[Wma-ares] Software for net control operators

Thu May 22 20:58:32 EDT 2025

A quick Google search led me to
https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/3pf038/software_for_logging_nets/
and its enumeration of such apps.

https://netlogger.org/ has a multi-platform, locally-run app that can
optionally run in a shared mode over the internet.
Watched a video on this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7OOIwiecbo

https://www.n3fjp.com/aclog.html has a bunch of different logging apps -
not sure if any are applicable for nets.  I got lost in the volume of
different loggers.

https://www.raceslogger.com/  has something that might be useful to us.

The issue becomes what you really need and when. Doing a net when it is
calm and all the services are available, many of these apps can be feature
rich - looking up callsign data over the internet, using fixed locations
based on license, etc.  But in an emergency situation, what would you need
and why?  That's a question I'd love to explore so that eventually we're
practicing using tools geared towards those requirements and situations and
not a fair weather sunny day with loads of internet...

And as with much of the software I look at these days, my 40 years of
software development shudders at the horrible usability and non-adherence
to any style guide standards :(

- john  KC1VMZ

On Thu, May 22, 2025 at 12:16 PM Gary Roy via WMA-ARES <
wma-ares at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> Good afternoon, Chuck
> I just downloaded the NCM app and it doesn’t have any information on how
> to use it. At the top of the page it has titles like preamble, and a few
> other things listed but none of those links work. I noticed as I went
> through the app, there are a few places listed in other parts of the
> country, but their net reports looked nothing like the local 2 m ARES
> check-in nets that we now do.
> I tried to open the hyperlink just under the net control manager link and
> found that all of the words just run together. I usually try to do my
> reading on the go with my iPhone and don’t carry a laptop around with me,
> so I’m wondering if that’s the reason this is not set up for it.
>
> Gary Roy KB1AKU
> groy773 at gmail.com
> KB1AKU at arrl.net
> (413) 530-8527
> President of FCARC
> D.E.C. For Franklin/Hampshire Counties
>
>
> On Thu, May 22, 2025 at 09:27 camyers via WMA-ARES <
> wma-ares at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>
>> For those who use Fldigi, for example on NBEMS nets, you can use one
>> sub-application of Fldigi called Flnet. Once it is downloaded and installed
>> on a computer, it does not rely on an internet connection to work. In fact,
>> it is designed for use in NBEMS nets whose entire purpose is to provide
>> emergency communication in the absence of normal wired communication.  For
>> more info, see Groups.IO Fldigi and NBEMS pages.
>> (Fldigi = Fast light digital, NBEMS = narrow band emergency message
>> system. Nets are held Saturday mornings at 7:30, where NCS is in New
>> Hampshire, and Sunday mornings at 7:30, 80 m, and 10, 40m, where NCS is in
>> Pennsylvania.)
>>
>> Chris Myers, kb1nek
>> 413-582-6829  (preferred)
>> (cell) 413-548-4183
>> Northampton, MA 01060
>>
>> On Thursday, May 22nd, 2025 at 8:24 AM, Charles Smith via WMA-ARES <
>> wma-ares at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>>
>> Good morning, Chuck,
>>
>> I'll have to check it out but my first thought was this. For emergency
>> nets, anything that relies on the internet would be a no-go in a grid down,
>> internet down situation.
>>
>> I will check it out.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Smitty, KC1IKA
>>
>> On Thu, May 22, 2025, 08:03 Chuck Chandler via WMA-ARES <
>> wma-ares at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>>
>>> The latest ARES Letter had a short mention of various software packages
>>> for NCO's. Since the QNI reports I get from the WMA ARES NCS's is
>>> apparently created by hand, I thought you might like to see one example of
>>> software that can make your life easier.
>>>
>>> Net Control Manager <https://net-control.us/> looks like the easiest to
>>> use - it runs in your web browser. From their on-line help page
>>> <https://net-control.us/help.php>:
>>>
>>> "The Net Control Manager (NCM) program was designed to make Amateur
>>> Radio Net check-ins, management of net resources and net reporting easier
>>> and more efficient than using pen and paper. This is not meant however to
>>> be a replacement for pen and paper, which will always be your best backup
>>> should something go wrong.
>>>
>>> The NCM is designed to make ARES, RACES and other EM net logging and
>>> reporting as easy and intuitive as possible. But of course works perfectly
>>> with your weekly club social net as well. Its many features are aimed
>>> squarely at these ideas."
>>>
>>>
>>> Tools like these can make the NCS job easier - if anyone gives them a
>>> try, or is using them currently, it would be interesting to hear your
>>> thoughts.
>>>
>>>
>>> 73 de Chuck, WS1L
>>> Amateur Radio Emergency Service ®
>>> Section Emergency Coordinator
>>> Western Massachusetts
>>> chandlerusm at gmail.com
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> WMA-ARES mailing list
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/wma-ares
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>> Post: mailto:WMA-ARES at mailman.qth.net
>>>
>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> WMA-ARES mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/wma-ares
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:WMA-ARES at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> WMA-ARES mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/wma-ares
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:WMA-ARES at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/wma-ares/attachments/20250522/80e75fd8/attachment-0001.html>