NCS SCRIPT
Terms. Team: Net Control, Alternate Net Control and all Relay stations appointed by the NCS. These affiliates will receive 30 additional minutes participation time.
NCS: Net Control Station
ANCS: Alternate Net Control Station
Net Call or Net Name: Assigned net name such as One Sierra One
Abbreviated Procedure: After establishing contact, only use sending station call.
Full Procedure: Sending and receiving call signs are used.
Phonetics: Call signs are said using the proper phonetic names for letters.
Frequency Compliance: Within +/- 20Hz of the assigned frequency
Pre-net. At fifteen minutes prior to the net start the scheduled NCS will:
a. Insure their transmitter is properly tuned, is on frequency and in the correct mode.
b. Open the pre-net session by announcing:
(Net Call) THIS IS (your callsign-in phonetics) NET CONTROL STATION
FOR THE AIR FORCE MARS NET (announce net name).
IS THERE AN ALTERNATE NET CONTROL
STATION ON FREQUENCY-OVER
When an affiliate responds
check that station’s frequency and insure their transmitter is in
compliance. It is not necessary to have
a certified NCS fill the ANCS slot. The NCS and ANCS will conduct on-the air test to determine
the best frequencies for net use. No further action or transmissions are needed
until the net starts. If no one answers
the call the NCS will continue soliciting an ANCS. If no ANCS is appointed prior to the net
start the NCS will ask if there is a station on
frequency to conduct a radio check with.
If station responds, conduct radio check to determine best frequencies
for the net, otherwise proceed to calling the net..
2. Calling the net. At the appointed time the NCS will announce the following; note that the net name is NOT called at this point:
THIS IS (say your call sign in phonetics) NCS OF THE AIR FORCE MARS NET (say the net name)-PRIMARY FREQUENCY IS (say net designator) -SECONDARY FREQUENCY IS (say frequency designator)- OUT
The NCS will now call the net to order and begin calling the states:
ONE SIERRA ONE-ONE SIERRA ONE -THIS IS (say your call sign in phonetics)
-STATIONS IN CONNETICUT OR DELAWARE-OVER
Note that the call up is by state or states at the NCS’s discretion.
The NCS will acknowledge check ins or say:
NOTHING HEARD-OUT
At this point, if there is an ANCS, that station will echo the call:
THIS IS (ANCS call sign) -ALTERNATE NET CONTROL
-STATIONS IN CONNETICUT OR DELAWARE-OVER
Stations will be acknowledged and when no more are heard the
ANCS transmits NOTHING HEARD-OUT
All net actions will cease when the NCS declares the net closed, but that does not mean that other net’s can not be opened or the frequency used for other MARS business. This period can be used to thank the net participants if you wish to do so.
The ANCS announces “alternate net control station” only once, thereafter just say the call sign.
It is important that the NCS and ANCS say their call sign since not all stations are listening when the net first starts and band conditions vary from location to location.
The NCS then calls the next state or set of states and the above procedure will
be repeated until all states have been polled for check ins. The order of states called will be CT, DE,
IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI and
VT. These states can be called in groups
of two or individually, conditions being the determining factor. Out-of-order check ins
will be ignored.
After the last state has been called and check ins acknowledged the NCS will end the initial call up (see
below.) Once the
initial call up is ended, the NCS/ANCS will log in stations according to the
actual time they are checked in regardless of the elapsed net time. If the initial call
up ends before fifteen minutes into the net, stations will receive a quarter
hour participation time. Beginning with the sixteenth minute stations will
receive less than one hour participation time, depending upon their check in
time. Keep in mind all stations received
an opportunity to check in prior to the initial check in close. Therefore the NCS/ANCS will not credit time from
the beginning of the net, under the conditions just described, as this is
unfair to the stations that make the effort to be on frequency from net start.
After the last state is called and check ins acknowledged the NCS will announce:
THIS IS (NCS call sign) -INITIAL ROLL CALL HAS ENDED
ARE THERE ANY LATE CHECK INS OR
VISITORS-OVER
NCS will acknowledge any late check ins or say:
NOTHING HEARD-OUT
At that point the ANCS will echo this call and likewise will check in any station checking in or will say:
NOTHING HEARD-OUT
This procedure will be repeated until no further replies are heard by the NCS or ANCS. At this point the NCS will say:
(net call) THIS IS (NCS call sign). ROLL CALL IS NOW CLOSED.
THE NET HOLDS (list traffic or
say) NO TRAFFIC.
THE NET IS DIRECTED BUT INFORMAL-OUT
If no ANCS has been appointed the NCS will do the initial roll call as above, disregarding the “echo sequence.” The NCS will, however, appoint the first logical check in as ANCS. Logical meaning a station that is a considerable distance from the NCS’s location and a station whose transmitter may be heard throughout the net. This does not have to be a certified NCS, rather this station will act as a relay but will maintain a check in listing. The point being that if the NCS goes off the air the ANCS will be available to continue the net as well as helping the NCS perform net duties. This is especially needed in poor propagation conditions.
3. Continuity Checks. Each station on the net log is supposed to be active in the net and will be called at least one time each hour to ascertain their ability to communicate with the NCS and/or ANCS. Continuity checks will be accomplished when the net is not passing traffic or engaged in other net activity. This means that the NCS or ANCS can call one or more member stations at any time during the net to ascertain circuit conditions. Relays can and should be used if needed. The net control will give specific signal strength and clarity in response to their report; ROGER will no longer be used to indicate the same strength and clarity. The procedure for continuity checks will be as follows:
If the net has not been told to use abbreviated procedure the NCS will broadcast:
(Net name) THIS IS (your call sign in phonetics) NET USE ABBREVIATED PROCEDURE – OUT
The order of call up will be by using the net log. The order can be in either forward or reverse log order at the NCS’s discretion. Note the use of phonetics and plain language during this protocol.
Example-NCS transmits:
ALPHA FOXTROT ALPHA ONE HOTEL SIERRA– THIS
IS ALPHA FOXTROT FOXTROT ONE OSCAR - RADIO
CHECK – OVER
AFA1HS answers:
THIS IS AFA1HS-GOOD READABLE-OVER
NCS responds:
THIS IS AFF1O - LOUD CLEAR – OUT – ALPHA FOXTROT
ALPHA ONE MIKE UNIFORM – RADIO
CHECK OVER
AFA1MU responds:
THIS IS AFA1MU-LOUD CLEAR-OVER
NCS responds:
THIS IS AFF1O-LOUD CLEAR-OUT- ALPHA FOXTROT
ALPHA ONE ZULU CHARLIE-RADIO
CHECK-OVER
AFA1ZC responds
THIS IS AFA1ZC-WEAK READABLE-OVER
NCS transmits:
FAIR READABLE – OUT
Normally the number of stations called will vary between three and five, according to the traffic and time remaining net time. NCS should poll for stations to be recognized between the radio check calls, unless other traffic is being passed, such as training sessions. The ANCS should also attempt radio checks as part of the continuity check protocol. To accomplish this the NCS will transmit, as an example:
AFA1HS THIS IS AFF1O-CALL THE NEXT THREE
STATIONS FOR RADIO CHECK - OVER
AFA1HS will acknowledge:
THIS IS AFA1HS-ROGER-OUT
Then the ANCS will make the radio check calls.
If one or more stations does not respond the NCS will show that station as closed and the NCS will inform the ANCS of that action. That station will not be called for radio check again. If that station subsequently checks in again they will be shown as continuing in the net.
4. Call signs. With the exception of continuity checks, all initial calls use the full procedure phonetic protocol, example: ALPHA FOXTROT ALPHA ONE HOTEL SIERRA THIS IS ALPHA FOXTROT FOXTROT ONE OSCAR. Therefore when the NCS begins the initial net call-up, full procedure-phonetic call signs will be used by all stations.
After initial call up and conditions permit the NCS will tell the net “NET USE ABBREVIATED PROCEDURE.” Abbreviated procedure is when the transmitting station identifies themselves but omits the call sign of the station being called. An example of this procedure is during the continuity checks. The NCS or ANCS will call each station using the full procedure phonetic protocol, as above, however the responding station says, as an example: THIS IS AFA1HS GOOD READABLE OVER.
The NCS can invoke full procedure or abbreviated procedure as conditions dictate. Again, the only time phonetic calls are used is during initial contact; remember, the proword OUT ends a contact which means the next call should be full procedure phonetic protocol with the exception of continuity checks.
6. Free Net vs. Formal/Directed Net. Initially all of the MARS nets are directed/informal nets, which means calls from any station must be to the NCS initially. Calls to other member stations can be made after obtaining permission from the NCS. Since the 1S1 net is one hour long there will be no Free Net time permitted. Nets which run in excess of one hour in the region are authorized to invoke the free net rule. In a free net members can call each other without NCS’s permission. Since all transmissions will be regarded as traffic, discussions must be limited to MARS business only. NCS’s will insure this rule is maintained, the NCS/ANCS is still responsible for net operation and will monitor all traffic being passed. Idle chit-chat will not be permitted.
7. Closing the net. At exactly 30 seconds prior to the official end of the net the NCS announce, and the ANCS will echo the following: “THIS IS ALPHA FOXTROT ALPHA ONE HOTEL SIERRA. THIS NET IS CLOSED. OUT” Of course you will use your call sign.
8. Transmission Procedures. Pleasantries such as “sir,” “ma’am,” “please,” “thank you,” are NOT to be used on the net. The NCS has to say something until we are all reoriented, so when the NCS hears a violation make an announcement that is meant to correct/remind: “THIS IS (NCS abbreviated procedure call sign)-ALL STATIONS ARE REMINDED TO USE PROPER PROTOCOL AND PROWORDS-OUT”
Superfluous words will not be used, use perscribed procedures, keeping transmissions short and concise. The NCS is charged to insure that the nets are kept at a professional level at all times, this includes “informal” conversations between member stations.
9. General.
a. Participation time. An additional 30 minutes participation time will be logged for the team members. Affiliates checking in using emergency power, in a mobile or transportable (field) configuration or using portable/field antennas are authorized to record an 30 additional minutes, as well. This additional participation time will be reported to their SMD as “other time”.
b. Primary and secondary frequency. It is recognized that there are a number of stations who routinely monitor two frequencies. Therefore the NCS will always appoint a primary and secondary frequency. If there is a station available prior to start of net the NCS will make radio checks on other frequencies to establish primary and secondary net frequency.
c. All net actions will cease when the NCS declares the net closed, but that does not mean that other net’s can not be opened or the frequency used for other MARS business. As an example this period can be used to thank the net participants of the “just closed net,” if the NCS wishes to do so.
d. Affiliates using emergency power, transportable or mobile, digital or simulcast can identify those conditions to the NCS when checking in.
Signed
Robert Harrison, AFF1N/AFA1QD
Region One
Voice Network Manager