In ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) nets, the Net Control Station (NCS) is the station in charge, ensuring efficient communication and adherence to procedures. The NCS directs net activities, manages traffic flow, and maintains order. They are responsible for activating and assigning resources, keeping track of participants, and assigning tactical call signs.
Key Responsibilities of Net Control:
Directing Net Activities:
The NCS oversees all transmissions, ensuring only necessary communications occur to maintain efficiency.
Managing Traffic Flow:
They prioritize and facilitate the exchange of information, including emergency traffic, with brevity and clarity.
Maintaining Circuit Discipline:
The NCS enforces net protocols, such as using clear vocabulary, standard phonetics, and avoiding Q-signals.
Log Keeping:
They meticulously document net participation and the movement of messages, ensuring a record of all activities.
Resource Management:
The NCS activates and assigns resources as needed, including personnel and equipment, to support the net's purpose.
Ensuring Bandwidth Efficiency:
The NCS prioritizes concise and accurate communication to maximize bandwidth and prevent delays.
Keeping Track of Resources:
The NCS maintains awareness of which resources are available and actively manages their allocation.
Assigning Tactical Calls:
The NCS assigns tactical calls, if necessary, to facilitate organization and communication within the net.
Following Net Procedures:
The NCS adheres to established net protocols and procedures to ensure a smooth and organized communication flow.
Providing Clear Instructions:
The NCS clearly instructs net participants on how to check in, check out, and participate in the net.
Handling Emergency Traffic:
The NCS prioritizes and handles emergency traffic with utmost care and efficiency.
Monitoring Net Activities:
The NCS constantly monitors the net for potential problems or issues and takes appropriate action.
AFFIRMATIVE means “Yes” or “I agree” or “Permission granted.”
BREAK, BREAK, BREAK means you have emergency traffic that must be passed immediately.
CHECK BREAK means you are pausing to verify that the receiving station has copied your message. An appropriate response from the receiving station would be “COPY.”
CLEAR or OUT means your transmission is completed and no answer is required or expected.
CLOSE means you are shutting down your station and can no longer be contacted.
COPY THAT or ROGER means you have received the transmission satisfactorily.
CORRECT means you acknowledge what was transmitted as correct.
CORRECTION means an error has been made and the transmission will continue with the last word correctly transmitted.
DECIMAL indicates a decimal point.
DISREGARD means an error has been made in the transmission that is in progress and you are to completely ignore this transmission.
FIGURES means that the following words are to be copied as numbers.
I SPELL means you will spell the following word(s) phonetically.
NEGATIVE means “No” or “I disagree” or “Permission denied.”
OUT or CLEAR means your transmission is completed and no answer is required or expected.
OVER means you are finished with your transmission and the other station is expected to reply.
ROGER or COPY THAT means you have received the transmission satisfactorily.
SAY AGAIN means you want the last message to be repeated. You may include a modifier to have part of a message repeated, as in the following examples:
“Say again ALL AFTER __________”
“Say again ALL BEFORE _________”
“Say again WORD AFTER _________”
“Say again WORD BEFORE ________”
STANDBY or WAIT means you are not yet ready to copy. You may include a time modifier, such as “Standby one.”
THIS IS means the transmission is from the station whose call sign follows.
WAIT or STANDBY means you are not yet ready to copy. You may include a time modifier, such as “Standby one.”