 7:30 local and the listing just says its a general rag chew net run by the county club. is that different from like a traffic net or an emergency net? ive been lurking on the frequency a few times but i havent had the nerve to actually transmit yet. also does it matter if my signal isnt super strong, i'm running 5 watts into a j-pole in the attic

first time checking into a net — what am I supposed to actually say?

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 06:06:22 +0000

ok so ive been licensed for about 3 months now (general class) and i keep hearing people talk about nets and how great they are for getting on the air and actually talking to people. found a couple schedules on a local club website but honestly i dont really know what to do when the net control calls for check-ins. like do i just say my callsign? do i say my name and location too? is there some kind of format i should know about before i just jump in and embarrass myself lol

also seen some stuff about special event stations like the 13 colonies thing in july and wonder if those count as nets or if thats totally different. anyway any help appreciated, dont want to sound like a complete idiot on my first time

Special Event Station Certificates - Worth pursuing or just collecting dust?

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:39:51 +0000

I've been seeing a lot of special event stations lately - the Titanic Memorial (EG1912T) from April 10-15, the Skywarn Youth N0A station for Severe Weather Awareness March 15-29, and W2A for World Autism Awareness Week.

Do you folks actively chase these events? I'm curious if the certificates are worth pursuing or if they just end up in a drawer somewhere. Also wondering about the logging - do special event QSOs help with any major awards like WAS or DXCC, or are they purely commemorative?

These stations generally operate for short periods with special vanity calls and commemorative QSL cards - seems like there might be some real collector value there.

anyone else doing the tuesday night net lately? missed a few weeks and feel out of the loop

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:09:39 +0000

so ive been trying to get back into checking in on the regional 2m net on tuesday nights and last week i finally remembered to tune in but i wasnt sure if the schedule had changed or if it moved frequencies. i used to check in pretty regularly maybe a year ago but life got busy and i kind of fell off it for a while.

anyway i guess my question is more general too — how do people even keep track of nets these days? like is there a good resource for finding schedules because the ones i find online look like they havent been updated since like 2014. also been curious about those special event stations, i heard there was one for some anniversary of something last month and totally missed it. feels like i always find out after the fact.

not sure if this is even the right place to ask but figured someone here probably knows whats going on with this stuff better than me

anyone else do the Sunday night traffic nets regularly? thinking about getting more involved

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:37:48 +0000

so ive been licensed about 8 months now (general) and ive been lurking on the local 2m repeater net on Sunday nights but never actually checked in. i guess i was nervous about messing up the format or saying something wrong. last week i finally did it and the net control was super patient with me and honestly it was not a big deal at all.

now im wondering if i should branch out and try some of the HF nets too. i've heard about things like the 75 meter morning nets and some of the ARRL nets but i dont really know where to find schedules or how different they are from a basic repeater net. is there like one place where all the net schedules are listed? also what about special event stations, ive seen people talking about working them but i have no idea how you even find out when they're happening or what frequency they'll be on

anyone else do the weekly HF nets? looking for more to check into

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 22:23:47 +0000

so ive been getting into nets lately and honestly its way more fun than i expected. i started with the local 2m club net on monday nights just to practice my callsign and get comfortable with the mic, but then someone at the club told me about some of the HF nets and now im kind of hooked on those too.

right now i check into the Maritime Mobile Service Net on 14.300 when im home in the evenings, and i found a traffic net on 40m that runs on weekday mornings which is cool to listen to even when i dont check in. but i feel like im missing a lot of stuff out there. like i know there are special event stations that pop up and i always seem to find out about them after the fact, which is annoying.

is there a good place to keep track of net schedules and special event stuff? ive been using the ARRL website a little but it feels like theres so much going on and i cant figure out where to look. also if anyone has nets they really like or recommend for a general class who just got his ticket about 8 months ago id love to hear about it. doesnt have to be anything fancy, i just like having a reason to get on the air regularly

first time checking into a net — what am I supposed to actually say?

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 15:21:06 +0000

okay so ive been licensed for about three months now (general) and i keep hearing people talk about nets but ive never actually done one. there's a local 2m net on tuesday evenings that a guy at my club mentioned and i figured id try it this week but honestly im not sure what the procedure is. like do i just say my callsign? do i wait for someone to call for check-ins? is there like a specific format or will i sound like an idiot if i just wing it?

also i noticed on the ARRL site there's a list of HF nets too and some of them say things like "directed net" vs "round table" and i dont really know what that means either. any help appreciated, kind of nervous about it honestly

checking into nets for the first time - what do I even say?

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 13:01:09 +0000

okay so ive been licensed for about 3 months now (general class) and i keep hearing about nets and how i should check in to practice but honestly every time i tune in i just freeze up and dont know when to jump in or what to say. like i listened to the local 2m net last tuesday and the net control was going through check-ins and everyone just said their callsign and maybe a signal report and that was it? but then sometimes people said more stuff and i got confused about when that was appropriate

also i saw there was some kind of special event station thing happening for a state park this weekend, W4 something, and i have no idea how those work differently from a regular net. do you just call them like a normal contact or is there some special procedure? i dont want to make a fool of myself on air, or at least not more than necessary haha

anyone got tips for a nervous new ham trying to figure this out

first time checking into a net — what am I supposed to actually say

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 10:10:07 +0000

so ive been licensed about 4 months now and i keep hearing people talk about nets and how great they are for getting on the air regularly but i honestly have no idea what to do when i actually try to join one. like i found a local 2m net that runs tuesday nights and i sat there with my HT listening for like 20 minutes but when the net control asked for check-ins i just froze up and didnt say anything

what exactly are you supposed to say when you check in? do you just give your callsign or is there some specific format? and what happens after you check in, do they call you back and you have to say something or can you just listen? i dont want to mess up the net for everyone else while im figuring it out

also slightly unrelated but does anyone know if theres a good resource for finding nets in your area, i found one on a local club website but i feel like there must be more out there

first time checking into a net -- what am i supposed to actually say?

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 07:06:31 +0000

ok so ive been licensed for about 3 months now (general) and i keep seeing people mention checking into nets and i finally found a local 2m net that runs tuesday nights. i listened in last week and it sounded pretty simple but when they got to the check-ins part i kind of froze up and didnt say anything because i wasnt sure what the right format was. do i just say my callsign? do i need to give my name and location every time? some of the guys were just giving callsigns and others were giving their name too and i couldnt really tell if there was a rule or just a preference thing. also is there any difference when its like a special event station or one of those bigger national nets versus a local repeater net? i dont want to sound like an idiot my first time actually transmitting on one

anyone know good nets to check into as a new tech?

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 06:14:45 +0000

so ive had my technician license for about three weeks now and finally got a decent HT and a slim jim up in the attic. i can hit a couple repeaters in my area pretty reliably now which is cool. my elmer mentioned i should try checking into some nets to get comfortable talking on the air but i honestly have no idea where to start or how you even find when they happen. is there like a website or something that lists them? or do you just kind of learn about them from other hams locally? i dont want to key up at the wrong time and mess something up, nets seem kind of formal and i dont really know the etiquette yet

anyone know a good weeknight net for a fairly new tech license?

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 01:21:13 +0000

so ive had my tech for about 4 months now and been doing some local repeater stuff but honestly its getting a little quiet on the ones near me. a buddy at the club mentioned there are like scheduled nets i could check into but i cant really figure out how to find them or know whats a good fit for a newer operator. i dont want to jump into something thats way over my head or where i'd feel out of place.

also i saw something on qrz about a special event station happening next month for some historical thing, is that different from a regular net? like do you just call them or is there a specific way to work those. i feel like i'm missing something obvious here but nobody at the club has really walked me through the net thing step by step

anyone know if the morning net on 80m is still running? cant find the schedule

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 21:55:36 +0000

so ive been trying to check in to what i think was a regional morning net on 80 meters, i heard about it from a guy at our club meeting a few months back but i never wrote down the frequency or the time and now i cant find anything about it online. i think it was around 3.920 or somewhere close to that, weekday mornings maybe 7am local? not sure if thats right though.

anyway i finally got my HF rig set up properly and the antenna is actually working now (long story involving a balun and my neighbor's tree) so i want to start actually getting on the air and doing something. nets seem like a good way to get comfortable on HF without just sitting there calling CQ and hearing nothing. is there a good place to look up net schedules? the ARRL net directory feels kind of outdated when i tried looking through it last week.

anyone else do the Wednesday night 40m net? wondering about check-in procedures

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:37:00 +0000

so ive been licensed for about 8 months now and i finally worked up the nerve to check into a local net a few weeks ago, which went fine, but now im trying to branch out and find some nets on 40m that run on weekday evenings. a buddy at my club mentioned there's a pretty active one on Wednesday nights but i couldn't find much info about it online — or maybe i was looking in the wrong place.

also just general question about check-in etiquette, like when the net control calls for check-ins do you just say your callsign once or do you give your name and location too? i gave way too much info the first time and felt kind of dumb after. some nets seem to want signal reports, some dont, its hard to know going in what the format is gonna be.

any good resources for finding active nets? i found the WA7BNK net directory but half the links on there seem broken. theres gotta be something more current.

anyone else keep track of net schedules or is it just me being obsessive lol

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 05:11:12 +0000

so i've been licensed about 8 months now and i've kind of fallen down the rabbit hole of checking into nets. started with the local 2m club net on tuesday nights just to get comfortable talking on the radio and now i have like a whole notebook page of different nets i try to catch during the week. the ARRL phone net, a couple of traffic nets, the 10m net on wednesday mornings when the band cooperates which is not always honestly.

anyway my question is does anyone have a good way of keeping track of all of this without losing your mind. im trying to figure out if theres a website or something that has like a searchable database of nets because i know there are way more out there than i've stumbled onto by accident. also curious if anyone does special event station stuff and how you even find out when those are happening, i feel like i always hear about them after the fact