WDN Member Guide

Not observed at this time.

The 9:30 p.m. late session on the 15th of every month was formerly observed as Simplex Night. During this net, repeaters were not used. Traffic was passed by relay on simplex frequencies:

• Buffalo: 147.540 MHz
• Rochester: 147.420 MHz
• Southern Tier: 146.550 MHz

This net is held on Wednesday evenings at 8:00 p.m. Gary, KB2YAA, announces which Wednesdays it will be held.

VHF THIN is an informal net designed to help stations get answers to questions about the WDN, traffic, and traffic handling. Everyone is welcome, regardless of traffic-handling experience.

Outgoing traffic should be sent to the outgoing liaison for delivery to the CW and phone section nets or a Digital RRI represenattive. If no outgoing liaison is available, another station may volunteer to take the traffic.

Assigned liaisons and volunteers who check into a net as liaison stations should also check into the net they are serving, even if they have no traffic.

The WDN picnic is traditionally held once each year. In 2004, the group resumed the picnic after a three-year break. In past years, quarterly coffee get-togethers were also held at various locations throughout the WDN coverage area.

Although coffee get-togethers have not been observed recently, there is no reason they cannot be started again.

There are no dues required to belong to the WDN. The net depends entirely on voluntary contributions to cover the picnic and other expenses.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the net is encouraged to contact one of the Net Managers.

Traffic containing common text may be listed as book traffic. This saves time by allowing the same message to be sent to two or more stations at once.

• Call the net promptly at the scheduled time. Make sure your clocks and watches are accurate.
• Maintain a good signal and speak clearly.
• Keep a complete and accurate log of all check-ins, traffic handled, destinations, and the total number of minutes the net was in session.
• A general greeting to all stations is sufficient during check-in.
• A general thank-you during closing is sufficient.
• Know where net members are located and what traffic they can handle.
• Distribute traffic fairly among stations.
• Be familiar with the coverage and meeting times of section, region, area, and independent New York State nets.
• Make use of simplex frequencies and alternate repeaters when needed.
• Clear outgoing traffic to New York State liaisons first.
• During heavy traffic periods, ask liaison stations if they would like assistance.
• Excuse stations not needed approximately 10 to 15 minutes after the start of the net.
• If a station needs to secure, allow it when net business permits.
• In a directed net, do not allow side conversations without permission from Net Control.
• After one or two pieces of traffic have been passed, conduct a call-up.
• Give one final call-up before closing the net.
• If stations are still off frequency passing traffic after closing, remain listening until they return.
• Send net reports to the Net Managers as soon as possible.

• Be on time.
• When checking in, give only the information Net Control requests.
• List traffic properly: destination first, then number of messages.
• Call Net Control only when necessary, unless there is an emergency.
• Do not break in while a message is being passed unless it is an emergency.
• Answer Net Control promptly and avoid long explanations.
• Never transmit without permission from Net Control except in an emergency.
• Plan to remain on the net for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
• Notify Net Control if you must leave the net.
• Know the ITU phonetic alphabet for phone nets and Q-signals for CW nets.
• Copy along with Net Control in case you need to assume the net.
• Have paper and pencil ready to copy traffic.
• The receiving station calls the transmitting station.
• Keep personal comments until after the net closes.
• When returning to the net after checking in, say “This is…” instead of using the NCS call sign.

The call-up procedure for a WDN session should include the following:

• Identify the net and yourself by call sign and name
• Call for emergency or priority traffic and handle it immediately
• Give a brief description of when the net meets and the purpose of the net
• Give special check-in instructions
• Call for mobiles, assigned liaisons, other liaisons, stations with traffic, and general check-ins
• Handle net business
• Close the net

Calling the Western District Net. Calling the Western District Net.

This is (Your Call), your Net Control for this session of the Western District Net.

Good evening. My name is (Your Name) and I am located in (Your Town). Is there any emergency or priority traffic on frequency? If so, please call (Your Call).

The Western District Net is a directed net. Please do not transmit without direction from Net Control. If you must leave the net, please inform me before doing so. All stations are welcome and encouraged to check in, regardless of traffic-handling experience.

The Western District Net is a local net and meets daily at 9:30 p.m. for the purpose of handling formal written traffic and training in traffic handling. The Western District Net is part of the National Traffic System and handles traffic into, out of, and throughout Western New York State.

Comments concerning net operations may be directed to the Net Manager:

Gary, KB2YAA, in Springville, New York or Assistant Net Manager Tim, KD2IWN, in Hamburg

When checking into the net, please give my call, unkey briefly to avoid doubling, then give your call sign, location, and the word “traffic” if you have any. Please list your traffic at that time.

• Mobiles only, please call (Your Call).
• Assigned and unassigned section liaisons, please call (Your Call).
• Other liaisons including MARS, ARES, and other nets, please call (Your Call).
• Stations with traffic only, please call (Your Call).
• General call-up, stations with or without traffic, please call (Your Call).

With no further net business, I will close this session. Thank you all for joining us. A special thanks to our liaison stations, members who brought and received traffic, and all net members for your participation.

The net meets again at _____.

This is (Your Call) closing this session of the Western District Net and returning repeater K2XZ to regular amateur use. Thanks to the repeater trustee for allowing us to hold our nets on the K2XZ repeater (145.390 MHz). 73 to all. (Your Call) is now clear.

WDN Net Reports

The following is an example of a typical WDN net report. Reports should follow this format and be sent to the Net Manager for the session you ran as soon as possible.

121 R WB2SXY 29 Pittsford, NY Nov 15 Tom KB2DQ Arcade, NY November 15 
WDN Stations: 20 Traffic: 4 Minutes: 23 AA2JI K2AN/I AAC KA2BCE IWK KB2DQ RLO YAA/O/A KC2FEN/TN GMH/A LEE MQU REY KG2D N2WKT/I W2RH WA2KKF/A WB2SXY/N/I WD8CQB VA3CRF Bill WB2SXY

The letters after call signs are used in this order:

• N = Net Control
• O = Outgoing Liaison
• I = Incoming Liaison
• A = ARES
• D = Digital Liaison

Do not list the names of the nets liaison stations are coming from or going to. Use only /I or /O as needed.

Station activity reports help Section Managers understand monthly traffic activity. Send these reports to:

• Andrew Harmon-Kimball W2ZXN, Canastota NY (STM)

Reports should be sent no later than the 6th of the following month. These reports may be sent as book traffic.

You must have a minimum of 70 points to qualify for the PSHR section. If you do not, send only the Station Activity Report section.

Definitions

• Originated — A message originated by someone other than yourself and filed for initial transmission at your station.
• Received — Any message received over the air at your station.
• Sent — Any message sent over the air at your station.
• Delivered — Any message received at your station and delivered to someone other than yourself by telephone, mail, or in person.
• Total — Total messages handled.

15/16 R KB2DQ 12 Arcade, NY Nov 15 
Mike N2WKT Salamanca, NY 
John K2BT Falconer, NY 
November Traffic Originated: 0 Received: 3 Sent: 2 Delivered: 1 Total: 6 
Tom KB2DQ

This section is available to amateurs whose public service activity totals 70 points or more in the six categories below.

15/16 R KB2DQ 21 Arcade, NY Nov 1515 MikeN2WKTSalamanca, NY16 JohnK2BTFalconer, NYNovember TrafficOriginated: 0Received: 42Sent: 16Delivered: 0Total: 58PSHR: 40 / 40 / 10 / 130 / 0 / 0Total: 220Tom KB2DQ

U.S. amateurs may handle third-party traffic with the following countries and entities:

Notes

• The Marshall Islands are independent, but the FCC presently honors the previous agreement until a formal agreement can be made.
• United Kingdom traffic is limited to special-event stations with call prefix GB (excluding GB3) and stations on Pitcairn Island (VR6).
• Since 1970, there has been an informal agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States allowing Pitcairn and U.S. amateurs to exchange messages concerning medical emergencies, urgent needs for equipment or supplies, and private or personal matters of island residents.

Recommended IARU Region 2 Frequencies for International Traffic

• 14.100–14.150 MHz
• 14.250–14.350 MHz
• 21.150–21.200 MHz
• 21.300–21.450 MHz

The IARU is the alliance of Amateur Radio societies from around the world. Region 2 includes North, South, and Central America, as well as the Caribbean.

At the end of an exchange of third-party traffic with a station in a foreign country, an FCC-licensed amateur must transmit both the foreign station’s call sign and their own.

Compiled from the WDN Archives

• June 15, 1976 — First session conducted by founder and Net Manager Don Partis, WA2AIV, on the 146.640 repeater at 9:30 p.m.
• September 1978 — WB2KHT becomes Training Manager; N2AOB becomes Records Manager.
• March 1, 1979 — N2APB appointed Assistant Net Manager.
• May 1980 — N2APB appointed Net Manager as WA2AIV resigns.
• August 1980 — KG2D appointed Assistant Net Manager.
• October 1980 — WDN Simplex Night established.
• January 1981 — Traffic Handlers Information Net begins.
• August 16, 1981 — First WDN picnic held at Letchworth State Park.
• August 22, 1981 — 6:30 p.m. session established; WDN now meets twice daily.
• June 15, 1996 — WDN marks its 20th year of continuous operation.
• June 15, 2006 — WDN celebrates its 30th anniversary on the 6:30 net.
• January 1, 2011 — WDN founder Donald C. Partis, WA2AIV, becomes a Silent Key at age 74.
• June 1, 2014 — KB2VVD appointed Net Manager; KB2YAA appointed Assistant Net Manager.

The Western District Net was the brainchild of Bart Bridge, W2ZYQ. In 1973, a group met at the home of Allen Capwell, WA2GVM, Sheriff of Wyoming County, to plan a new repeater. Bart, a Commercial Sales Manager for General Electric radio systems, obtained a reconditioned GE Mastr II repeater, which was donated to the Western District Office of New York Civil Defense, now the State Emergency Management Office. W2ZIA/R (now WA2CAM/R) was activated on 146.04/64 in October 1975.

From the beginning, the philosophy was to maintain a state-owned repeater, tested daily and available to public service agencies in the Western District as a backup to government communications.

By the summer of 1976, Don Partis, WA2AIV, had eight years of experience operating with the New York State CW Traffic Net, New York State RACES Net, and Navy-Marine Corps MARS. During Hurricane Agnes in 1972, he heard poor operating procedures and realized that Western New York amateurs needed training in proper message handling. With the new repeater available, the opportunity existed to create that training.

As the RACES Radio Officer for the Western District, and with a repeater owned by New York State, no one objected to using 15 to 30 minutes to conduct a net. Don called the first WDN session at 0133Z on June 15, 1976. The net initially met on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 0130Z for liaison with New York State and quickly grew in attendance. On August 9, 1976, the WDN became a daily net and has continued to train operators and serve the public ever since.

Except for his two sons, Don wrote that he was most proud of having created the WDN.

Don Partis, WA2AIV
Updated June 2016