[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net announcement

[Kevin Rock]

To those it may concern:

Sunday at 6 PM PDT (0100z Monday) I will run the Elecraft CW Net on 20 meters at 14050 kHz.  If that is  busy I'll move up until I find a spot for us to  use. 

I have received numerous votes for moving the net to 0000z instead of 0100z.  But, those votes were all from folks in the Eastern or Atlantic time zones.  The only 
dissenting vote was from New Zealand since their path to the US does not open until approximately 0200z.  If I do not hear from the folks in the other time zones I 
think I will move the net to the instant after the contesters cease to contest at 0000z next week.  Any comments are, as always, most welcome.

Any volunteers to assist in relaying across the various areas will also be welcomed.  The sign up sheet starts here ...

I will call by region again this week because it did offer me some respite from the pileup caused by simply asking you all to call at once.  But I think I'll break it up a 
bit less finely than last week.  0-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, and 8-9.  That will break it up a little.

There was some confusion last weekend about my operating procedure.  I do start  listening on 14050 kHz.  But if there is any activity at all I jump up by a 
kilohertz.  That means I do not listen to what is being sent on any frequency.  I just listen  for dits or dahs.  If I hear any activity I move to the next frequency.  I 
don't send the preamble until I call QRL twice and receive no response.  I do give a wide  berth to 14055 kHz if I need to move that high because the Canadians 
run a net there.  Since there was activity on 14050 kHz it was skipped as was 14051 kHz.  14052  kHz fit the criteria as a usable ECN frequency since I called QRL 
twice with no response.  Then I started my preamble.   Please don't try to "hold" a frequency.   If I hear anything on a frequency I do not wait the 5 to 10 minutes 
it would take to get a call sign and then look it up to determine if it is an ECN regular.  If I  am not going to be able to run the net I will use the Elecraft Reflector to 
announce this to you all. 

'Hail signs' need to be used properly or else we could be in violation of the ten  minute ID rule.  So I will offer a suggestion.  If you send a 'hail sign' which doesn't 
get my attention (or that of an alternate NCS) wait a bit and then try again with your entire  call sign.  I might have missed you because two of you were 
transmitting simultaneously or else QSB just ate your signal.  Given last week's conditions this was the case more often than not.  By covering your options we can 
all get along with Mr. Hollingsworth and communicate at the same  time.  So, to reiterate, send your 'hail sign' if it is not recognized send your entire call.  The use 
of 'hail signs' did help your novice Net Op incredibly so I don't want to see them eliminated.

I will run the net for as long as it takes and then let it go free.  Please stick around for this period of the net to exchange what ever information you wish.  The first 
part of the net will allow you to determine who you can hear.  Hopefully the propagation will be reciprocal and you can contact who you hear.  I have been told a 
few interesting characters may show up this week so keep your ears open :)

Sunday at 6 PM PDT (0100z  Monday) I will run the Elecraft CW Net on 20 meters at 14050 kHz.  If that is  busy I'll move up until I find a spot for us to  use. 

Please join us then. 

73, Kevin.   KD5ONS   (Net control operator 5th class).