Purpose of this manual

This manual is written to provide a standard for the users and net control stations of the Seafarers' net. While every effort has been made to cover normal situations and conditions, when something out of the ordinary presents itself act in a prudent and reasonable manner, taking into consideration appropriate rules, regulations and procedures.

Purpose of the Seafarers' Net

The Seafarers' net is established to provide Radio Operators in the Amateur Radio Service a convenient world wide means of passing third party traffic. At times, particular groups of Amateur Operators such as maritime mobiles, deployed U. S. Military personnel or operators outside the continental United States are afforded priority. At any time emergency traffic is accepted and given priority.

Net Control

The net control is the station in charge of the net. He operates the net for the users and it is by mutual cooperation amoung the participating stations that he is able to perform his job efficiently.

The net control performs the following functions:

1 . Performs 'check in' of users with traffic.

2. As time permits accepts 'check in' of users who are listening and available to handle traffic. (QRU and QRV)

3 . Compiles a list of all 'check ins' to facilitate connecting stations for traffic handling.

4. Notes where stations went when stations leave net frequency to handle traffic in case someone else needs those stations or QTH.

5. When time permits, recalls listed traffic in case the desired station has appeared on frequency.

6. Facilitates communication by directing, in an orderly fashion, transmission by others on net frequency.

7. Listens diligently for emergency communications that may appear on the frequency.

8. Acts as net ambassador, being willing to patiently help and inform inexperienced users of the net operation and procedures.

Priority of Traffic

1. EMERGENCY - communication directly relating to the immediate safety of life, individuals, or the immediate, protection of property. This traffic is handled on net frequency at any time it is encountered. The responsibility for determining if the communication is indeed of an 'Emergency' nature rests with the originating station. The emergency status should not be questioned unless serious doubt exists as to the validity of the emergency.

2. PRIORITY - important messages having a specific time limit, or official communications relating to an emergency.

3. HEALTH and WELFARE - Communication concerning an injury or the well being of an individual.

4. ROUTINE - All traffic not included in the above. Examples of ROUTINE traffic:

a. Traffic originating from a Maritime Mobile.

b. Land based stations with traffic or schedules with Maritime mobiles.

c. Deployed Military Personnel.

d. Stateside stations with traffic going outside the continental U. S.

e. Stateside stations with Stateside traffic. (Handled only as time permits and after all other traffic has been cleared.)

f. Overseas stations with overseas traffic. (Handled only as time permits and after all other traffic has been cleared.)

Running The Net As Net Control

If you are appointed to the job of net control for a session of the net the following procedures must be followed for efficient and consistent operation of the net.

Preparations for running your net

As the net control assigned to a session of the net. You should endeavor to join the net frequency and listen to the net about 10 minutes before it is your turn to take control. This is to familiarize yourself with the current state of propagation on the band and which stations are on frequency. You may also use this as an opportunity to listen to the previous net control as he reviews his listed traffic and thereby reduce the need for stations to relist their traffic with your session of the net.

Opening the Net

When it comes time to take control of the net, and the net control turns the frequency over to you, you should first ask if any one would like the opportunity to contact the previous net controller. If no one needs the previous net control then thank him for his service, and read the net preamble.

The Seafarers' Net Preamble is available here.

After the net preamble is read, get your relay stations lined up. Ask for relay stations on opposite sides of the country or in foreign countries that have good propagation with you. These relay stations can help you in areas where you may not have good propagation.

After getting your relays established your next priority is to ask everyone on frequency to listen carefully for any emergency, priority or health and welfare traffic. If any is found it should be cleared before any other traffic is attempted.

Working

Asking for checkins is the next step. When asking for checkins the easiest way to avoid congestion on the net is to be specificas to where you are looking for traffic. Statements Any stations with traffic for the net come now." If that results in too much confusion be more specific. Asking "Looking south out of Florida." , or any "Stations with traffic for maritime mobiles?" Another thing you can do is tell stations you will be listening for 20 seconds after a call for traffic. This will allow the stations to spread out their calls some and you will be able to hear a few calls.

Check in priorities are:

1. Stations with emergency traffic.

2. Stations with priority traffic.

3. Stations with health and welfare traffic.

4. Stations operating maritime mobile, or with traffic for maritime mobiles.

5. Stations operating as military stations or with traffic for military deployed.

6. Stations with traffic for overseas stations or overseas stations with traffic for the continental United States.

7. Stations available on frequency to accept incoming traffic for their area.

8. Any other station, with or without traffic.

When asking for checkins, be sure to ask for full call signs using phonetics. Regulations require the use of full calls so the last letters, or other part of a call, is not acceptable. It makes the net control's job easier.

Net Traffic List

Always make a list of stations trying to check into the net. Ask for checkins and keep asking until you get no more copiable responses. Next go back to the top of your list and ask each station to give their full call, if you do not have it, and ask them to call their traffic. Working from a list will help keep all net participant's frustration level low, and will allow you to hear the weaker stations calling under the stronger stations.

Tell each station you will list his traffic unless he says otherwise. It is always easier to list a station's traffic and recall periodically as time permits instead of handeling another checkin later for the recall of traffic.

It is recommended that all net controls have both some form of a directional antenna, and some form of omnidirectional antenna. Use the directional antenna first and once you have made a full 360 degree swing then change to the omnidirectional antenna and see if you can pick up any checkins on that antenna. By alternating between both antennas, you will be sure of picking up any station that you can hear.

Net control stations are asked to keep their net traffic lists for at least 30 days after a net session. This will assist the net manager or FCC in case of some type of problem or discrepancy.

Recalling traffic

As frequently as time permits, recall all listed traffic. Give each station with listed traffic another chance to call his traffic. If the listing station is found to not be standing by on frequency, remove his traffic from the list of pending traffic. At the end of the traffic list, ask if you have failed to call any listed traffic. Give any station you left out a chance to call their traffic, and correct your list.

Using Relays

Relays are your ears where you cannot hear. Rather than strain yourself trying to hear all the stations yourself, let a relay handle those stations you cannot hear well. Even if you are very busy with all the checkins you can handle make sure to occasionally ask your relay stations to check for stations, with traffic, and not copying net control. This also gives the net control a chance to rest his voice, transmitter, look over his list, go to the bathroom, etc.

Passing Control

When your time as net control is almost up and you have only about 10 minutes left of your net, ask if the incoming net control is on frequency. When the incoming net control has checked in, review all your listed traffic and try to get all loose ends cleared up before turning the frequency over to the next net control.

Who Owns the Frequency?

The net has established the frequency 14.313 ± QRM, as its normal operating frequency.

If the net frequency is unusable, due to QRM from nearby stations, or is in use by someone else, there is nothing wrong with politely asking the stations using the frequency if they would mind QSYing so the net may be established on its normal frequency. If they refuse, or otherwise demonstrate a desire to be uncooperative, the net should then be established on a convenient nearby frequency. This nearby frequency should be far enough from the stations occupying the normal frequency so as to not cause QRM for them, and hopefully close enough to the normal established frequency to allow stations to locate the net easily.

It is possible to conceive of a situation where the band is just so full, and there is no frequency available nearby or otherwise on which to establish the net. In that case just pick a frequency, and hope the net is not QRMed too much, and the net does not create too much QRM for others.

Please remember FCC rule 97.63(a) states "An amateur station may transmit on any frequency within any authorized amateur band."

That Rotten QRM!

At times the QRM will get so bad, no one can hear anything. In that case, the best thing to do is politely ask the QRM station if he would like to move to net frequency and join us. If he does not desire to that, you should ask hims if he could possibly QSY up or down a little to help out the net. The main thing to remember; always act in a polite and courteous manner. Remember, what you say to someone, may someday be said to you. If it is done in a nice manner, most good natured Amateur will gladly QSY or reduce power to help out. If they do not cooperate, you are not going to change them.

Another important point; once the QRM has been asked to QSY, and he refuses, then the net control station has two options. One option is to QSY the net to another frequency, and the other is to continue to operate, and hope the QRM goes away soon. Do not persist in interrupting the QRM station in an effort to convince him to move as that will only make him mad, and give the net a bad name.

Hecklers

The best thing to do about people who heckle, interfere, intentionally QRM the net is to ignore them! The less you say about them, or too them, the better. They are looking for a reaction, and the more reaction you give them, the more they will bother the net. The best thing to do is continue with the net as if nothing is out of the ordinary. If they get the idea their interference is not getting anywhere, they will probably give up. If they don't give up, then they are sicker than we think.

If someone has a complaint about the operation of the net, give them the name and address of the net manager, You can also ask them to wait until you finish your session of the net so you can take them off frequency and discuss the problem. After having a discussion with them off frequency, relay the complaint to the net management.

Illegal Traffic

The net never has, and never will, condone illegal traffic. If any net participant suspects a station is running any form of illegal traffic, it is your duty to bring it to the attention of the stations participating in that illegal traffic. It is also recommended that you bring the matter to the attention of the net management for investigation. The more facts you can supply to the net management the better. Facts such as dates, times, and transcripts of the suspected illegal communication are the types of information needed. Informing the current net control of the suspected rule infraction is a good idea but do not take up valuable net time talking about the incident on net frequency.

The net management will maintain, and frequently revise, a list of illegal stations and calls along with the calls of stations known to pass illegal traffic. This list will be sent to all net controls and made available to all net participants on request.

Net in Automation

If it comes time to turn the net over to an incoming net control, and he has not appeared on frequency, what do you do? The best thing to do iscontinue running the net for a few minutes, and hope the incoming net control shows up. If you cannot stay on frequency, or the incoming net control does not show up, try to pass the net to another regular or alternate net control. If you cannot find a suitable net controller on the frequency to take the net, the only option you have is to ask for a volunteer. If you have no volunteer, the final option you have is to put the net into what is called automation. Automation means; operation as a calling frequency, with stations moving off after establishing contact.

If a net control, or alternate net control, comes on frequency and finds the net in automation, he should assume control of net frequency if he can.

Net users should use the net in automation as a calling frequency to call their station and move him off to another frequency to continue the contact.

Net Expenses

The operation and use of the Seafarers' Net is a free service to the World Wide Amateur Radio Community. No person or entity is authorized to make any charge, or solicit any Moines for the operation of the net. In order to provide its valuable service, the net obviously has expenses. These expenses are covered by donations from users and other interested parties. Any donations may be sent to the net manager and will be gladly accepted. A donation, or the lack of making a donation, will have absolutley no effect on your operation on the net. Anyone is free to use the services of the net regardless of making a donation or not.

Break Break

This is an obsolete term that was used at one time to indicate an emergency on the net. If a station uses this on the net frequency, the net control should first ask for the call of the station, and once that is obtained the station should be asked if he has an emergency. If he has no emergency then his call should be placed on the bottom of the list with his traffic being handled as a normal checkin. The station should be asked to follow net procedures and give his call when the net asks for checkins. If the station has an emergency, it should be treated as a net emergency.

Emergencies on the Net

When the word MAYDAY, or the CW letters SOS are heard on the net, operation of the net must immediately cease and the emergency must be handled. If the net control can hear the station with the emergency then the net control should handle the emergency. If the net control cannot hear the station with the emergency, he should turn the net frequency over to another net control, alternate net control or relay station who has good copy.

Once communication has been established with the emergency station, his callsign, or identification should be established. If the station has no callsign, make an effort to determine the status of the situation anyway. Beware of hoaxes, but it is not up to us to determine whether a particular situation is a hoax or not! Leave the determination of a hoax to the proper authorities.

Once the situation has been determined with facts, such as location, type of situation, and any requirements of the emergency station, inform the proper authorities. The first step is to call (by phone) the proper authorities such as Coast Guard, and the FCC. Make sure to include the FCC in the list of authorities to be called. The FCC will aid in the detection of a hoax, and begin any enforcement action needed. Ask on frequency if any station is located near to the proper authorities. If you find a station that can make the necessary call, ask him to do so. If no such station is found, give control of the net to someone, and make the calls yourself. If the Coast Guard wants to come on frequency and talk directly to the emergency station, that is up to them. Otherwise, try a phone patch or relay. Remember the amateur frequencies are for our use, but also remember this is an emergency situation. Do whatever is necessary to help the situation.

No attempt should be made to contact the home QTH, as listed in a call book, to determine the validity of an emergency situation. This may unnecessarily frighten innocent people, if indeed a hoax is in progress.

If it becomes obvious the situation does not fit the definition of an emergency, every effort should be made to help the station, in any way possible, as a non emergency.

If it becomes apparent the emergency will take a large amount of net time, the net control should ask another net control, alternate net control, or a relay, to establish the net on another nearby frequency, and move all stations not involved in the emergency to that frequency. If the emergency station and the authorities feel they can successfully move to another frequency without loosing contact, let them do so. Handle the situation in a professional and caring manner.

Information needed by Coast Guard in Case of an Emergency

TO BE ADDED

Information needed in case of an illness.

TO BE ADDED

Information needed in case of a threat to nation security

TO BE ADDED

Emergency Numbers

Coast Guard

TO BE ADDED

Medical Emergencies

TO BE ADDED

National Hurricane Center

TO BE ADDED

National Search and Rescue Service

TO BE ADDED

U.S. State Department

TO BE ADDED

U.S. Embassies abroad

TO BE ADDED

Glossary

CONTACT - May be used during net operation to indicate to the net control that you have heard a station to handle your traffic and would like to leave frequency with that station.

MARINE MOBILE - Operation of an amateur station on board a marine vessel while not on the high seas. This is to be used while in port.

MARITIME MOBILE - Operation of an amateur station on board a marine vessel while on the, high seas.

MOBILE -

RECHECK - A term used during net operation to indicate to the not control that you have contacted your station and moved him off frequency and cannot make contact. You would like another opportunity to contact your station if he has also returned to net frequency.

RELAY - A term used during net operation to indicate to the net control that you hear a station trying to enter the net and apparently net control is not copying that station. Net control will recognize you and ask you to relay the station to net.

REENTRY - A term used during net operation to indicate to the net control that you are returning to net frequency after running traffic and you would like to check in again either with your traffic or as a station available to handle any other incoming traffic.