About The Cabot Nightflyers Net
The Cabot Nightflyers Net was created in order to promote amateur radio activities during the late evening hours, for those operators and listeners that might not be available during times of the day when the majority of normal net activities tend to occur. The net normally meets at 9pm U.S. Central Time, Sunday, on 147.570 simplex in central Arkansas. There may soon be changes to the Echolink node, but you can still be part of the net via the Listen Live link. Unfortunately, sometimes technical difficulties may mean that link is down at times...if that's the case, try again later...sorry for any inconvenience.
All properly licensed amateur radio operators are welcome to check into, and participate in the net. For those who do not have an amateur radio license, you can still listen live.
The purpose of the net is to provide training, amateur radio fellowship, and to promote discussion on a variety of topics that include both radio-related items, as well as other items not necessarily related to radio (as long as they are FCC legal). The net has covered a wide variety of topics that have included emergency communications training and preparedness, introduction to newer modes of radio communications, VHF/UHF weak signal operations, and even such topics as technology assisting those with disablities.
The general net format is participatory in nature...meaning that all operators who checkin to the net are encouraged to act as part of the net by contributing their thoughts and comments on net topics and/or other discussion activities.
Note that if there is thunderstorm activity in the central Arkansas area at net time, the net may be shortened, or cancelled that evening...to both protect from lightning damage...and to leave the net frequency clear to assist with possible weather related traffic..
1) When checking in to the net, please give the Net Control Station's Callsign, and then give your callsign phonetically (using ITU Phoenetics), your name, location, and whether or not you have traffic for the net.
2) The net is a Directed Net...so all stations should contact Net Control BEFORE attempting to contact other stations on frequency.
3) Due to some of the delays present with use of Echolink, and some other link systems...please pause at least two (2) seconds after keying your mic, before you actually speak into the microphone. Otherwise, you likely will cut off the first part of your transmission. Also, be sure that your audio level is high...but not so much as to where it is distorted. If your audio is low, it may not come over the link, or over RF. Take note that, unless otherwise noted, Net Control does NOT have Echolink, at his shack setup...so he can NOT see stations checked in via this mode.
4) Exercise good amateur practice, and present courtesy throughout the net. Remember, courtesy costs nothing...but pays big dividends. Others are listening via scanner or the internet...please don't give a bad impression of amateur radio.
5) Enjoy the net, and listening to the input from all participating stations, without taking offense to any statements made. Part of this net is dedicated to getting every different operator's opinion...so enjoy listening to the different viewpoints and subjects...even if they do not necessarily agree with your own.
6) Checkins are taken in the following order:
a) Emergency or Priority Traffic -- these stations may break into the net at any time...using the prowords EMERGENCY or PRIORITY...followed by their callsign. If this occurs, the net will be stopped, and we'll try to help the stations deal with the situation. Unless you have either EMERGENCY or PRIORITY traffic, PLEASE WAIT until your group is requested to check in by Net Control.
b) Echolink and EchoIRLP stations. As noted, Echolink stations are requested to have be sure their audio is high...but not distorted...so that it is heard by the RF connection.
c) General checkins.
d) Relay and Weak Signal stations. This includes relays of Echolink stations...and relays from the Nightflyers Chat Box.
7) If you are connected via Echolink, please be sure that Conference Mode is turned OFF. If the system you are linked with has ''courtesy tones''...such as with a repeater...it causes ''dueling squelch tails'' with the node...keeping all other stations from participating in the net. However, if that node does not have ''courtesy tone issues'', you can have them connect to you (with Conference Mode On) for the net. Many Echolink Nets will NOT allow you to connect, unless your Conference Mode is turned OFF. Each individual node should connect to the desired node for the net.
8) After checkins, and passing of traffic...the net proceeds to its News And Notes section...followed by the weekly
training presentation, then the Question Or Comment Of The Week, and comments from those stations who
have checked into the net...prior to a final call for checkins.
Recordings will be made and put on the website for the Special Format Nets, but not for the regular nets. Those wishing copies of the previous weeks net should contact the Cabot Nightflyers at the email link on the main page. Please do so as soon as possible, or you may not be able to get the desired net recording...and depending on various conditions, an actual recording may sometimes not be available...sorry for any inconvenience.
For the recorded files...the way Echolink records files, all the ''silent pauses'' are removed. However, the files are rather large;
so, if you are on a dial-up internet connection, it will take a large amount of time to download the files.
The recordings of previous Special Format Nets, where available, will remain on the website for download at your leisure.
However, with all the recent severe weather, etc., it has been difficult for me to check into the net, or to obtain logs afterwards. If someone can assist in getting the logs to me, I'd greatly appreciate it. To contact the Webmaster, click here, and follow the instructions.
1) KC5FWE, Steve, Cabot, AR (Net Control)
2) AE5WX, Daryl, Little Rock, AR (Webmaster)
3) KE5WOK, Steven, New Edinburg, AR
4) KC0EQA, Doug, Hastings, NE
5) KE5UU, Ken, Russellville, AR
6) AE7GZ, Jeff, Tacoma, WA
7) N5NBJ, Jason, Harrison, AR
8) KF5HTK, Geoff, Little Rock, AR
9) KF5MUW, Ashley, Little Rock, AR
10) KC2HRM, Rich, Benton, AR
11) KA7ZAU, Arlan, Sparks, NV
12) KD8IDK, David, Springfield, OH
13) KD5GBB, David, Heber Springs, AR
14) W5TMK, Todd, Chesterfield, MI
15) KD5DLJ, Denny, Omaha, AR
16) KF5KLS, Mary, Omaha, AR
17) KF5BRU, Jack, Harrison, AR
18) KF5FBR, Shane, Cabot, AR
19) KF4NXS, Matt, Lyman, SC
20) WX1DX, Jesse, Cabot, AR
21) KF5EYQ, Rebecca, Cabot, AR
22) KF5MKT, Daniel, Cabot, AR
23) KF5KEO, Dan, Jacksonville, AR
24) KF5OBS, Sebastian, Lonoke, AR
25) KF5LFQ, Mike, Jacksonville, AR
26) KE5WLR, Danny, Little Rock, AR
27) W5AVE, Karen, Little Rock, AR
28) KC5RAI, Charles, Dallas, TX
29) AF5AZ, Chris, North Little Rock, AR
30) K5NDX, Randy, Parsons, KS
31) KE5SNS, Tonya, Almyra, AR
32) KE5DUK, Kevin, Cabot, AR
2) KE5ICG, Ray, Little Rock, AR
3) AJ5C/HI4, Bob, Haiti/Dominican Republic
4) KF5ITM, Kirk, Blackwell, AR
5) KF6BIE, Trenton, Biloxi, MS
6) KF5EQS, Ron, Cabot, AR
7) K1DSG, Geoff, Northern Pulaski County, AR
8) KF5IRZ, Don, Marshall, AR
9) N1WNC, Brian, Conway, AR
10) KE5HQU, Marlene, Otto, AR
11) KK5IT Darrell, Royal Palm Beach, FL
12) KE5KOL Dawn, Royal Palm Beach, FL
13) AF5BE, Stefan, Conway, AR
14) KF5JRV, Willis, Wesley, AR
15) WJ0RGE, Jorge, Patterson, NJ
16) WZ5E, Kyle, Letona, AR
17) KE5ELU, Arland, Cabot, AR
The Question/Comment Of The Week was from Steve, KC5FWE. ''Have you ever done any QRP operating??''.
A recording of the Jan. 29, 2012 Net can be found here.
A recording of the Dec. 4, 2011 net is in 2 parts...part 1, and
part 2 (comments).
A recording of the Nov. 27, 2011 net can be found here.
For those who inquired about a recording of the Pre-Net Show, for this special occasion, we apparently did get a
successful recording so, for a limited time, it is available here.
Information on history of TAPS begins at about the 31:00 minute mark on the pre-net show.
The first one is a report on satellite work by N5NBJ, Jason, and AJ5C, Bob.
The second one is a brief overview of Amateur Satellites. Further pictures and videos can be found here.
July 20, 2008 - Cabot Nightflyers Net has it's first presentation by an official guest speaker. The presentation was on the topic of Technology for the visually impaired - a brief history and how it relates to ham radio, and it was given by special guest speaker Scott Berry (N7ZIB) via Echolink.
August 10, 2008 - First official Nightflyer Certificate with official Nightflyer number is issued via e-mail.
August 24, 2008 - First Cabot Nightflyers Net with more than 10 checkins.
October 19, 2008 - Cabot Nightflyers Net web site is officially launched on Geocities.
October 29-30, 2008 - First Holiday Special Edition Net takes place - Halloween Special Edition Nightflyers Net.
December 14, 2008 - Tenth official Nightflyer number and certificate are issued.
February 22, 2009 - First official Cabot Nightflyers Net is broadcast on the internet, via live streaming audio from the Cabot Nightflyers website.
August, 2009 - Cabot Nightflyers groups are set up on the Arkansas Amateur Radio Operators Social Network, and the Facebook social networking websites. Unfortunately, the Arkansas Amateur Radio Operators Social Network is no longer available.
October, 26, 2009 - The original Cabot Nightflyers website, off of Geocities, is shut down. The site was moved to a link off of the homepage of AE5WX.
Nov. 2, 2009 - A new domain and Guestbook were obtained for the Cabot Nightflyers, at http://www.cabotnightflyers.net...with redirection pages at the old links.
Dec. 20, 2009 - Two special milestones were reached during the special Christmas format net:
1) Thanks to the relay assistance of several stations, this was the first Cabot Nightflyers Net to officially take checkins from the Nightflyer Chatbox on the website.
2) This was the first Cabot Nightflyers Net to officially surpass the 20 checkin mark, with a record setting 23 checkins. This record may be broken with future nets.
Dec. 27, 2009 - Due to scheduling conflicts, this was the last night the net met at its ORIGINAL start time, of 10pm Central Time. The start time for the net was MOVED BACK ONE HOUR, to 9pm, Central Time, effective with the Jan. 3, 2010 net.
Jan. 3, 2010 - The net now meets at 9pm, U.S. Central Time on Sunday. With the new time, which is apparently MUCH BETTER for all concerned...we BROKE THE RECORD of 23 checkins that was set on Dec. 20, 2009; there were 28 checkins on the Jan. 3, 2010 net.
Apr. 11, 2010 - The Special Format Net on Storm Spotter And Storm Chaser Safety with Shane, KF5FBR, as Guest Net Control...BROKE THE RECORD with 30 checkins... surpassing the previous record of 28 checkins that was set on the Jan. 3, 2010 Net.
July 11, 2010 - A new record was set on the net, with 33 checkins...breaking the previous record of 30 checkins set 3 months ago. The new 33 checkin record was tied again on the Mar. 6, 2011 net.
August 15, 2010 - Reached the half-century mark for Cabot Nightflyers Certificates earned. For a list of members on the net who have obtained their certificates, with at least 5 checkins, click here.
Nov. 21, 2010 - Reached the century mark for Cabot Nightflyers members reaching 100 checkins. Members of the Cabot Nightflyers Century Club have an exclamation point (!) beside their Nightflyers Number, located here.
Mar. 13, 2011 - A new record was set on the net, with 39 checkins...breaking the previous record of 33 checkins that was set on July 11, 2010, and tied on March 6, 2011.
Oct. 30, 2011 - A new record was set on the net, with 40 checkins...breaking the previous record of 39 checkins that was set on Mar. 13, 2011.
Dec. 25, 2011 - In the holiday spirit, several courtesy checkins were given to those stations who check into the net regularly, but were unable to do so, for whatever reason that evening. That set a new record for checkins, at 47... breaking the previous record of 40 checkins that was set on Oct. 30, 2011.
Jan. 15, 2012 - With courtesy checkins to the stations that regularly checkin to the net...as well as to the others who checked in, a new record of 49 checkins was set...breaking the previous record of 47 checkins that was set on Dec. 25, 2011.