[Oremem/Idamem] Oregon/Idaho Members Guidlines

[leo griffin]

    An outstanding member of Oregon Army MARS during Desert Storm and for a
long time after was Ralph Krause, AAR0DP.  Now a silent key, Ralph was
Assistant SMD for years and his call was heard on nearly every net.  He knew
the old FM word for word and under his gentle but firm guidance, the rest of
us learned the finer details of being a 1st class MARS operator.  Much of
what Oregon Army MARS meant in those days was due, in large part, to Ralph
Krause.
    The following was a piece that was published by Ralph as a guideline to
us for better and sharper nets.  In those days, social graces were NOT
allowed.  The SMD felt we were a para-military organization and the use of
"please", and "thank you", for examples, was not necessary and therefore not
allowed.  Here is an extract of Ralph's publication, most of which is still
pertinent today.

                                        HOW TO SAVE TIME ON NETS
1. NET CALL-UP
     A.  Be on time. Check clocks with WWV as necessary.
     B.  It is not necessary to say "Operation will be on the LSB/USB.
     C.  All members write down the check-ins for reference.

2.  CHECK-INS
     A.  All members try to check in on time.
     B.  List traffic on checkin.
     C.  Avoid doubling by saying, "This is..." (unkey)...then callsign,
"Over".

3.  NCS
     A.  If you are NCS, don't be in too big a hurry to roger stations. Give
members a little time to all check in.
     B.  When rogering check-ins (if no traffic) it is not necessary to say,
"No traffic"
     C.  It is not necessary to say, "Roger" for each station checking in.
Just give the callsign.
     D.  After original check-in and rogering, and a late station checks in,
just say (callsign), "Roger, this is         (callsign) out".
    E.  It is not necessary to make any more net calls for late check-ins.
Just be sure to pause at least 5             seconds after each "out" is
heard. ( That is when late stations should check in. )

4.  HANDLING TRAFFIC
     A.  Members should not volunteer to take so and so traffic as this
often causes doubling. Remember, the      NCS is in control.
     B.  NCS will ask, if necessary, if anyone can handle certain traffic.
     C.  NCS will direct the station listing traffic to, "Send your 1 R
Eugene to AAR0XX, out."
     D.  The station to receive the traffic will then immediately come in
and say, "This is AAR0XX, over." (This      indicates he/she can copy).
     E.  It is not normally necessary for either station to call the other
station to ask for radio check.
     F.  If receiving station needs fills, he/she should make no other
comments, just say, "Say again (the fills          needed)."
     G. Also, there is no need to use callsigns (after the first time) while
getting fills. (Use break-in method).
     H. When a receiving station receipts for a message he/she should
normally say, "out", not "over".
     I.  If there is a comment on a message, use operator's note at the end
of the message, or hold comments      until later.

5.  INTERRUPTIONS
    A.  Members should not normally interrupt the NCS's handling of traffic
by breaking in to list informals until     after the listed traffic has been
handled. It is OK to break in with priority traffic or to list more traffic.
    B.  Each member should copy all the traffic listed. You may be called
upon to take NCS or relay traffic.  If     you didn't have the traffic
listings, you would have to waste time by requesting same.


6.  AFTER TRAFFIC IS HANDLED
     A.  This is the time to list further informal requests, or that you
wish to close station or leave the net, etc.
     B.  All query requests should be in connection with formal activities
that are taking place or have taken          place.
     C.  All informal requests should be held until after the net is on
informal time.

7.  COMMENTS
     A.  Keep requested informal comments with another station brief and to
the point.
     B.  Comments that are of no interest to the net should be held until
free time.
     C.  Comments should be MARS related.

8.  FREE TIME
    A.  The free time portion should really consist of somewhat MARS related
subjects. Rag chewing types of     conversation would best be put on the
amateur bands.
    B.  Stop every few minutes to see if others may want to use the
frequency.

    One should remember that when Ralph wrote this piece, we were handling
over 75 MARSGRAMS a day so the nets were busy.  Present day members should
be sending at least one EEI report a day for practice.  Have ready formats
of all our reports to be filled in when the need arises.  Posting traffic on
each net will allow our Gateway station to pick up your traffic and forward
it to Area Gateway.  As an aside, during the month of June, Washington Army
MARS posted over 125 EEI reports!  Oregon filed less than 25.  We really
should be doing more with our nets, folks.  Talk about stating the obvious!
    Well, thought you might like to know how nets were run in "those days",
and breaks in protocol were immediately called to note on the net and
addressed to the NCS.  The break in protocol was NEVER directed to the
offending station but to the NCS and no names were ever used  to identify
the protocol violation.  Oregon Army MARS nets were sharp, fast moving, and
effective in handling the large quantities of traffic presented on those
nets.  As our traffic load increases, and it will, we should all aim at
being frosty when on net and continue a fine tradition handed down to us by
outstanding members such as Ralph Krause.  His memory speaks to us and that
is as it should be. Thank you, Ralph, and 73's.