RAYNET HF Team Nets

In order to provide a forum for discussion, news, ideas, experiments and information, plus - most importantly - enabling us to test local-to-medium distance communications and various modes, the RAYNET HF team has set up a regular series of fortnightly HF Nets. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND USING/TESTING NVIS STRATEGIES ON THIS NET, if possible - fixed station at first, then mobile/portable.

Date	Mode	Bands to be tested initially
1st	Voice Modes	80 or 40m
7th	Voice Modes	5MHz NoV Frequencies
14th	Voice Modes	80 or 40m
21st	Voice Modes	5MHz NoV Frequencies
28th	Non voice modes like data or CW	Any band

The normal START TIME is 2000hrs (8pm) local,
but if the date falls on a weekend or non-working day (e.g.Public Holiday )
then the Net STARTS at 1400hrs. (2pm) local.

A further description of operating modes and protocols can be found here



Frequencies are chosen according to date and time to try and maximise participation in the nets from the list of Frequencies to be found at this link.

The exact band to be used is usually discussed on the MailingList prior to the net in order to take account of prevailing ionospheric conditions. Whilst an evening net would tend to favour the lower frequencies variations in sunspot activity may result in frequencies higher or lower than these being tested for optimum results.

On the 7th and 21st tests between 5MHz Notice of Variation ( NoV) holders take place. All nets start from a recognised calling channel ( 5.3985MHz USB ) before moving to one of the working channels ( e.g. 5.2585MHz USB ). Dependant upon conditions participants may move to one of the more conventional frequencies on 40m or 80m to see how the new allocation would have fared.



It would provident that some or all of the following topics are covered and re-tested during the RAYNET HF Team Nets:


1. NVIS Comms.Tests :- Fixed-to-fixed / Fixed-to-mobile / Mobile-to-mobile
2. NVIS Antenna Tests:- Both Manufactured / Homebrew - as above
3. Test Various Modes:- Data, Speech, CW, SSTV, FAX, APRS etc.
4. Practice Message Handling:- IARU/RAYNET Voice Message Procedure
5. As far as possible test Long-Distance and Local-to-Medium Distance Comms.