Wilderness Nets: An Operating Tool for Backpackers
But what about operations during backpacking trips in the wilderness? My outdoor adventures are rarely just for hamming. While on the trail I usually have only a few minutes to operate, and the times and locations of my hikes are not often favorable for finding quick contacts.
How can I have a successful operating adventure on the trail?
Dave, who lives about 200 miles North of me, has provided wonderful support by being my ham hiking buddy (by radio only) for years. One of the very successful things Dave does is run Wilderness Nets for my benefit from his home station.
How does it work? Over many adventures together we've developed a standard procedure. I recommend the following pattern which has worked well for us:
1. Dave and I plan the adventure during a CW QSO or by email. We coordinate times of operation and map out the location of my hike.
2. We check sunspot reports and choose appropriate bands by using Miniprop or another propagation forecast method.
3. We announce the trip to others using the ARS Wilderness Alert, QRP-L, email and other forums.
4. While I am in the field Dave serves as a Wilderness Net control operator. He appears on a designated frequency and calls a Wilderness Net to order at planned intervals. Dave is a very experienced CW traffic net operator and all this is second nature to him.
What is a Wilderness Net? Here's Dave's description of how it works:
* * * *
"Folks backpack with QRP to some very interesting and remote places. I run nets for N7XJ when he climbs mountains, hikes into slot canyons or descends into the Grand Canyon.
"I've picked two imaginary call signs to help you understand how a Wilderness Net works: W7NCS is the Net Control Station and K7QSO is the target station (QRP portable) that everyone wants to QSO.
"As a Wilderness Net control station W7NCS has many functions, but he NEVER arranges or assists in QSOs. That goes far beyond the spirit of amateur radio! A Wilderness Net is not to generate a LIST of stations who will get a QSL card without making a contact. The net control's job is to occupy the net frequency with a strong signal, collect the calls of those who wish to contact K7QSO, and then turn the frequency over to K7QSO to work them.
"The process begins when W7NCS contacts K7QSO and learns the details of his hike. W7NCS then calls the net, announces K7QSO's QTH and other information and checks stations into the net who wish to contact K7QSO.
W7NCS then hands K7QSO the list of stations he has collected (usually in the order they checked in) and stands by while K7QSO calls and works as many of them as he can while W7NCS polices the frequency for QRM or problems. The NCS does NOT relay calls and signal reports or participate in other such games for the purpose of assuring a QSL card!
"When he has finished his QSOs, K7QSO calls W7NCS, who takes over the net and excuses the stations who have checked in one by one. W7NCS can then call for more check ins, and repeat the cycle if needed. The net closes when there are no more check-ins and all possible QSOs have been made.
"Confused? Let's follow the operation of an imaginary Wilderness Net in detail, including the use of some special "Q"' signals used in net operations:
"Imagine that K7QSO is at the bottom of the Grand Canyon wishing to make contacts. K7QSO and W7NCS have advertised the expedition beforehand, and made up a two or three letter net call, such as GCN (Grand Canyon Net) to designate the operation. At the appointed time W7NCS shows up on the announced frequency and calls K7QSO.
K7QSO DE W7NCS K
W7NCS DE K7QSO QTH RIBBON FALLS AT BOTTOM OF GRAND CANYON. RUNNING 2W ES DIPOLE. ALL WELL. K
K7QSO DE W7NCS QSL. AS
"AS is a prosign sent as one character. It means "wait!". W7NCS then calls the net using the signal "QNI"', which is an invitation for interested operators to check into the net:
GCN GCN GRAND CANYON NET GCN GCN de W7NCS QNI
"Note that the entire name of the net, that is "Grand Canyon Net', must be spelled out at least once to be legal. QNI is NOT followed by K or AR!!
"W7ABC wants to check in, so he sends his call:
W7ABC
"W7NCS responds, and asks for information:
W7ABC TU. NAME ES QTH? BK
"BK is sent as if it is one letter. It means BREAK, not BACK! W7ABC provides his name, QTH and other info for the log. He does not need to resend the callsigns.
BILL FROM DEADSPOT UTAH BK
"W7NCS responds with something like this:
QSL. TU Bill. AS
The prosign AS instructs Bill to WAIT. He stands by while W7NCS again calls the net and checks in other stations using the same format:
GCN QNI
K8CDE
K8CDE TU. UR NAME ES QTH? BK
GEORGE IN BURB, OH. BK
QSL GEORGE TU. AS
GCN QNI
The pattern is repeated until W7NCS decides that enough stations have checked in. W7NCS then announces K7QSO's QTH and other details of his hike to the net using the "Q"' signal QNC, which means "all stations copy the following"
QNC QNC QNC K7QSO QTH NOW RIBBON FALLS AT
BOTTOM OF GRAND CANYON USING 2 WATT ES DIPOLE
Of course W7NCS could let K7QSO tell about his QTH and rig in each QSO, but long transmissions tend to reduce the net's effectiveness. Band conditions change, and those in line become impatient and leave.
"At this point W7NCS provides K7QSO with list of the check-ins using the net signal QNS. QNS means "here is a list of stations who have checked in':
K7QSO DE W7NCS QNS W7ABC, K8CDE, (etc) …
"K7QSO acknowledges that he has copied the list and begins to work the stations one by one. While K7QSO is working W7NCS simply stands by, or he may do some minimal police work to keep CQs etc. off the net frequency. He does NOT participate as K7QSO contacts and exchanges information with the stations on the QNS list.
Note this: A NCS may be tempted to hand K7QSO calls on the QNS list one at a time. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT DOING THAT! When it's done, the NCS becomes too involved and ends up contaminating the QSO between K7QSO and the station who wants to work him.
When K7QSO has finished working stations on the QNS list, he calls W7NCS. W7NCS then checks the stations out of the net one at a time as follows:
W7ABC QNX
"QNX means "you are excused from the net." W7ABC need respond only with a simple sign out such as:
DE W7ABC TU 73 K
73 ES TU
K8CDE QNX
(and so on . . . )
"The reason W7NCS must excuse the net stations one by one is to satisfy the FCC requirement to identify at the end of each QSO (in this case, the QSO with W7NCS). When all are excused, the net can be called again and the process repeated until all who want to work K7QSO are satisfied:
GCN GCN de W7NCS QNI (etc.)
After reading this, some may question why it's necessary to use a net format. Why not have a control station just show up on frequency and "take calls"? Try it and you'll find it far less efficient than a net structure.
Net operation is not a rigid format, but the STRUCTURE of net operations is rather fixed. When net structure is understood by all participants, extremely efficient and smooth operation follows."
* * * *
Dave's vast experience as a net control station (NCS) has been invaluable to our adventures. I quickly learned the following essential "QN" signals for net operation:
QNI (You are invited to check IN to the net). QNC (All net stations COPY this:). QNS (Here is a list of STATIONS who have checked into the net). QNX (You are EXCUSED from the list). You also need to know the prosigns "AS" which means "wait", and "BK" which means "break".
Imagine a two month backpacking trip by K7QSO along the Great Western Trail. He might have great difficulty getting even a single QSO by calling random CQs with his portable QRP station, even though many are anxious to find and work him. If a friend with a strong signal serves as a Wilderness Net control station, things could be very different.
By marking the frequency with a strong signal and organizing those anxious to work the lonely and elusive hiker, the NCS can help many interested hams contact K7QSO in a short time each evening.
Some feel that using a Wilderness Net is like tying a fish on your line. I think it's more like carefully plotting the location of a beautiful star cluster before taking out your telescope to find it in the night sky. Why do things the hard way?
The ARS has provided Wilderness Alert as a way to announce our QRP adventures via the Internet. Let's take wilderness operation a step further by learning to use this proven NET format. Wilderness Nets can make outdoor operating more rewarding for everyone.
* * * * * * * * * *
Dr. Bob Armstrong, N7XJ, an avid QRPer, builder and expert outdoorsman is a contributing editor to The ARS Sojourner. He lives in Manti, UT. Dave Fischer, NC7W, is an accomplished CW and contest operator who has been active in CW traffic nets for many years and is distinguished as antenna and transmission line expert. Ex-W0MHS, he now lives in Brigham City, UT.