A Beginners Guide To Ham Radio Nets

(The VHF and above Radio World is littered with quiet repeaters, too quiet in fact.  A tried and true practice to encourage activity is for the repeater sponsors to host a daily or weekly Net.  What you will find is that there are several different styles of Nets that can be employed and many are based on the personality of the Net Controller.  Here is a list of the most common type of Amateur Radio Net types and an explanation of their raison d'être:

• The most common Net  which can be found almost everywhere is the ever stimulating "Check-in Only Net".  You know where the authoritarian net controller demands you state your call sign, name, QTH and then SHUT UP SCHWEINHUND!  Always a good time, short sweet, over quick and affords the Net Controller the option of pontificating on a topic of their choice at random times for no apparent reason.
• A variation on this theme is the "Calling Callsigns from a List Net".  This variation allows for the ever chatty Net Controller to really flex there vocal chords, especially during long runs where no one answers.  This is a favorite amongst those really trying to make the Net as long and disinteresting as possible.  These Nets reward returnees with a place on the list whether they are actually there or not.  Very often it is the not.  This type of Net takes Callsign, Name and Good Morning/Evening everybody have a great day/night as there traffic passing ritual.
• A "The Cross Country Checkup" is stimulating in that it excites the imagination as you can listen to check ins from far flung locals that you might otherwise not hear from such as Bismarck, North Dakota, Moscow, Idaho and Chevy Chase, Maryland.  
• The "Net with a Purpose" is just hard work and requires a Net Controller with a skillset to do more listening then talking.  This type of net asks questions of the check ins on a topic of the day or interviews a guest with a particular knowledge set to share with the listenership.  You will hear such things as discussions about Raspberry Pi's, Raspberry Pi's and did I mention Raspberry Pi's?

de VA7SL reporting from Mission Control
(Editors Note: VA7SL is a Net Controller on the Trans Canada Net and has been found guilty of all the sins of which he writes by a jury of his peers)
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