• Net Primary - 145.390 K2XZ/R
• Alternate - 146.640 K2XZ/R
• Passing Traffic - 145.390, 146.640

Simplex Night -- Not Observed at This Time. --

The 9:30 p.m. The Late Session on the 15th of every month is Simplex Night. During this net we DO NOT use the repeaters. We pass traffic by relay on simplex frequencies. They are:

• Buffalo - 147.540
• Rochester - 147.420
• The Southern Tier - 146.550

VHF THIN (Traffic Handlers Information Net)

This net is held on Wednesday nights at 8:00 p.m. Gary KB2YAA will be holding these nets and he will announce what Wednesdays they will be held. This net is an informal net for the purpose of helping stations get answers to their questions about the WDN net, traffic and traffic handling. Everyone is welcome to join no matter what your traffic handling experience.

Counties Covered By The WDN...

Liaison Policy

Outgoing traffic will be sent to the outgoing liaison to take to the CW and phone section nets. If there is no outgoing liaison then someone can volunteer to take it. For assigned liaisons and volunteers, if you check into a net as a liaison, Please be sure you check into the net you are going to even if you have no traffic.

WDN Picnic and Coffee Get Together (When We Have One)

We have a WDN Picnic once a year. This past year 2004 was the first picnic we have had after a 3 year sabbatical. Everyone had a good time and we are all looking forward to next year's picnic in August. In the past there have been quarterly coffee get togethers in different locations in the WDN Net area. Although, the coffee get togethers have not been observed lately, but that doesn't say we can't get something started again.

Contributions

There are no dues to belong to the WDN and we depend solely on contributions for the picnic and any other expenses the net may have. Any one who would like to contribute to the net would be greatly appreciated. Contact one of the Net Managers.

Any traffic that has common text may be listed as Book Traffic. That way you can save time by sending the traffic to two or more stations at the same time.

• Call the net promptly at the time the net is scheduled to begin. Make sure your watches and clocks are set to the proper time.
• Have a good signal and speak loud and clear.
• Keep an accurate and complete log of each check-in. Note traffic handled by whom and to whom, incoming destination and outgoing and the number of minutes the net was in session.
• It is not necessary to greet each station and try to remember their names while taking check-ins. A general greeting to all will be fine.
• It is not necessary to thank each station for handling traffic, liaison stations, relay stations or checking-in. A general comment during closing will be fine.
• Know where net members are located and what traffic they can handle.
• Divide traffic among members. If 4 pieces of traffic are listed for Rochester, divide the traffic between the Rochester stations rather than to one station.
• Be familiar with the coverage and meeting times of section, region, area and independent NYS nets.
• Make use of simplex frequencies and alternate repeaters.
• Remember, NYS Reps only have � hour from the start of the WDN until the start of the NYS net, so clear all outgoing traffic first to these liaisons.
• In heavy load times ask liaisons if they would like help.
• Excuse all stations not needed about 10 to 15 minutes after the start of the net.
• When stations ask to secure at a certain time, if there is no traffic going their way and net business allows, let them secure at the requested time.
• In a directed net, don't allow stations to transmit or carry on a conversation without net controls permission. Keep your transmissions short and don't socialize.
• After 1 or 2 pieces of traffic have been passed, have a call-up.
• It is not necessary to ask if anyone has words or comments for the net. They will let you know.
• Give one last call-up before closing the net.
• If the net has been closed and stations are still off frequency passing traffic. Remain listening on the net frequency until they return.
• Get net reports to the Net Managers as soon as possible.

• Be on time.
• When checking in, only give the information the Net Control has asked for. If you don't have any traffic DO NOT say "No traffic".
• List traffic properly, the destination is given first, followed by the number of messages for that destination: Buffalo 2, Rochester 3.
• Call the NCS only if you must. Wait for a call-up (unless an emergency) and then give your call and a short word for the nature of the business. Such as: info, query, relay or checkout. Under any circumstances DO NOT try to check in or break in while a message is being passed. Wait for a call-up.
• Answer Net Control promptly when you are called. Avoid explanations. Just answer the question. Usually a simple "Affirmative" or "Negative" is sufficient.
• Never transmit without the permission of Net Control, except in an emergency.
• Please do not check-in and ask for permission to secure right away. Plan to stay at least 10 to 15 minutes for the net.
• Notify the NCS if you must leave the net.
• Know the ITU Phonetic Alphabet for phone nets and "Q" signals for CW nets.
• Copy along with the NCS. If the NCS had to leave quickly you would be able to pick up the net.
• Have paper and pencil ready to copy traffic if called upon.
• Remember receiving station calls transmitting station on the net or when sent off net frequency.
• Also, the receiving station "Rogers" the message and sending station sends it back to the NCS.
• Keep all personal comments and conversation until the net has closed.
• When returning to the Net after you have checked-In, DO NOT use the NCS's Call sign, Say "This Is".

• Identify the net and yourself (call and name).
• Call for emergency or priority traffic and handle any emergency traffic immediately.
• A brief description of when the net meets and what type of net it is.
• Special check-in instructions.
• Then Call for - mobiles.
• Assigned liaisons.
• Other liaisons.
• Stations with traffic.
• General call-up.
• Net business.
• Close net.

Calling the Western District Net. Calling the Western District Net.
This is (Your Call) your Net Control for this Session of the Western District Net.
Good Evening, my name is (Your Name) and I am located in (Your Town). Is there any Emergency or Priority Traffic on frequency? If so, Please call (Your Call).

The Western District Net is a Directed Net. Please do not transmit without the direction of Net Control. If you must leave the net, Please inform me before leaving. All stations are welcome and encouraged to check in regardless of your traffic handling experience. The Western District Net is a local net and meets daily, at 9:30 p.m. for the purpose of handling formal written traffic and training in traffic handling. The Western District Net is part of the National Traffic System and handles traffic into, out of and throughout Western New York State. Comments concerning Net Operations may be directed to the Net Manager:

Gary - KB2YAA in Springville, NY

Or Assistant Net Manager Tim KD2IWN in Hamburg.

When Checking into the Net, Please give my call, let up on your microphone to insure that you are not doubling, Like This (Unkey and Key after the Beep) followed by your call, location and the word "Traffic" if you have any; Please list your traffic at that time.

• Mobile and Mobiles ONLY on Frequency Wishing to Join WDN, Please call (Your Call).
• Assigned and Unassigned Liaisons to and from Section Nets, Please call (Your Call).
• Other Liaisons Including MARS, ARES and Other Nets, Please call (Your Call).
• Stations With Traffic and Traffic ONLY, Please call (Your Call).
• A General Call Up, Stations With or Without Traffic, Please call (Your Call).

Handle Any and All Net Business (i.e. - Traffic, Additional Check-ins, Words, etc.)

With no further Net Business I'll close this session. Thank you All for joining us. A Special Thanks to our Liaison Stations, Members who brought and received traffic, and The Net Members in General for your Participation. The Net meets again at _______. This is (Your Call) closing this session of the Western District Net and returning repeater K2ISO Call back to other amateur uses, Thanks to the BARRA Group for allowing us to hold our nets here on the K2ISO repeater (145.170). 73 to All. (Your Call) is Now Clear.

The following is an example of a typical WDN net report. All reports should follow this format and be sent to the Net Manager for the session of the net you ran as soon as possible.

The letters after the call signs are as follows and in this order:

Station activity reports are your opportunity to let the Section Managers know how busy you are during the month. Send these reports to Mike Johnson, N2WKT Salamanca, NY (STM) and John Mueler, K2BT Falconer, NY (SM). They would appreciate them no later than the 6th of the following month. You may send these reports as book traffic. You must have a minimum of 70 points to qualify for the PSHR section. If you don't, just send in the Station Activity Report section.

1. Originated - A message originated by someone other then yourself and filed for initial transmission at your station.
2. Received - Any message received over the air at your station.
3. Sent - Any message sent over the air at your station.
4. Delivered - Any message received at your station and delivered to someone other than yourself. This delivery must be an off air function by telephone, mail, or in person etc.
5. Total

Example:

This section is available to armatures whose public service during the month that includes 70 points or more in the six categories below. Please note the maximum points for each category.

Example:

International Third-Party Traffic

US amateurs may handle third party traffic with:

Notes: ** The Marshall Islands are independent, but the FCC presently honors the previous agreement until a formal agreement can be made.

Notes: *** Limited to special-event stations with call prefix GB (GB3 excluded) and stations on Pitcairn Island (VR6).

Notes: Since 1970, there has been an informal agreement between the United Kingdom and the US, permitting Pitcairn and US amateurs to exchange messages concerning medical emergencies, urgent need for equipment or supplies, and private or personal matters of island residents.

Please note that the Region 2 Division of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) has recommended that international traffic on the 20 and 15-meter bands be conducted on the following frequencies:

• 14.100-14.150 MHz
• 14.250-14.350 MHz
• 21.150-21.200 MHz
• 21.300-21.450 MHz

The IARU is the alliance of Amateur Radio societies from around the world; Region 2 comprises member-societies in North, South and Central America, and the Caribbean.

At the end of an exchange of third party traffic with a station located in a foreign country, an FCC licensed amateur must transmit the call sign of the foreign station as well as his own call sign.

The Western District Net was the brainchild of Bart Bridge, W2ZYQ. In 1973, a group met at the home of Allen Capwell, WA2GVM, Sheriff of Wyoming County and made plans for a new repeater. Bart was a Commercial Sales Manager for General Electric radio systems, and obtained a reconditioned GE Mastr II repeater which was donated to the Western District Office of NY Civil Defense, now the State Emergency Management Office. W2ZIA/R (now WA2CAM/R) was activated on 146.04/64 in October, 1975.

Since the original meeting in 1973, the philosophy was, and continues to be of a state-owned repeater, tested daily and available to public service agencies in the Western District as a backup to government communications.

By the summer of 1976, I had eight years of operating with the NYS CW Traffic Net, NY State RACES Net, and Navy-Marine Corps MARS. While operating during the Hurricane Agnes disaster in 1972, I had heard some really terrible procedures. I realized that the amateurs of Western New York needed some training in handling messages and now there was a means for doing so.

As the RACES Radio Officer for Western District, and with a repeater owned by New York, there was no one to tell me I couldn't use 15 to 30 minutes to run a net. I called the first session of the WDN at 0133Z, June 15, 1976. The net began running Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 0130Z for liaison with NYS, and had continually increasing attendance. On August 9, 1976, the WDN became a daily net and has continued to grow, train operators and serve the public ever since.

Except for my two sons, I am most proud of having created the WDN.

Don Partis, WA2AIV

Updated June 2016