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...and via the KE5ELU-L Echolink Node 260617. 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 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 coincide 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 (usually by the webmaster (AE5WX))...and relays from the Nightflyers Chat Box (usually by Net Control (KC5FWE)).
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.
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.
A complete log of checkins is posted as soon as possible after the net is concluded. Note that the order listed below may not be in the exact order that they checked in on the net. Lastly, if there is a threat of, or actual thunderstorms in the central Arkansas area at net time, the net may be cancelled, to keep the frequency clear for weather related traffic. For central Arkansas weather information, click here. Locations for stations that check into the net are based on QRZ listings, unless otherwise noted. The following stations checked into the Sep. 5, 2010 net:
1) KC5FWE, Steve, Cabot, AR (Net Control)
2) AE5WX, Daryl, Little Rock, AR (Webmaster)
3) KC5RAI, Charles, Dallas, TX
4) KB3UJF, Jim, Lykens, PA
5) N5NBJ, Jason, Harrison, AR
6) KF4NXS, Matt, Lyman, SC
7) AJ5C, Bob, Harrison, AR
8) KF5FBR, Shane (proxy - deployed to Iraq)
9) KF5HTK, Geoff, Kirbyville, MO (portable)
10) NX5V, Charles, Dallas, TX (portable)
11) KF5CKF, Morgan, Springdale, AR
12) KF5CHP, Megan, Springdale, AR
13) KF5ERP, Chuck, Springdale, AR
14) KF5BRU, Jack, Harrison, AR
15) KE5ICG, Ray, Lonoke, AR
16) KC5LVK, Anthony, Jacksonville, AR
17) KG4FUS, Brad, Austin, AR
The Training Presentation was entitled ''Handling Stress In Emergency Situations''.
The Question/Comment Of The Week was from Anthony, KC5LVK, in Jacksonville, AR: ''What are the origins of the Q signals, and 73??''. For those wanting the answers to these, and other related topics, click here...or click here.
Note: The posting of the log for the Sep. 12, 2010 net...which will be another Special Format Net... a Surprise Topic is planned...will be DELAYED, as I will be on vacation to the Clive Cussler Collectors Society Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona. I will be Amtrak Echolink mobile on Sept. 8 and 9, and Sept. 13 and 14...with portable operation on Sept. 10, 11, and 12. Look for the AE5WX callsign, with the text listing of either Amtrak Mobile or Clive Cussler Conv..
Another Hammin' In The Park event is planned soon, with the cooler weather and change of seasons...watch the website for updates.
For those who missed the Aug. 29, 2010 net, on ''The Amateur Auxiliary Of The FCC'', you can get more details on the Official Observer, here. For more details on the Amateur Auxiliary, click here. I will post a link to the actual presentation shortly.
For those who missed the July 4 Special Format Net that AE5WX did on ''The History Of The Star Spangled Banner'', click on the flag 
; note
that the way Echolink records files, all the ''silent pauses'' are removed. However, the file is over
12 megabytes in size...so, if you are on a dial-up internet connection, it will take a large amount of time to download the file.
Don't forget to stop by the Listen Live link during the net, and cast your vote on the Poll Question Of The Week. Inside the Listen Live Box with the airplane pictured inside it, and the word POLL should be in the lower left corner. If you scroll over the word POLL, and click it...it should take you to where you can vote.
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.
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, who is Net Control for the Cabot Area Simplex Group.
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.
August 15, 2010 - Passed 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.