THE WASHINGTON STATE NET
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

The following information is intended to convey sufficient instructions to enable a new member station to immediately enter into active participation in the regularily scheduled operation of the Washington State Net (WSN), which is part of the American Radio Relay League National Traffic System (NTS). Checking into WSN will present no problem if you will first familiarize yourself with these instructions, and then listen to a few net sessions to get the "swing" of things. When you feel confident that you are ready to make your own check-in to the net (QNI), JUMP IN! Use these instructions as a guide.
 

NET SCHEDULE
     WSN meets in regular session daily at 0730, 1845 and 2145 local time on 3658 Khz. If bad conditions prevail, such as during Winter, it may be necessary to change the time of net. Experience has shown that shortly after we change from daylight to standard time (late October) and we are at or near sunspot minimum, it becomes necessary to change from 1845 to 1800 PST and eventually to a 1730 PST sked. This remains in effect until mid or late February. The time changes are coordinated with the WARTS phone net to help insure smooth out-of-state traffic flow from WARTS to WSN and on to the Seventh Region Net (RN7). WARTS is the Washington Amateur Radio Traffic System on 3970 Khz.
 

NET CONTROL STATION
     Every regular session of WSN is directed by a Net Control Station (NCS), or, if unable to be present, by an Alternate NCS. (If the regular net control station doesn't show up, then please wait for TWO MINUTES before volunteering as net control). These stations are appointed to these leadership positions by the Net Manager, who selects them from the membership for their qualifications to perform this function.
 

THE FORMAT OF WSN
     Different net control stations have their own styles of running thenet but all follow the same net format, which is as follows:
     I. Call the net to order.
    II. Call for bulletins (QNC)
   III. Call for RN7 liaison
        Call for RN7 (out-of-state) traffic.
        "Pair off" stations to handle RN7 traffic.
    IV. Call for WSN (in-state) traffic
        Determine routing of traffic and "pair off" stations
        to handle the traffic
     V. Call the roll in alphabetical order, using the WSN
        roster
    VI. Call for any other check-ins ("QNI QTC? K")
   VII. Close the net (QNF)
Note that the priorities are (1) get the traffic moving and (2) get people checked in.
 

A SAMPLE WSN SESSION
I. Call the net to order
   NCS: "WSN WSN WSN DE W7GB W7GB GE ALL QND PSE QNZ QNN W7GB BT"

II.Call for bulletins
   NCS: "ANY QNC? K"
        "DE W7ZIW K"
   NCS: "GE PATI PSE QNK UR QNC K"
   After W7ZIW sends her bulletin, NCS W7GB sends
        "ANI FILLS? K"  If none, we move on --

III.Call for RN7 liaison and RN7 traffic
    NCS:  Calls for RN7 liaison station
    NCS: "ANI RN7 TFC? K"
         "DE W7JG 2 RN7 K"
    NCS: "GE DEL   MORE RN7 TFC? K"
         "DE W7LG 1 RN7 K"
    NCS: "GE GIL AS  ANI MORE RN7 TFC? K"
         If there's no more RN7 traffic to be listed, then -
    NCS: "(RN7 liaison) PSE QNR 1 W7LG ES 2 W7JG UP 5
         Then all three will send "GG" meaning "going".
         At this point, the out-of-state traffic has been
         listed & is being handled up 5 Khz.

IV. Call for WSN traffic
    NCS: "ANI WSN TFC? K"
         "DE W7ZIW 1 W7JG K"
    NCS: "GE PATI PSE QNK W7JG AFTER W7LG UP 5 K". W7ZIW
         responds with "GG".
    NCS: "ANI MORE WSN TFC? K" NCS continues to ask for more
         traffic listings and will send stations off
         frequency to handle the traffic.

V.  Call the roll
    Net control will proceed to call the roll.
    NCS: "QNA  W7ACA K"
         "DE W7ACA GE DON QRU K"
    NCS: "GE CORMAC ES TU   N7AJ K"
         The roll call continues on until the roster is finished. If you want to have an informal contact with another station then list it during roll call.  The NCS will pair you off to another frequency.

VI. Call for any other check-ins.
    After roll call is completed, NCS will send
    NCS: "WSN DE W7GB QNI QTC? K"
         This is the time for any visitors or late comers to
         check in. For example -
         "DE N7GGJ QRU K"
    NCS: "GE ERIC ES TU   NEXT K".
        "NEXT" means for anyone else to check in. Sometimes the NCS will sit & wait for a group of stations to check in, especially on the 2nd session.
         When checking in, be sure to check in with your call letters, like in the example. Please do not use "hailsigns" on this net. A "hailsign" is a single letter, sent to attract the attention of the NCS & is equivalent to saying  "break" on a phone net (which is also frowned on!).

VII. Closing the net
    After the traffic has been handled and everyone has been checked in, the Net Control will proceed to close the net by sending -
    NCS: "WSN WSN LAST CALL QNI QTC? K".
         If there"s no response, then NCS will send
    NCS: "WSN DE W7GB NET IS QRU SO QNF ES 73 SK" or some such closing. It varies from one NCS to another.

     During all net sessions the NCS will endeavor to send good clean cw at approximately 18 WPM to accommodate all stations. Faster speeds between stations is permissible but only off frequency, or if on net frequency, only when net has been secured.   All stations checking into the net are expected to stay with the net until the net is closed (QNF). Any station unable to remain the full time may request to be excused and will be excused by the NCS.
     Occassionally, the NCS may want to keep the net open but excuse those who are QRU. In this case, NCS will send "ALL QRU MAY QNX 73" or he may send "ALL EXCEPT K7GXZ MAY QNX". In this case, someone may have shown up late with RN7 traffic and if K7GXZ is the RN7 liaison, then K7GXZ needs to kept on board to handle the traffic.
 

THE SECOND SESSION
     The primary function of the second session of WSN is for receiving incoming traffic from RN7. WSN has a liaison station who checks into RN7 at 2130 local time (3560 khz) and receives traffic coming to Washington state.
The format of the second session is very informal and less structured than the first session.
     I. Call the net to order. (Same as first session)
    II. Call for the RN7 liaison station. At this point the_liaison station (K7GXZ) lists the traffic.
        "DE K7GXZ GE QTC 1 TACOMA  1 RENTON K"
 

   III. Handle the traffic.
        The NCS will ask for any takers for the Tacoma or Renton traffic
           NCS: "ANI QSP TACOMA? K"
             "DE W7JG K"
        NCS: "R GE DEL ES TU   QSP RENTON? K
             "DE N7AJ K"
        NCS: "R TU DON  K7GXZ PSE QNK TACOMA W7JG UP 5 K"
        W7JG: "GG"
        NCS: "N7AJ FOLLOW K"    N7AJ responds with "GG"
        When the traffic has been all been passed, the NCS will
    IV. Call for general check-ins (QNI QTC? K)
     V. Closing the net - same as 1st session

Frequently the second session is very short - 5 minutes or less, although it can run longer during poor band conditions or when there's a lot of traffic to handle.

The average length of WSN sessions is 15 minutes. Net Control Stations are required to report the activity of the net to the Net Recorder. This is usually sent by message as soon as practical after the net. A sample message is as follows:
"TUES APR 10 WSN/1 W7GB/NCS K7GXZ/RN7 W7JG 2 W7LG 1 N7AJ KA7EKL K7IEY W7ZIW N7YRT X QNI 9 TFC 3 X 73 DON.
It is important that the Net Recorder get these reports in order to make up the monthly Net report. Missed reports make the Recorders job difficult.

THE MORNING SESSION
The format of the morning session is identical to that of the second session, except the NCS doesn't call for the RN7 liaison.On WSN/AM the procedure is: List traffic, handle traffic, check in stations at random, close the net..
 

PASSING TRAFFIC
       After all traffic has been listed, the NCS will commence to "pair off" stations to route the traffic towards their destinations and send them off net frequency. The most common arrangement is to send stations U5 (up 5 khz) or U10 (up 10 khz). Traffic on net frequency is kept to a minimum, usually only after net has been secured. The NCS is not bound by any fixed set of rules with regard to the use of 3658 khz and he/she may use the frequency in a manner he deems best to fit the existing conditions on the net session that he is controlling.
     When you have been sent to another frequency to handle traffic, it is the station who will be RECEIVING the traffic who chooses the frequency and who calls the station who has the traffic. Upon completion of the traffic exchange, pause for a few seconds to see if someone else wants you, then return to the net frequency. When returning to the net, unless you have further business, it is not necessary to check back in (re-check). Monitor the net until net is free (QNF).
 

 FREQUENCY TOLERANCE
     Zeroing ones transmitter or transceiver on the net frequency, and on the traffic handling frequencies when directed to shift is of great importance for three reasons. First, the NCS must be able to hear and communicate with every station on the net for efficient communication.
    Secondly, when handling traffic and employing "full break-in" (QSK), stations must be zeroed for QSK to be effective. Finally, the 3.5 Mhz band is occupied with other traffic nets and if WSN stations do not carefully watch their frequency we are apt to cause interference to these nets. Be sure to check your RIT, otherwise you will be off frequency and NCS won't hear you check in! When you are sent up 5 or 10 to handle traffic, this means plus or minus QRM. QRM is usually pretty rare.
 

TRAFFIC POLICY
     The Washington State Net, as part of the ARRL National Traffic System, makes the maximum effort to follow the traffic handling principles of that system. When soliciting traffic OUTSIDE the net, there is no limitation whatsoever on what you choose to handle, but, any message which you receive from beyond the geographical limits of the Washington Section should ordinarily be placed on WSN only if it is addressed to a point within the section. As an example, WSN is not a relay net to accept messages from W6's to W8's; any such messages should be placed on a California Section Net by the W6. An exception to this rule occurs when the station holding such traffic for relay is unfamiliar with the traffic nets and handling, and must dispose of it in any way he can (free lancing) or, when a station holding traffic for relay is unable, for some special circumstance, to check into the proper net with the traffic, and must dispose of it into some other net to avoid delaying it unnecessarily at his station. Under such circumstances, be cooperative and helpful and take his traffic.
     Of course, any message which you originate is not subject to any restriction; it may have a destination anywhere in the world where third party messages are permitted, and will be handled by WSN to higher echelon nets, such as RN7 and the Pacific Area Net (PAN). Certain WSN stations act as liaison stations for this purpose; they collect, at the direction of the NCS, traffic destined for points outside WSN and take it to the next higher echelon which in this case is RN7. Conversely, they receive traffic for WSN while attending the RN7 sessions.
 

OPERATING AIDS
     Nets such as WSN cannot be entirely independent of other traffic nets and related organizations. We must all cooperate for the common good of Amateur Radio in general and the National Traffic System in particular. We learn from others, they learn from us, by working together.
    Neither can we, as a section net, without dues, assessments or financial resources of any kind, afford to publish reams of traffic handling material which seems so necessary to the operation. Therefore, we publish only what we consider essential to supplement the information obtainable from recognized sources. Thanks to Don, K7BFL, WSN has a website on the internet. The URL of the website is: http:/home.earthlink.net/~k7bfl/wsn.html.
     In addition to this WSN Manual, ARRL publishes Operating an Amateur Radio Station, the Net Directory, and The ARRL Operating Manual. These publications contain information on NTS, traffic net operations, "QN" signals, emergency operations and Amateur Radio operating in general. You may obtain these publications from ARRL, 225 Main Street, Newington, Conn. 06111. Members of ARRL receive QST each month and will occassionally find another source of traffic handling information, viewpoints, latest changes, etc, in the "Operating News" and "Station Activities" sections of the magazine. As a general rule, the best way to learn traffic handling is by on-the-air experience.
 

ADMINISTRATION
     During May of each  even numbered year, the Net Manager conducts nominations, balloting, and election of a new Net Manager for the following two years. The Net Manager administers the affairs of the net. He appoints an Associate Manager to assist him when necessary, and to act for him in his absence. He also appoints a net recorder to whom all NCS's address their attendance and traffic reports. The Net Recorder keeps a log of net activity and reports monthly totals to the Net Manager and Section Traffic Managers.
        The Net Manager makes all other appointments to "leadership" positions, such as Net Control Stations & liaison stations to RN7. WSN keeps assignment stations "in state", in other words, NCS and QNB to RN7 will be assigned to stations from Washington State. Elected persons, their appointees, and volunteers will likewise be from Washington State.
        All appointments are made only with the consent of the individual, and are based upon their ability to perform the function. Everyone has an equal opportunity to serve in any or all of these positions. When you feel you want to fill a certain position, let the Net Manager know. He will endeavor to find a spot for you. He will rotate positions so as to give all a chance. Volunteer when you are ready.
     You are encouraged to go beyond the "checking in QRU" syndrome by assuming net control and liaison duties. To assist you in performing these jobs, you will find guidelines for performing NCS and liaison on WSN, RN7,& PAN included in this manual.

II Call for bulletins
   "ANY QNC? K"  If yes, then "(call) PSE QNK QNC K"
   After the QNC, say "ANY FILLS? K"
   If yes, give the fills and proceed on.

III. Call for an RN7 liaison station
     Call for RN7 (out-of-state) traffic
   "ANY RN7 TFC? K"  Write down the list and continue on.
   "ANY MORE RN7 TFC? K"

   Now get the traffic moving
   "(call) PSE QNK (call) UR RN7 UP 5 K"
   If other stations have RN7 traffic, send them up 5 Khz too. NOTE: Have the station with the LEAST amount of traffic lead the pack.

IV. Call for WSN (in-state) traffic
   "ANY WSN TFC? K".
   Write down the list of traffic.
   Now "pair off" the stations by sending them up or down 5 or 10 Khz.
   Develop your own system of keeping track of everything that's going on.

V. Call the roll in alphabetical order, using the roster.
   "W7ACA K" ....."GE CORMAC ES TU"
   "N7AJ K"  Continue on & finish the roster.

VI. General call after the roll call:
    "WSN DE (ur call) QNI QTC? K"
    Continue until all have checked in.
    Use the expression "NEXT" to move things along.

VII.Close the net
    "WSN WSN LAST CALL  QNI QTC? K". If none, then
    "WSN DE (ur call) TKS ALL 73 ES QNF DE (ur call) SK"

Report the net session to the net recorder giving:
   1. Date of session & which session (1st or 2nd)
   2  Who was NCS and who was RN7 liaison (QNB)
   3  List of stations who checked in
   4. Total number of check-ins.
   5. Total traffic handled (include "carry thru" tfc)
 

The Seventh Region Net (RN7) meets on 3560 Khz (7042 KHz alternate) at 7:30PM for outgoing traffic and at 9:30PM for incoming traffic.
 

SEVENTH REGION NET FORMAT
I. Calling the net to order. "RN7 RN7 DE  etc. etc."

II. Call for liaison to PAN (called "RN7/TX" "TX" OR "7T").
   All traffic going out of the 7th region goes to this station.

III. Call for the station going to PAN to receive RN7 tfc & bring back to the second session at 9:30. This station is called "RN7/RX", "RX" or "7R" and will be excused from RN7 at this time.

IV. Roll Call. The net control will call for liaison stations from ATN(Alberta),   BCEN(B.C.), IMN(Idaho/Mont),  OSN(Oregon), WSN(Wash), and KL7.
 
Each liaison station will check in, list traffic, and net control will pair off stations up or down in frequency  for the handling of traffic. Pay close attention and  take notes.

V. Closing of net. As soon as all the net business is taken care of, the net control will secure the net.
 

PACIFIC AREA NET FORMAT:
I.General Net call-up
II.Roll call according to region(RN6,RN7,TWN) and TCC assignment is generally in this order:
  Stn G: Brings tfc FROM CAN to PAN
  Stn H: Brings tfc FROM EAN to PAN
  RN6/RX(6R):Receives tfc from PAN, & takes to RN6
  RN7/RX(7R):Receives tfc from PAN, & takes to RN7
  TWN/RX(TR):Receives tfc from PAN, & takes to TWN

Net control will start the traffic moving by pairing off stations up or down 5, 10, 15 or 20 Khz.

  Stn I: Takes tfc from PAN, going to CAN.
  Stn J: Takes tfc from PAN, going to EAN
  RN6/TX(6T):Takes tfc from RN6, going to PAN
  RN7/TX(7T):Takes tfc from RN7, going to PAN
  TWN/TX(TT):Takes tfc from TWN, going to PAN
 

III. traffic handling continues. Pay close attention.
IV. Net control will excuse you when you're through.
V. Net is closed when all net business is done.

If you are RN7/TX, you will classify your tfc according to RN6, TWN, EAN, & CAN. See the NTS ROUTING GUIDE in the ARRL NET DIRECTORY. You will check inunder 7T & list your traffic.
You will KEY ON: Stn I for CAN tfc; Stn J for EAN tfc; Stn TR for TWN tfc; Stn 6R for RN6 tfc

If you are RN7/RX, you will check in under "7R"
You will KEY ON: Stn G for tfc fm CAN; Stn H for tfc fm EAN; Stn 6T for tfc fm RN6;Stn TT for tfc fm TWN
 

Important Note:It's simple to figure out to which stations you will be sending or receiving traffic . Pay attention & take notes. Listen to a few PAN sessions,then plunge in!

My thanks go to Hap Helgesen, W7AIB, (Silent Key) for providing me with this brief history of WSN from his  personal records.  73  Don  W7GB

This edition of the manual is a revised version of the 2nd revision made in 1973 by W7GB and W7AIB.
            Actual Original  1950's Printed by Chet, W7AMC
Credits:    Original Manual  1965,  W7AIB
            Revised Edition  1973,  W7GYF (W7GB)
            Revised Reprint  1974,  K7OZA
            Revision # 2     1988,  W7GB
            Revision         1997,  W7GB 
            edited 2006, K7BFL