[SJRA-Members] Prep for 2M Fusion Net

[John Fogleboch]

PREPARATION FOR 1st 2M FUSION NET

The 1st 2 meter Fusion net on K2AA will be held at 8:00 PM (00:00 UTC) on Thursday the 27th of October.  The format of the net will be similar to the 2 meter FM net on Monday, a free form discussion with topics selected by participants, with a couple of changes.  First every station participating must be in digital mode DN.  A call in on FM will not be heard or answered.  Second the order of call ins will be based on distance to the net control station (WY2J using K2AA).  This requires that every station turn on the GPS function in their rig to transmit position data.  Each station must also have navigation set up at least to the extent that they can read distance in miles from the transmitting station.  Net control will sector this data and ask for calls from say all stations within 5 to 7 miles of net control.  This will help prevent pile ups on initial call in.

Third I would like to use the digital call sign transmission capability in ND mode to eliminate broken call signs and use of phonetics.  This requires that you enter your call sign or call sign and name if less than 30 characters when you first initalized your rig.  If  you didn't you can change it.  If you can't fit the call sign, space and name into 30 characters then enter the call sign only.

I expect at least 10 stations to participate in the 1st net this Thursday based on the response received to my survey conducted at the September club meeting.  In addition the Wires X node should be active and we just might get a call this way even though I took no action to advertise what we are doing.  I do expect some setup problems to occur and we have some possible Elmers in that list of 10 who can give some over the air help where needed. As net control I will place problem solving at a higher priority even if it cuts into the ragchew time.  I want every participant to have a successful experience on these first few nets or they won't come back.

REQUESTED RIG SETUP FOR THE FUSION NETS.

1.  Set rig to ND mode, not AMS mode.

2.  Verify that your call sign, or call sign and name if it fits, is entered in the initialization step of your rig.

3.  Turn on the GPS function and verify that you are locked on to the GPS satellites.  The satellite icon should appear on the screen.

4.  Set up the real time navigation function if your rig contains it.  If not set up the GPS position screen which will give you distance information but no direction data.  Make sure that you setup for YR, the other station.  You may have to change the units from KM to MILES and the compass up position to North.  I prefer the real time navigation function but I have not found a use for it on these nets.  Maybe next month when we get a couple of moble stations on the net I will find a use for direction data.

See you Wednesday night at the club and on the net Thursday night.

73,
John WY2J
wy2j at arrl.net