New Zealand Net News Nr 6, 14 June 2019

This is a fortnightly newsletter about the New Zealand Net.
If you would like to subscribe, please contact ZL1NZ.

Highlights

As mentioned in the previous newsletter, we recorded 100 check-ins to the NZ Net during May. Here are the full details as contained in a QNC (message to all stations) which was sent during the net on 4 June.

NR33 R ZL1NZ 35/32 AUCKLAND 0900Z 4JUN19
=
NZ NET
=
MAY QNI ZL1AJY 1 ZL1NZ
22 ZL2GD 16 ZL2JU 1
ZL2LN 3 ZL2WT 9 ZL3RX
10 ZL4CU 1 ZL4FZ 2
ZL4KX 10 ZL4LDY 7 ZL6FF
1 VK3DRQ 17 TOTAL 100
QTC 13
=
ZL1NZ

Thanks to everyone who checked in!

Video of the way things used to be

One of my favourite CW videos is a recording of Jim W8IHX running a traffic net in 1998. There’s plenty of interesting detail in both the video and the audio, and much of the operating procedure will be familiar if you’ve been joining us on the NZ Net.

It’s the third video on this page:
https://zl1.nz/morse-code-radio-telegraphy/morse-code-videos/

As this is part of the highly structured ARRL National Traffic System, Net Control opens the net with QNA (“answer in pre-arranged order”) for the stations that act as relays to/from other nets, before moving on to the general checkins.

Jim remains a very active traffic handler as part of Radio Relay International in the United States. He is also fluent in American Morse as used in landline telegraphy. None of that is surprising when you see his skill on display in the video above.

QNN?

I’m really hoping some of you are starting to feel familiar enough with how the net works that you’ll volunteer for Net Control duties.

Grant ZL2GD filled in for me as NCS a few weeks ago, and reported afterward that he had “a great time” running the net.

“I have to say that initially I was a bit nervous but once we got underway it was all plain sailing. Manny was first check in. He was only Q1 and he had a msg – oh dear!

“Thank goodness he sent double word groups and it was QSL first pop.

“ZL2WT checked in next and he was down in the noise as well. David has a go at CQ QNN but no more takers. It was a fun 30 minutes and very satisfying getting the traffic from VK3DRQ passed OK.”

Fortunately David ZL2WT has increased power now, so should be easy copy for everybody in NZ. Sadly, propagation from VK3 remains a challenge.

SKN Winter Edition

It was great to hear so many NZ Net stations on the recent Straight Key Night – Winter Edition. Thanks for helping make the event such a success. The top results will be announced on 1 July – on the NZ Net – so if you want to hear it first, you know where to be!

Net tip: The Q code QSZ

I’ll admit this one is a bit esoteric, but it relates to Grant’s comments above from his experience copying Manny’s traffic in poor conditions, so I thought it would be a good time to feature it.

There is a Q Signal that means “Shall I sent each word/group twice?” and it is…

QSZ?

The affirmative reply is QSZ with an optional number, e.g. QSZ by itself means “Yes, send each word/group twice” whereas QSZ5 means “send each word/group FIVE times”. Hopefully conditions are never that bad!

So, if I were to send the message at the top of this newsletter in response to a QSZ request, it would sound like:

NR33 NR33 R R ZL1NZ ZL1NZ 35/32 35/32 AUCKLAND AUCKLAND 0900Z 0900Z 4JUN19 4JUN19 …

For MF enthusiasts

On Saturday 22 June, ZL1ZLD will be on 475 kHz CW from the Musick Memorial Radio Station in Auckland, starting at about 8pm and going for a few hours at least. ZL1ZLD will be using one of the former 500 kHz transmitters from Auckland Radio ZLD, and listening not only on 475, but also on one or more HF frequencies for cross-band contacts. These frequencies will be announced by ZL1ZLD on 475.

Suggestions?

If you have suggestions on how to make the net better, or things you’d like to see covered in these updates, please contact ZL1NZ. You might even like to write something for the newsletter.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon on the NZ Net!

Neil ZL1NZ