[CTSARA] Sunday Night Net and Snoozeline Suspended

[Chris- KB1QXR]

I think there's a few contributing factors.  Sorry for the wall of text,
first problems as I see them then a few suggestions.


1. Lack of content.  When I last checked in (which I admit was a while ago),
many nights had little or nothing to discuss.  There'd usually be a few
rounds of general housekeeping (events, stuff for sale, etc- the stuff we
already discuss on the reflector/forum/website) and that was it.  Many
nights we'd be done and into the Snoozeline by 8:05.  This is a
self-catalyzing effect- the fewer people check in, the less there is to talk
about, the fewer people check in next week.
Now I like the Snoozeline as much as the next ham, but I'm not going to tune
in JUST for it.  If there's a good discussion I'll stay tuned and listen to
it, but the Snoozeline by itself isn't worth tuning in for when I can read
the text online.

2. Lack of publicity.  GNARC emails out weekly reminders, and their net's
growing.  After missing a few weeks it's easy to get out of the habit of
checking in.  A weekly reminder would, I suspect, bring in some more traffic
if only by reminding people that the net exists.

3. Lack of immediate equipment.  (For me at least- not sure how much this
applies to others).  I live in an apartment and don't usually have a radio
set up, so I'd have to set one up with a portable antenna, or use EchoLink
(effective but somewhat clumsy due to TX/RX delays).  As per the previous
points, not worth doing just for the Snoozeline.


That said, a few suggestions...

1. I think a weekly discussion subject is a great idea.  I would tune in
more frequently if I knew there was going to be a good discussion, not just
5 minutes of housekeeping and the Snoozeline.  Perhaps maybe a Q&A with
someone knowledgable on a particular subject.  I'd be happy to do one if
people want to ask computer questions.

2. Once interesting topics are planned, promote them.  At least one
announcement on the email reflector within 24hrs of the net.

3. A directed net *COULD* help, if there are 5+ people.  A directed net by
design solves the problem of high traffic, but with us it might solve the
problem of forgetting what you wanted to say while you wait for your turn to
come up again.  

4. Consider a reschedule to when people are already in front of their radio.
For example, drive time.  A drive time net is more conducive to a friendly
chat net (which can have a subject of discussion/debate) than a heavy
technical net, but it could also be fun.
I would suggest one way to build this would be to have a workshop or
something to help people wire their radios into their car's accessory bus so
the radio comes on automatically when you start the car.  I know I'd monitor
10x more if my radio didn't need to be manually turned on.


Anyway that's just my 2c.
73
Chris KB1QXR






-----Original Message-----
From: Jon Perelstein [mailto:jon.perelstein at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2012 10:30 AM
To: Stamford Amateur Radio Association
Subject: [CTSARA] Sunday Night Net and Snoozeline Suspended

We are suspending the Sunday Night Net and the Amateur Radio Snoozeline.

Simply put, there is very little participation in the Sunday night net and
it's become something of an embarrassment.  We are discussing ways in which
we might reorganize the net so that it will get more participants.  Some of
the ideas that have been suggested so far include:

o Move the net to a different night (on the theory that Sunday is not a good
night for many people o Making the net later in the evening (on Sunday or on
a different night) o Making it a directed net o Giving it a topic each week.
For example one week might be a discussion of antennas or a discussion of
ham radio field trips that people have taken.  Sam in Norwalk has had some
success in making his net more lively by posing a topic/issue each week.
o Adding EMCOMM practice and/or digital practice before or after the net

These are suggestions from individual members (those who have already spoken
up about their concern with the low participation in the net).  We would
like additional suggestions from the membership at large -- what would you
like to see in a SARA weekly net?  Please -- any ideas will be gratefully
received and considered.

As for the Snoozeline -- the only listeners we know of are not dues paying
members of the club.  It's sort of silly for us to be stressing our
equipment for non-members of the club, especially since the Snoozeline text
is available from the QRZ home page and the Snoozeline's own homepage (
http://www.arnewsline.org/), as is the audio.   We would consider putting
it back on the air if enough dues-paying members want it, but if we do it
will not be tied to the net so that we don't have to worry about the
Snoozeline or Desperate Housewives if we are in the middle of something
interesting on the net.

Effective immediately I am disabling the controller macros that prepare the
controller for the net and for the Snoozeline.

73s
Jon, WB2RYV
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