[WARC] KC9BQA does FM simplex nets, too.

[Todd Sprinkmann]

    Good morning, West Coasters (LOL)

    It just occurred to me last night that you SW WI/ SE MN 
hams should have your own 2 meter net.  Please read on.  

    You're used to hearing from me about SSB nets.  Well, I also 
run an FM net on Thursdays.  146.43 simplex @8:30pm.  Gets 
good participation within about 50-75 miles of my QTH.  

    I'm much stronger on SSB because of yagis up high, but I 
suppose there's a chance someone with a beam could make the 
path across WI.  Dan KB9RYJ from Wauzeka has, twice.  So 
go right ahead and surprise me!  You know how I love DX 
and weak ones.  

    The real reason I'm writing though, is to suggest that you 
folks start your own FM net.  

    When I first started the nets, I was only doing them on SSB, 
because that's what 90% of my antennas and rigs are for.  
After about a month, I realized that if I wanted to reach the 
largest number of hams, I needed to cross over to FM simplex, 
and meet the repeater guys halfway.  Am I glad I made that move!  

     I get just as many check-ins to FM nets as I do SSB.  
Talking 10-15 on an average week.  At least 100 unique calls 
in the past 7 months.  Very worthwhile.  A fair amount have now 
tried SSB on 2 meters, and/or enjoyed a bit of contesting, too.  
There's usually ragchewing after the net -- and sometimes spread 
out among several simplex frequencies.  So I feel very good 
about helping to increase on-air activity.   

     The La Crosse area remains my single best area (besides 
metro Milwaukee -- in my backyard) for check-ins to the SSB 
nets.  What you all did in that January contest for getting 15-20 
different stations on was amazing.  

      You folks could easily support your own net.  Perhaps FM 
would be best for starters.   It would include the most people, 
and I'm sure with the weather warming up, you'd be starting 
things up at the best possible time of the year.  

      I wonder if there's anyone or better yet, a few people who 
would be interested in starting up a net.  You could really 
capitalize on the recent surge in interest.  

      If you email and publicize it on the air faithfully, you'll 
be amazed at how many hams come out of the woodwork 
and check in.   

      Don't mean to derail the current discussion, but it just seems 
so natural to me that your area should have its own net...

     73, thanks for the bandwidth,
     Todd  KC9BQA   EN63ao     40 N of Milwaukee
     50 thru 2304