YCARC CW Net

[K1RID, Ed]

Let's practice CW together with a YCARC CW check-in net following the club's weekly 2m net on 7.120 MHz +/- at 7 PM

Here's a script to use for anyone just getting started. I attached a sound file of me sending the emboldened parts below.

I open the net by sending: 

CQ CQ YCARC DE K1RID QNI AR K  

(Meaning: Calling YCARC from K1RID, please check in. Over)

Stations reply by sending just their call. I will acknowledge each call with:

KB1ASM R R PSE AS  (Meaning: KB1ASM acknowledged. Please stand by.)

Then the next station calls and so on. 

Once everyone checks in I will call each station in order (just like the 2m net). I suggest that the 1st round be a simple name, qth & signal report exchange like this:

I call: KB1ASM DE K1RID UR RST 599 HW CPY? AR K (Meaning: KB1ASM from K1RID your signal is 599. How do you copy me? Over.)

You reply: K1RID DE KB1ASM NAME IS RICK QTH HOLLIS UR RST 599 BTU AR K (Meaning This is Rick in Hollis your signal is 599. Back to you, over)

I will leave space in between the overs so that late stations can check in by sending their only their call sign during the breaks. I will also call for additional checkins by calling:

BK CQ CQ YCARC DE K1RID BK  (Meaning: Break. Calling YCARC stations from K1RID. Break.)

Once we go around the list I call each station for a 73 round where you can add comments or just send something like: K1RID ES GROUP DE KB1ASM TNX FER NET ES GN TO ALL. 73 DE KB1ASM

At the end I will close the net by sending something like: GN ALL ES TNX QNI BEST 73 DE KITTERY K1RID SK QRT DIT DIT (Meaning: Good night all and thanks for checking in. Best 73 from Kittery. Finished. QRT)

Last couple of notes:

• Note the underlined characters. They are usually sent without any spaces in between as though they are 1 character
• I will send slowly but I tend to creep up so just send QRS to tell me to slow down
• Take your time and no worries about mistakes. This is "amateur radio" after all!
• If you do make a mistake, just send 4 or 5 dits and start again from where you left off.
• BTW, signal reports in CW are 3 numbers. The 1st 2 are exactly like phone and the 3rd is a throwback to days when the tone of the transmitters varied based on the ham's building ability. So it is always 9 for our purposes. 

[Susan Bloomfield]

This is fantastic! It is a great idea and tremendously supportive to have the audio. I’ve never known anyone to take that extra step so potential operators could get comfortable with the exchange. I’m so pleased! Ed, you are a fine Elmer. Thank you!

The NE QSO party is that weekend, maybe winding down at that point. If operators are exhausted, all the better for those who need a slow CW delivery. ☺️

73,

Susan, WB2UQP