Duties And Responsibilities Of A Net Control Station

Being a net control station is a position of responsibility and is not simply a matter of being on the net frequency taking check-ins from stations.  As a controller, you have duties to perform each and every time you run the net.  The purpose of our net is maritime mobile stations and deployed service stations.  Those stations who check into the net without traffic are only taken after all other higher priority is handled.

Net Controller duties include but not limited to:

1. checking your email often so that you are current on net events and weather information
2. reading the preamble completely and as written
3. checking for maritime mobile stations at least every 15 minutes
4. reading any tropical storm or hurricane bulletins issued by the National Weather Service or the National Hurricane Center
5. reading any current Amber Alerts
6. reading the high seas forecast and weather bulletins for the Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Eastern Pacific
7. taking MAROB information from eligible maritime mobiles stations
8. reading any Boat Watches that have been issued by Mike K5MP
   ...plus any other net business that may be current at the time.

The priority of traffic is:

1. emergency, medical and priority traffic
2. maritime mobile stations and overseas deployed service stations
3. stations outside North America with traffic (including contact and rechecks)
4. stations in North America with traffic (including contacts and rechecks)
5. station without traffic

Stations that check into the net "just to get on the payroll" are taken as time permits.  Our focus is maritime and deployed service stations.   If the net is busy with that kind of traffic then those with no traffic will have to wait.  We do not operate on a quota system and you are not required to have a certain number of check-ins / hour.  Those stations with no traffic are taken only after everything of a higher priority is done.