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Written by Jim Brown
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Thursday, 23 August 2007 18:00 |
National Traffic System
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 This is a question any new Amateur Radio Operator in Utah is bound to eventually ask. This page attempts to answer that question. The Beehive Utah Net (BUN) is a formal traffic handling net which meets every single day of the year on 40 meters at 12:30 pm local Utah time. The customary frequency used by the BUN is 7272 kHz in SSB (voice) mode. Tune in a few minutes early and you're likely to hear some fun conversations as friends catch up with each other from across the state. But you'll notice everyone suddenly becomes quiet as the seconds tic down to 12:30 pm. The net starts right at 12:30 pm... usually to the second. You can set your watch by it.
As the net officially begins, the Net Control Operator will give a "preamble" which describes the net and how it functions. As you listen to the Beehive Net progress, you'll hear stations all over Utah and nearby states "check-in" as the Net Roster is called. Some of these folks are on their lunch hour. Others are retired. Sometimes you'll hear them say they're "mobile". Some of them are out camping. Some of them are just at home in their shack. Listen for very long, and you'll start to feel like you've got some old friends all over the state of Utah. Several times each week you'll hear someone say they have "traffic". That is when the folks get down to business.
The purpose of the Beehive Net, and other such nets which are part of the ARRL's National Traffic System (NTS), is to pass formal written traffic. (See Section Two of the ARRL's online Public Services Communications Manual for more info about NTS.) "Traffic" means written messages from one person to another. These are much like telegrams. The messages are often from one "non-ham" to another "non-ham". These messages, commonly called Radiograms, are passed across the country from Net-to-Net and from Ham-to-Ham until they get to the destination area. At that point, the final Ham Radio operator in the link will contact the recipient with the message. The NTS gets pretty busy passing traffic in times of national or regional disasters. And around the holidays.
To become a member of this net, a station must check-in at least 20 times in any single calendar month. These check-ins occur at the end of the net when non-member check-ins are asked for.. Once a member, you will be added to the roster and you'll need to just check-in 10 times each month to remain on the roster.
Remember, the purpose of the net is to pass traffic. Don't be afraid to jump in and take a piece of traffic that is destined for your home town. That is how you learn. You'll find that everyone on the net is very willing to help you learn the ropes.
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The Beehive Utah Net meets every single day of the year on 7272 kHz at 12:30 p.m. local time (Utah). There are several "remotes" through-out the state on VHF and UHF which also carry the Beehive Net. This allows you to listen to the net on your dual-band radio. We will compile a list of these remotes in the future and list them here. If you know of a remote in operation, please email the details to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
for inclusion in the list.
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The BUN Rosters have moved to the file download area.
All documents have moved to the file download area.
NTS stands for National Traffic System. For more information, please see ARRL documentation
The ARRL has published information specific for National Traffic System. Please see ARRL NTS for all the latest information and downloads.
The Net Manager is Jim Brown NA7G
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Rich
NS7K
Clearfield, UT
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Bob
W7ARR
Keno, OR
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Ken
N7KM
Cedar City, UT
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Ron
N7RU
South Jordan, UT
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Don
WA7GTU
Cedar City, UT
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George
WI7E
Ivins, UT
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Tom
W7QWH
Moscow, ID
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To become a member of the Beehive Utah Net, a licensed Amateur Radio Station with HF privileges on 40 meters must check-in at least 20 times in any single calendar month. Non-member check-ins are requested at the end of the net.
Membership has its privileges! After you have checked-in 20 times in a single calendar month, you can start listening for your callsign to be called with the other members. (Sometimes its takes a day or two for the Net Control Operators to get the updated Rosters so don't be too concerned if you have to check-in after roll call for the first day or two. Soon enough you'll hear a friendly "Welcome to the Net!" from one of the net control operators after you are officially added. As a new member, you will be at the tail-end of the roll call list, but checking in as a member on the roll will help you avoid having to deal with the mini-pile-ups that sometimes happen with the non-member check-ins.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 November 2009 20:51 |
Beehive Net
