The ARRL Santa Barbara Section is composed of three counties, San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, and Ventura County.
The purpose of this net is to allow clubs and emergency communication volunteer groups throughout our section to promote their activities, achieve better understanding of HF propagation as it affects our three counties and beyond, and promote fellowship within the larger amateur radio community.
The net will operate weekly at 8:00 PM (local) on Tuesdays beginning on August 12. The target frequency will be 3.987 MHz (LSB) plus or minus and may be relocated on the band (or bands) as experience dictates.
The net format will be as a managed or directed net with a net control station maintaining orderly traffic flow. The initial net control operator will be Rick, KQ6NO, with backup by Warren, K6WKW, and likely others throughout the section. It is expected to evolve to a rotating system where other stations in the three counties take turns by week handling the responsibilities as the popularity of the net grows.
All amateurs, whether or not they are ARRL members, are encouraged to participate as long as they adhere to the directions of the net control station and normal standards of polite and respectful amateur radio culture. Although the format may evolve, initially the leadership positions in each county or district will be asked to check in and provide news and announcements about happenings in their areas. Following that, all stations will be invited to check in and pass any informal traffic, particularly their name, city or town of residence and perhaps a signal report for how they copy net control. When net control asks for check-ins, those doing so should transmit only their call sign and wait to be recognized before continuing their transmission. Stations may be requested to relay for others when net control has difficulty copying the station attempting to check in or pass traffic.
We hope this net will become a worthwhile and fun fixture for the Santa Barbara section for years to come.
73,
Rick, KQ6NO
Section Emergency Coordinator