Monday evening net has formed

[WS4B]

An every Monday evening net has formed beginning around 8:45 eastern time on or near 14.330 +/- due to existing SSB activity at that time. Check-ins this Monday were:

N1VIV (Joe)
AC0OB (Phil)
KJ4QVJ (Vincent)
W7HDL (George)
and myself of course

Joe and I have been trying to establish a AM weekly net on 20 Meters away from 14.286, which seems to have far too much sideband activity that does not respect existing AM QSOs. 20 Meters above 14.320 this time of evening is mostly void of signals whatsoever, making this area perfect for QRM free AM activity.

Please feel free to join us on any Monday, and help promote AM on 20. Obviously the more the merrier!!!

[WB4AIO]

I have programmed it into my memories -- best of luck.

73,

Kevin, WB4AIO.

[KX5JT]

Sounds like fun.  If I'm home on Monday nights, I'll check in. 

73 de KX5JT John

[Steve - K4HX]

Excellent choice. Thanks for leading the charge.

Joe and I have been trying to establish a AM weekly net on 20 Meters away from 14.286, which seems to have far too much sideband activity that does not respect existing AM QSOs. 20 Meters above 14.320 this time of evening is mostly void of signals whatsoever, making this area perfect for QRM free AM activity.

Please feel free to join us on any Monday, and help promote AM on 20. Obviously the more the merrier!!!

[WD4LUR]

That sounds great. I will try to remember to at least check in tonight. I hope 20m is in as good shape as 80m was last night. I didn't do any transmitting, but was listening while I was working on a friend's Lafayette HA-350.

Dan

[Ralph W3GL]

Listening now, hearing KP4 stations in some sort of net...

Hey, there is someone on there on AM calling "Seeking You"...

[Ralph W3GL]

Hey, there is life on 20 meters (14.327)...  WA9QIB, AC0OB & WS4S so far...

[WA2ROC]

Band conditions to the West of me were great.  Talked to KD6OS again and a fellow in Round Rock TX.  Both were close to S9.

As the WS4B and the other East Coasters, not even a beat note with the BFO turned on.

I apologize to anyone whose signal was obliterated by my rock crushing Apache.

See y'all next week

[KB2WIG]

"  An every Monday evening net has formed "

I tried to break in, but I had no value.......  The sig levels here into C NY were solid. A few 40/9; most everyone at least an S9.


klc

[WD5JKO]

Band conditions to the West of me were great.  Talked to KD6OS again and a fellow in Round Rock TX.  Both were close to S9.

  Dick,

   That be me from Round Rock, Texas. Since the skip excludes so many from hearing each other, a round table is not possible. As for me, I was on the drifto-matic VFO. I eventually went to 14.320 where my 40m 7160 rock did the deed. Maybe that is an option, to splinter off into groups above and below 14.327 +/- so those who can copy each other can actually do a little rag chewing.

The good part is the SSB QRM was mostly absent. Seems those SSB stations with SDR receivers swarm to 14.286 whenever they see a modulated carrier on that frequency, like flies on stink. If they only knew though that Angel Music does not stink.  

Jim
WD5JKO

[Pete, WA2CWA]

"  An every Monday evening net has formed "

I tried to break in, but I had no value.......  The sig levels here into C NY were solid. A few 40/9; most everyone at least an S9.
klc

I guess I had no value either; I tried to break in several times; I not even sure there was a net control station since I never heard anyone asking for additional checkins.

As Jim points out, a round table with multiple stations on 20 meters really isn't possible especially at night when the skip is long. The net control station should take the lead in making this run smoothly. He takes a list of checkins; then starts at the top of the list with Station A; when Station A finishes transmission he turns it back to net control; net control can relate any highlights to Station A's transmission and then turns to Station B, etc. etc. In the course of the net process, if Station C has a question related to something Station B said, the question should be directed back to net control for relay to Station B. Basically, the net control is the "swinging door" station. And,  given you have multiple stations that may be listening to dead air at times, old buzzard type transmissions should be discouraged.

[WS4B]

Pete and others:

I highly respect and agree with your concerns regarding the 20 Meter net. Unlike the lower bands, 20 has the unfortunate characteristic of "skip zones", where people simply cannot hear each other. While I was not net control, from what I could tell I think he did the best he could. Having said that I am in his skip zone, so I could rarely hear him as he is about 125 miles from me and was mostly R-2 and occasionally R-3 copy.

I observed the following check-ins, and I'm sorry if this list misses someone:

KJ4QVJ (Vince - net control)
W2IQK (Carl)
KD6OS (Ralph)
N1VIV (Joe)
WA2ROC (Rich)
W3GL (Ralph)
AC0OB (Phil)
WD5JKO (Jim)
KE1FT (Phil)
W2JBL (Chris)
and myself WS4B


I am recommending to Joe (N1VIV) and to Vincent (KJ4QVJ) that we start at least an hour earlier to allow more time for stations to check in and general participation before the band starts to close for the night. This will be particularly necessary in the upcoming weeks when we “fall back” for the autumn time change. As soon as I hear back from them, I'll post a new starting time if applicable. I really and truly thank everyone for checking in, and apologize to those who were unable to. I really feel bad about that.

It may be a better idea to have co-net controls so to speak, both in different skip zones. This is a work in progress and I am very excited so many people stopped by. As soon as I know more, I will post right away and encourage any recommendations to help make things roll smoother in future weeks.


Afterthought - Pete after re-reading your post, would you be willing to volunteer as a net control? From the sound of your above post, it sounds like you would do an excellent job. Please let me know. Thanks!

[Steve - K4HX]

Given that there was an AM net on 14.286 for decades, I don't see why there couldn't now be one on 14.330, etc. Sure, not everyone is going to hear everyone else. It's always been that way.

[WA2ROC]

Last night on 14.286 or thereabouts, I talked to K0JM in South Dakota, a W3 that lives in New Mexico and a K6 that was down in my QRM but could hear me. 

My Apache/Mohawk is happy on 20 AM.

I invited them to join us on Monday evenings on 14.330 +/-.

[WS4B]

***Please note that the net will now begin at 7:45 PM (Eastern) starting this week.***

This new time is to allow more time for people to check-in and general partcipation before 20 closes for the evening. We will also most likely have mulitple net controllers per se, to allow for a more "structured" experience while still trying to stay informal. Moving the net back and hour could perhaps mean more SSB QRM, but hope to find a clear spot between 14.330 and 14.343.

I wish to thank everyone for their patience as we try to change and tweak things to make it a better experience for all.

[KX5JT]

Not hearing anyone.....

[WS4B]

Net in progress John on 14.330. Condx however are TERRIBLE!!! The A-index is 31 now. Hang tight. I'll have net control in Conn give you a shout.

[KX5JT]

Ah shoot I guess I couldn't hear anyone here in Louisiana... I was really listening hard.

[WD5JKO]

Ah shoot I guess I couldn't hear anyone here in Louisiana... I was really listening hard.

Jon,

   The band crapped out as Joe N1VIV turned it to you, around 7:20PM CST. I never heard another station after that. At first I thought you were making an old buzzard transmission, but know I know you never keyed the Mic.

There was an AM QSO on 14286, but to weak to copy.

Maybe next week.

Jim
WD5JKO

[KL7OF]

14286 kcs was werking yesterday (Monday) between the Pac NW and Calif.AZ, N Mex and some points North of the US border....A bit noisy and some deep QSB at times..I did my best to keep the band open from 8 AM to 6 PM...

[DMOD]

Jon,

   The band crapped out as Joe N1VIV turned it to you, around 7:20PM CST. I never heard another station after that. At first I thought you were making an old buzzard transmission, but know I know you never keyed the Mic.

There was an AM QSO on 14286, but to weak to copy.

Maybe next week.

Jim
WD5JKO

For sure.

I did a test and then called CQ at 7:15PM Central time and the band just seemed to drop out.

Phil - AC0OB

[WS4B]

Well as already noted, band conditions last night were horrid. Despite this circumstance, there still were a good number of check-ins. I am really hoping propagation will be much better next week. The following stations were noted to have checked-in, and I thank Dick (WA2ROC) for helping me compile this list.

W3GL (Ralph)
WA2ROC (Dick)
W2IQK (Carl)
KD6OS (Ralph)
KE1FT (Phil)
KK7TV (Randy)
W1FYI (Dick)
N1VIV (Joe)
WD5JKO (Jim)
KX5JT (John - heard by WA2ROC, but no contact)
KJ4QVJ (Vincent)
K1WIP (Bob)
and myself WS4B

As always, I apologize if this list misses someone. Have a good week, and will listen out for everyone and others next Monday.

vy 73
Brad

[WS4B]

A index back to 36. Why Monday evenings for above average absorption? Sorry all!

[WD5JKO]

A index back to 36. Why Monday evenings for above average absorption? Sorry all!

  I checked in, and it turned out since I was in Texas, I was copied by several stations, and none of them could copy each other. The band was long. So I made the rounds till almost 9 PM eastern.

Stations included:

N1VIV
WA2ROC
KJ4QBJ
WS4B
KE1FT
WA1HLR
W2JBL
WB2ERS

Jim
Wd5JKO

[WD5JKO]

Last night we had a pretty good turn out. Conditions were variable, and QRM came and went. We started with a carrier on 14330 that was S9+ that swayed up and down for over ten minutes. Se we moved to 14332, and that proved to open up 14330 later for a SSB QSO. That QSO kind of broke things up, but some survivors stuck it out.

Neither Brad WS4B or Joe N1VIV could attend, so Dick WA2ROC and I tried to keep things going.

Stations heard:

WA2ROC
WD5JKO
KB9ZBF
W2IQK
AA3RE
KJ4QVJ
KC0WCG / Mobile
WZ5Q / Mobile
WA6NQO
KE7TRP
KD6OS

In my opinion, Clark KE7TRP with his Viking 500 and 4 element Mosley was the "Tall Ship". That setup "Rocked".

Jim
WD5JKO