About SEMTN

   The Southeastern Michigan Traffic Net (SEMTN) meets 365 days of the year on the 146.76 Mhz KE8HR "Spirit of 76" Repeater (Offset -600Khz with PL 100 Hz) in Southfield, Michigan at 10:15 pm Eastern Time in analog VHF-FM mode.   The purpose of the net is for the passing of formal written NTS Radiogram Traffic into and out of the Southeastern Michigan area.   Our back-up repeaters are the 145.33 Mhz WR8DAR RADAR and the 146.64 Mhz W8HP DART Repeaters.  When there are no repeaters available, the net will meet at simplex frequency 146.46 Mhz and above.  The SEMTN is a local net of the ARRL National Traffic System. SEMTN has been managed by Mike KE8CEH since 2017.  Mike is a very technical young man dedicated to traffic handling and the smooth operation of the net.  

   The SEMTN has been serving the Motor City for 39 years! :-)

  There are two very classic skills in Amateur Radio that all amateur radio operators that are encouraged to know:  Morse Code and Radiogram Traffic Handling.   Both skills have their beginnings before and in the early days of Radio.  Here at the SEMTN we enjoy the practice of radiogram message handling and encourage all SE Michigan amateur radio operators that are interested to check-in to the net and hopefully participate in message handling.

  Radiograms are very similar to the telegrams of old and the National Traffic System (NTS) is the mechanism in which the message traffic is formally moved through the country today. 

  The SEMTN was founded in 1986 by Jim Wades WB8SIW and Jeff Meyer N8AHA (Now K4DKW) due to a great need to be able to move traffic into and out of S.E. Michigan.  Jim was primarily a CW operator and Jeff preferred voice operation. There were more and more Radiogram messages destine for Southeast Michigan at that time but, not enough local operators present on the HF bands to distribute the messages. This led to Jim and Jeff's innovative idea to start a VHF traffic net for the Detroit area.   Diane WI8K came on-board a couple years later.  Diane's cool and very professional manner grew and organized the SEMTN to how net operations are conducted today.  The net was originally held on the Edison Repeater 145.33 Mhz. The net later moved to the Spirit of 76 Repeater 146.76 Mhz in approximately 2002 where it is still held to this day.  

 The 146.76 Mhz KE8HR/R is a 700-foot-high strong repeater with extensive coverage heard from Port Huron to Toledo and well into SW Ontario to west of Ann Arbor and Howell providing full coverage of Southeastern Michigan.  Note also the KE8HR repeater is part of the Eastern Michigan Linked Digital Repeater System (WIRES X #43148 - YSF #92160 - Universal Reflector URF106A) in YSF C4FM Digital mode.  The repeater is dual mode and can operate in either FM or System Fusion C4FM. When transmitting into it in FM analog mode, the repeater is local, which is perfect for the SEMTN.  When transmitting into it is C4FM YSF digital, the repeater is linked to the Eastern Michigan Linked Digital Repeater System and the signal is heard in Eastern Michigan and S.W. Ontario and from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Toledo Ohio.  (Note: It is recommended to set the receive Tone Squelch to 100 hz to eliminate any possible digital noise that may occur prior to the start of the net) 

  The 146.76 repeater is disconnected from the Eastern Michigan Linked Digital Repeater System at 10:10p each night for the SEMTN.  We are very thankful to Wallace KE8HR and the Spirit of 76 Amateur Radio Group to be able to use and for the exclusive use of the 146.76 Mhz Spirit of 76 Repeater during net time and their continued commitment to public service communications. 

 Here is a list of the great amateur radio operators that have served as Net Manager of the SEMTN:

• Jeff N8AHA: 1986-1989

• Diane WI8K: 1989-1998

• Frank K8JN: 1998-2000*

• Diane WI8K: 2000-2004*

• Ann-Marie K8AMR: 2004-2011*

• Jeff WB8WKQ/SK:  2011-2013

• Brad KD8QPF: 2013-2017

• Mike KE8CEH: 2017- Present

(* Dates approximated)

 Their innovation, hard work and dedication to growing and maintaining the SEMTN is much appreciated.

 Southeastern Michigan Traffic Net Statistics

  All stations handling traffic are encouraged to send their monthly Station Activity Report (SAR) to our Michigan Section Traffic Manager, Mark K8ED via radiogram by the 10th of each month.   Stations may also report their Public Service Honor Roll Activity (PSHR) activity.  Click here for a radiogram formatter to assist with creating a Radiogram SAR or PSHR report to send to Mark K8ED.