Relaying traffic on a Simplex Net

[KE5TTU]

Fellow hambones, Our stake conducts regular nets over local 2m repeaters, but once a quarter we do a simplex net. Our boundaries are too large for all stations to be heard on such a net. Does anyone have a recommendation for relaying traffic in such cases? Maybe more than just a passing idea, but an established procedure that has proven effective. Thanks in advance.

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[KI6LTS]

I am interested in the same info.

[wb7sgl]

My only idea would be to coordinate Ward nets, pre-distribute the announcements to the Ward net controls and have them each hold a simplex net on the hour on different frequencies. At half past the hour, call a stake net where the Ward specialists report the results of their respective net's. -Rob

[KF7ATL]

I live near Logan, UT. Our local Bishop's Storehouse net is operated twice a month, and uses a simplex frequency. The net control station has his residence on the East side of the valley and sometimes he is shadowed so that he can't always hear the stations in the North end of the valley. There is a station on the West side of the valley with a beam antenna who has very good coverage of the valley. She can often hear those in the North end even when the NCS can't. Therefore, NCS uses her, and a few others, as relay to check in those he can't hear. Knowing that he won't be able to hear them, he asks her to call and get their check ins.Hope this helps.Garth, KF7ATL

[AD6WB]

You might want to look at the National Traffic System, as an outline for your simplex net.  It has been around since 1915, no reason to reinvent the wheel when you can modify something that already works.Here's the ARRL link: http://www.arrl.org/nts After you make any changes write out the system and distribute it to everyone, and practice, practice, practice. Then when it's needed everyone is on the same page and communications will flow much smoother.de Bill AD6WB

[KE7VIN]

Just saw this thread.  A training net in our area practices repeater failue and simplex nets at least annually.  We do it as a drill, without informing anyone beforehand that it is going to happen.  Net Contol take check-ins from everyone they can hear.  Then Net Contol assigns certain stations in different parts of the metro area to make an annuncement about the drill and take check-ins from anybody they can hear.  Our protocol is for Net Control to use high power, but for everyone else to reduce their power.  If Net Control can't hear them another station will relay them in.  Net Control tracks how people check in (direct, relayed, who relayed them, can they hear Net Control, etc.).  So, basically we set up low-power subnets in different parts of the metro area and have the control for that subnet relay information to and from Net Control.  We have developed this over several years of trial and error.  It works well.

[N7LRD]

One of our sons-in-law lives in Texas and participates in the 7290 Traffic Net.  Their website shows a roster of folks across 13 states, so they meet the size and traffic volume threshold you mentioned.He reported that the Net Control handles incoming traffic much as a main dispatcher where he redirects the traffic to a number of subnet net controls who handle the traffic for geographical areas and / or specific priority levels.He went on to say that the net functions extremely well.Their website is found at: http://www.7290trafficnet.org  It is complete with net times, reports, traffic preambles and closings, etc.Because of the size of the area it covers, I suspect that members of this list belong to it and can further inform the group of how it functions from a first-hand perspective.

[bwillden]

In our Stake we have Nets weekly.  We have agreements with two different Clubs that allow us to use their repeaters.  But on the Second Sunday of every month we hold a Simplex Net.  In our area we are spread out significantly, and not everyone can hear on simplex.  As a routine, we will select someone closer to remote areas that have checked into the net, then they will be assigned to pass traffic in their area, and to relay any individuals that can't hit the net control directly.  This net is usually a bit longer than the others because of having to have individuals repeat the information and to relay the information back, but it does get us all used to working without a repeater.

[northernscout]

This is quite a problem everywhere, not just on church emcomm simplex nets. I am 68 and my hearing isn't as good as when I was young. High freq response is not as good as low freq response and so the need for hearing aids. Anyway I'm too cheap to get a hearing aid yet so my ability to take messages, write them down, and pass them on intact is not as good as it could be. Does this sound like you or most of your emcomm volunteers? Sigh...  O/K you do the best you can and the first step is to download and print up message forms from the ARRL WEB site.http://www.arrl.org/files/media/Group/Fillable%20Radiogram%20Form.pdfThen you need to find out how to fill in that form and that's a great start. You may want to create a modified form that more suits your local needs.The alternate to this is to use packet radio and it can work well. What gets initially sent out is what the person at the end of the chain should see without interpretations in between. Unfortunately packet radio is a little complex to learn to do and if you don't use it frequently you forget how to do it, how to create proper addressing, and how to make all of the electronic bits talk to each other properly. Theoretically packet is the best way to communicate messages in a disaster on simplex. It's the wetware problem between the ears that falls down. So, back to the verbal message handling and use of message forms. Follow the hierarchy that is used in church. Members report to their home teachers, home teachers to their elders quorum president or high priests to their HP group leader and then up to the bishop and so forth. Not a big deal if everyone co-operates. The trouble seems to be at the top. The bishops and presidents are so busy they don't want to take the time to get their amateur radio certifications. Not sure how they expect to get messages if cars aren't able to run, no telephone including cel. Sort of short sighted but then most of us have never had to deal with a disaster and there is so much other real here-and-now work to do for them. Just do what "you" can do.

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