[NLRS] 144.240 SSB net *ON* tonight -- 7:45pm

[Todd Sprinkmann]

  Last week was easily our best week yet.  

   I directly worked 10 check-ins, with several others just 
beyond QSO range eager to get involved after the regular 
net is done at 8:30pm.  Always keep your ears open in all 
directions for any of that extra activity.  And don't be afraid 
to spread out across the band, after about 8:25-8:30pm.  

   Last week we had check-ins from NW IL, SE IA, 
SW WI, EC IA, MN and both C and NE WI.  Just great 
regionalcoverage!  You guys keep this up and Wed. night 
will get known for being a good activity night.  

   So anyway, if we continue to stay busier like this, I may 
have to either start a little earlier or go a little longer.  Once 
we start getting past 10 check-ins, especially across a wide 
range, I feel a little rushed.  But for tonight, we're 7:45-8:30.  

   No point in calling for me unless you know I'm looking 
your way.  And I am calling CQ almost continuously as I 
slowly swing the beams so if we have prop, you *will* hear 
me.  Let me do the calling for the first half hour or so.  I 
have a pair of 12 els up 105/115', I get out pretty good.    

   Here's my approximate schedule: 
   I live 40 miles north of Milwaukee and I start out at 7:45 
by calling SSW thru Rockford, Peoria and into the St. Louis 
area.  If I don't hear anyone within a minute or two, I then 
start edging the beams 10-15 degrees at a time -- farther 
toward SW, then W, then WNW, then NW and finally N.  
Of course, if there are quite a few check-ins, then I do 
slow down a bit as I say hello to others.   

   This means that by 7:48-50, I'm toward Quad Cities and 
NC MO.  By 7:50-53, toward Dubuque and Des Moines.  
By 7:53-55, toward Waterloo and the bulk of N IA.  
By 7:55-8:00, I try to be looking due west, which for me 
is La Crosse, Rochester, the general IA/MN state line.  

    By 8:00-8:05, I'm more toward Eau Claire and Twin 
Cities.  Hopefully by 8:05-8:10, I'm toward NW WI and 
the Duluth/Superior areas.  8:10-15, more toward my 
due north, into the Wausau to Green Bay to UP of MI 
region.  

    After 8:15, I'm done taking check-ins and then I try to 
get back to everyone, letting them know who all has 
checked in.  This is so everyone is up to speed on where 
to look for more signals after the net is done.  

    My only hope with this net is to stir up activity in areas 
that don't normally see a lot of it.  Once the activity 
is stirred up, it's up to the net participants to make the 
most of it.  Of course, it also helps if you spread the 
word about this via your VHF buddies.  

    Finally, if you are 80-90% sure you're going to be on, 
it doesn't hurt to email me by 7:15pm, to give me a heads 
up.  It's certainly not necessary, but it does help.  Why?  
Mostly so I can send out an email to the group, letting 
them all know ahead of time where activity centers 
might be.

    73,
    Todd   KC9BQA   EN63ao    40 N of Milwaukee
    50 thru 2304