[CoARES-D10] Name vs. Call Sign as First Item

[Brent Shaw]

OK, just for fun, I will throw my $0.02 in as well.   IMHO, it all comes back to listening to god...i.e., the net control station.  I personally prefer to ask for the call sign first, as Rick mentions it is easier to copy.  So, when I do net control, I intentionally say it that way.  Yes, I actually violate the script!  Some have said there should be a "standard."  But, everybody has some preferences that make it easier for them to operate.  I would rather have the NCS be comfortable with how he/she is operating the net so that there is a better chance of effective communication.  This assumes, of course, that there are some overarching guidelines.  But, within the guidelines, the NCS should have the right to set the tone of the net and how he/she prefers to collect the information.  Every emergency is a bit different, and there will be different NCS stations we will have to react to.  

Bottom line:  Instead of assuming or demanding a certain standard, it should be incumbant upon each net participant to LISTEN to the NCS and respond with EXACTLY what is asked for, no more, and no less.  I admit, I am guilty of not listening carefully at the beginning sometimes and then trying to assume what was asked for based on the checkins, so I need as much practice as the next person.  

As far as gripes, I too get very irritated by people not paying attention to what is asked for.  Even worse, people providing "non-event" reports in emergency situations.  Most of my experience with EMCOM has been in the midwest with severe weather spotting.  Something that irritates me more than the use of "heat lightning" is a spotter coming on and wasting 30 seconds talking about how "it's just raining lightly here, and the wind just shifted" while someone else is waiting to provide a legitimate and important piece of traffic.

Good to see some discussion on here!  

Brent, KB0URX

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Huebner <w0rcy@comcast.net>
Sent: Feb 26, 2004 8:30 AM
To: Pat Lambert - W0IPL <w0ipl@earthlink.net>
Cc: ARES D-10 <coares-d10@mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [CoARES-D10] "No Traffic"

Hi Pat,

Since we bring this up, the script actually says, "give your name, call 
sign phonetically, your location and whether you have traffic for the 
net."  I agree with you on the traffic, but notice the name is first. 
This makes it much harder to copy checkins, when some start with name 
and some start with call sign.

Thanks,
Rick, W0RCY

Pat Lambert - W0IPL wrote:
> As a discussion item:
> 
> In listening to tonight's net there were many people that would check in 
> per the script which says "When checking in to the net please give your 
> call phonetically, your name, your location and if you have traffic for 
> the net" but say "No Traffic".
> 
> I have done that many times myself so I am not picking on anyone. My 
> question is, since the script says "and if you have traffic", isn't just 
> giving your call (phonetically), name and location sufficient?
> In tonight's net we had one person that said "with buzzt traffic" the 
> buzzt is what I heard and it covered his voice so I couldn't tell if he 
> actually said "with some traffic" or "with no traffic". Turns out he did 
> have traffic and things worked out fine.
> 
> Once again, I'm not picking on anyone here, just asking a question for 
> discussion.
> 
> There are times when the NCS has said "whether or not you have traffic 
> for the net". In which case you would be exactly following NCS 
> instructions by saying "no traffic" if you had none (and I'll admit I 
> was not listening closely enough to the start of the net that I remember 
> which way it was phrased).
> 
> Perspective:  If this were the largest problem we have in nets WE WOULD 
> HAVE NO PROBLEM! So don't be worried here. I am bringing this up for 
> discussion so that we focus on training details, in training nets. Thus 
> leaving time during event nets to focus on the event.
> 
> Thoughts / comments / questions ??
> 
> Thanks!
>  Pat
> 


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