The UARC CW Practice Net is open to all Amateur Radio Operators interested in practicing CW. The net is a check-in style giving stations a chance to experience CW net procedures. The net will be held after the weekly Albany County Net on Sundays at 1815 local time on a frequency of 7.110 MHz. The frequency of 7.110 MHz was chosen to allow all license classes to participate and introduce new HF operators to the dynamic band of 40M. The net will operate at 5-7 words per minute (WPM), and the NCS will match the speed of all check-ins.

The following is how the Net Control Station (NCS) will conduct the net with explanations.

NCS will call QRL? DE <NCS> a few times to see if the frequency is clear. If the frequency is in use, then NCS will move up or down the band bay a few kHz as needed.

QRL? QRL? DE N7NAV

NCS will then call the net, which is an opportunity to "zero beats" the NCS. Zero beating is the process of tuning your radio to transmit precisely the frequency used by the NCS. Some radios have a "spot" function that makes this process easy. Typically, an operator will match the pitch to their CW sidetone with the pitch of the NCSs signal. When the NCS finishes with "QNI K," they are inviting stations to check-in.

CQ CQ UARC CPN DE N7NAV N7NAV QNI K

When checking in, please listen before transmitting. Listening will allow you to hear if the NCS is communicating with another station.

N7NAV DE KF7UZF

If the NCS misses your entire call, they may call back with a partial call and a question mark (UZF?), prompting the station to checking in to send their call again (DE KF7UZF). If the NCS hears more than one station checking-in they may ask one of the stations to stand by indicated by the prosign "AS" (W9AMN AS). Otherwise, the NCS will call the station and invite them, and only them, to transmit denoted by the prosign KN.

KF7UZF DE N7NAV KN

This is your opportunity to make a comment or simply say 73.

73 DE KF7UZF KN

The NCS will finish your check-in with 73, and you are now released from the net. The NCS will end with the prosign "K" indicating that other check-ins can now call Net Control.

73 KF7UZF DE N7NAV K

In between check-ins, the NCS may ask for any other stations using the Q-code QNI.

QNI K

During the net, the NCS will send a word of the week (WOTW) between check-ins. This allows net members further practice on copying. If net participants want, they may send their copied WOTW to N7NAV@arrl.net where a list will be maintained of participants and if they had a good copy. See below for more information on the WOTW.

WOTW WOTW Laramie K

After all, stations wanting to check in have been recognized by the NCS, the net will be closed.

73 UARC CPN DE N7NAV SK

The following is an example of the net:

QRL? QRL? DE N7NAV
CQ CQ UARC CPN DE N7NAV N7NAV QNI K
N7NAV DE KF7UZF
KF7UZF DE N7NAV KN
73 DE KF7UZF KN
73 KF7UZF DE N7NAV K
N7NAV DE W9ANM
N7NAV DE AF7E
AF7E AS
W9ANM DE N7NAV KN
73 DE W9ANM KN
73 W9ANM DE N7NAV K
AF7E DE N7NAV KN
73 DE AF7E KN
73 AF7E DE N7NAV K
QNI K
WOTW WOTW Laramie
QNI K
N7NAV DE KD7NAE
KD7NAE DE N7NAV KN
73 DE KD7NAE KN
73 KD7NAE DE N7NAV K
QNI K WOTW WOTW Laramie
QNI K
QNI K
73 UARC CPN DE N7NAV SK

Word of the Week (WOTW): net participants can email their copied WOTW to N7NAV@arrl.net. If the WOTW was copied correctly and the first correct copy of the WOTW for that station, they will receive a certificate via email (or printed upon making arrangements with Chris, N7NAV). Certificates will be issued for every 10 correct WOTW copied and sent to Chris, N7NAV, recognizing the dedication and ability to copy the WOTW correctly. The WOTW will be sent at a speed of 5 WPM. At a later time, opportunities may arise to have multiple WOTW at different speeds.

73,
Chris, N7NAV