SNAIL NET
Sunday and Wednesday 8:00 pm local time.
For several years a group of FCARC members have been holding an informal slow speed CW practice net on the 80 meter band. We call ourselves the Snail Net. Some of us never had to take a Morse Code test to get our licenses, others had not used code for a while, felt rusty, and wanted to rebuild the skill. When the net began the usual speed was 5 words per minute or less. Although most participants are comfortable going faster, we’re always happy to slow down. That’s why we call it the “Snail Net”.
At 7:55pm NCS (net control station) will announce the net on the Leyden 2 meter repeater:
After checking for interference, NCS will set the frequency, usually 3.556 MHz
At 8:00pm NCS starts the net:
QRL? (Is this frequency in use?)
SNAIL NET DE [NCS callsign]
NCS calls expected participants:
W1XYZ QNI? KN (asking only that station if ready to check in)
DE W1XYZ QNI (checking in) 599 (signal report optional) KN (NCS only respond)
R (received) GE (good evening) Name (operator checking in) (signal report optional)
Repeat above for each expected participant …
NCS then invites other stations:
QNI? (invitation to check in) K (any station may respond)
K1ABC checks in:
ABC (partial call sign for brevity)
ABC KN (NCS invites only that station to send full call sign)
DE K1ABC QNI (I’m checking in) 599 (signal report optional) KN (only NCS to respond)
NCS calls for other stations to check in:
SNAIL NET DE [NCS call sign] QNI? K
Process repeats if more check ins.
When there are no more check ins:
SNAIL NET DE [NCS call sign]
NAME IS (NCS name)
(signal reports) ALL RST BETTER THAN 5xx
NCS asks each participant for comments:
W1XYZ QRU? KN
W1XYZ responds with comments:
DE W1XYZ GE ALL USING MY NEW ANTENNA DE W1XYZ KN
NCS responds to W1XYZ:
R FB (fine business) ON THE NEW ANTENNA
NCS asks next participant for comments:
K1ABC QRU? KN
K1ABC responds with comments:
DE K1ABC GE BAND IS NICE AND QUIET DE K1ABC KN
NCS responds to K1ABC:
R YES LOW NOISE NICE NIGHT
NCS asks for more comments:
QRU? DE (NCS)
NCS makes last call for check ins:
QNI? K
NCS closes net:
SNAIL NET DE (NCS)
TNX TO ALL
CU ON 2M
QNF (net is closed) 73 DE (NCS) CL (closing station)
Participants say 73, then meet back on the Leyden repeater:
73 DE W1XYZ CL
73 DE K1ABC CL
Additional information:
Prosigns, Q Signals and CW Abbreviations
