August 2022 ERIN NET SOI

[JohnyMac]

NEW PRIAMARY FREQUENCY FOR THIS TUESDAY...7.235 MHZ LSB

Here is the SOI for this coming Tuesday's net. Based on propagation predictions June's digital net will move to 75/80-meters and phone net will stay on 40-meters. Digital will be 3.588 USB and phone will be 7.285 Mhz LSB or higher till we find clear air. Each net I will post the frequency we end up on for phone.

The next ERIN net will be Tuesday August 30, 2022, starting at 1900 hrs. eastern with the digital ERIN net. The PACE for that net is as follows,

1) At 1900 hrs. eastern the digital net (I am on frequency at 1850 hrs eastern) will commence.

Primary           3.588 Mhz USB Contestia 4/250 1000 on the Waterfall
Alternate         7.110 Mhz USB Contestia 4/250 1000 on the Waterfall
Contingency  This email thread
Emergency    Text. Do I have your cell phone number?

When the Net Control Station (NCS) calls for check-in's this is the reporting format,

de your call/name/location/emergency traffic/ de your call

Once the NCS has gathered check-in's he/she will post the check-in's for corrections or additional check-in's.

The NCS will then start the reports portion of the digital net. Report format will be,

de your call/name/location/traffic if any/your report for around your AO, Covid, unrest, military movement, petrol/diesel prices, inventory depth/outs, food prices, etc/weather/de your call

Please make sure your RXId button at the top right of your Fldigi screen. This allows folks to send their report via Flmsg. Probably, in the future, we will send reports via Flmsg as it is faster and you can save reports to your computer. Time to get familiar with the mode.

Suggestion...Pre type out your report then copy & paste it to your FLdigi when it is your time to give your report.

2) At 2000 hrs (I am typically on frequency at 1950 hrs. eastern) the voice net will commence.

Primary         7.235 Mhz LSB or higher till clear air
Alternate       3.807 Mhz LSB or higher till clean air
Contingency  This email thread
Emergency    Text. Do I have your cell phone number?

The above SOI will be used at first, if the interwiz is taken down through Executive Order -- Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Communications Functions. Then we will develop and share a revised SOI.

As we move into a new propagation season, I will have available a new ERIN SOI for when the interwize goes down or other drama occurs that causes a breakdown in normal communication. If you would like a copy of that SOI, please drop me a PM and I will send to you.

73 & God Bless,
Johnymac

[JohnyMac]

ON 7.285 MHZ LSB

[Jackalope]

   Solid copy on everyone tonight.

[JohnyMac]

Yes, good copy on all up here in NE PA. for both digital and phone.

Digital, we had three stations and one relay so a total of 4. Better than last week where it was just W3OOF and I. 

Sir John, you were booming in on digital. I had to turn the volume down. 

A great night of radio all around. 

 

[JohnyMac]

on 7.285

[Jackalope]

Had a good copy again on everyone, though I had a lot of lightning static crashes due to storms in the area.

[Sir John Honeybucket]

Readable on all during the voice net, though deep fades made things a little difficult at times.  Morse CW message traffic with Cooter was very easy copy.  Remember, he's using a TINY QRP transceiver that is about the size of a pack of cards, draws roughly 15 mAmp on receiver - yes, fifteen milliAmps.  Very easily portable and effective. Hand sent Morse i very effective and efficient. No computer required.


Similar to this.  What's in YOUR Go-Bag?

- Sir John Honeybucket

[JohnyMac]

Nice!

[Jackalope]

Readable on all during the voice net, though deep fades made things a little difficult at times.  Morse CW message traffic with Cooter was very easy copy.  Remember, he's using a TINY QRP transceiver that is about the size of a pack of cards, draws roughly 15 mAmp on receiver - yes, fifteen milliAmps.  Very easily portable and effective. Hand sent Morse i very effective and efficient. No computer required.
  What's in YOUR Go-Bag?

- Sir John Honeybucket

     My bugout backpack usually has a Yaesu FT-5DR, with a USB charging cord, and a small USB type solar panel, when traveling within 200 miles from home.  The FT-5DR is a IXP-7 rated, weather proof radio, which has a wide band receiver, including HF frequencies.  The FT-5DR will allow me to monitor VHF/UHF communications, shortwave frequencies, and CB too, but also communicate on other bands, in an emergency.  (Remember, think out of the box.)

     If I'm traveling a long distance, then a Comm Radio CTX-10 also accompanies me, within a pelican waterproof case.  The CTX-10 has built in batteries ( three of the 18650 batteries) which can be charged with a small solar panel, even a USB type.  Within the case are several antennas, a microphone, and a small CW key.  THE CTX-10 has a built-in CW decoder, so folks that are rusty with CW can have a little help.  As can be inferred from its model number, the radio transmits at 10 watts, which gives you an edge when compared to true QRP radios which typically put out 5 watts or less.  An in-depth review of the CTX-10 can be found elsewhere on this site.

    Having both the the FT-5DR and the CTX-10 gives me some flexibility.  I could travel with a Yaesu FT-817, but it's a heavier radio, and I don't always need HF transmit capabilities.

[JohnyMac]

I am currently using an 817 in my Get Home Bag. I am thinking of picking up a G90 as it has a bunch more features than the 817. More power being just one (18-watts) and internal tuner, and it weighs a hair under the 817 without the accompanying LDG tuner.

I also want to play with the (tr)uSDX that Sir John turned me on to awhile back. It only weighs 5-ounces and covers, CW/LSB/USB and AM/FM on the following bands, 80/60/40/30/20m. If you hook it up to a 12-volt battery it puts out 6-watts. Using the internal battery it puts out 4-watts.

All good stuff.

[Sir John Honeybucket]

Good sked with Cooter on CW tonight and then the digital net was easy copy of all involved. JohnyMac was blasting in. 

Sorry for my mess-up in digital. I accidentally loaded the ERIN REPORT messages macro into TX rather than my ERIN Net sign-in.  One of the things about computer digital communication is that it allows me to make more mistakes in less time than would be humanly possible.

See you on the radio.

-Sir John Honeybucket

.

[JohnyMac]

7.288

[Jackalope]

    Johny's quick, he's still at 7.288!

[JohnyMac]

7.235

[Jackalope]

   Is the ERIN net going to be on 7.235 MHz on August 23rd?

[JohnyMac]

Thx Jackalope. Yeah, lets give it a try.

[JohnyMac]

currently on 7.238. that may change. stand by

[Sir John Honeybucket]

Good nets tonight, both digi and voice.  i used a Xiegu G90 for both nets and zero problems at the lower power output (15 digi  - 20 SSB Watts ).  Always good to test the back-up and to keep practiced with the different controls on rigs seldom used, before they're put back into the Faraday can.

de Sir John Honeybucket

[igonianarg]

Good evening. I'm new to HF and unchained and will make sure to head over to introductions soon.

I'm located in the St Louis Missouri metro are on the Illinois side. I learned of ERIN through a fellow member, who I heard loud and clear tonight. I was able to make out parts of some  conversations with others but I was unable to catch their call signs.

I'm tuned in with a portable Yaesu FT-891 using a 12V power supply and a Chameleon ECOMM III antenna. Im still fussing with the antenna configuration and learning the operation of this radio. At the moment, I'm only receiving and look forward joining your reports in the near future.

The temp and humidity have given us a reprieve; low 60's in the morning and low 80' during the day. Humidity is mild.

Crops were planted late due to cold, but are healthy and consistently watered.
I live in the sticks so day to day life has a normal feel to it.
Store shelves are full, but shrinkflation is real.
Fuel prices have come down from $5 to $3.60 for gas; lower in Missouri.
Electrical power has been consistent and propane isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. $1.14 this time last year, $ 1.55 now.

I look forward to joining you again next week.

[JohnyMac]

Awesome Brother...Welcome to the net and UP igonianarg!

We can work with you on your antenna for sure. The 891 is a good solid radio but the Chameleon ECOMM III is more of a NVIS antenna perfect for areas in the 500-mile range from ones AO.

Maybe some of the folks here could help.

73 & God Bless

[Jackalope]

   Good net tonight.  I couldn't hear Sir John, I could tell he was in there, but the noise level was high enough that I couldn't make out what he was saying.  Everyone else was loud and clear. 

[Sir John Honeybucket]

Welcome Igonianarg,

I'd be happy to assist you with antenna choices &etc., though it's "Distance Learning" maybe I can help.  It sounds like you're off to a good start, the FT-891 is a solid transceiver.  We can likely optimise a wire antenna for you to get the most from it. Once hint, unless sitgnal conditions are very good, the digital modes we use usually do the heavy lifting.  It's a hurdle at first, but you have many people who will help you to hook your transceiver in to a computer (table top or laptops, and many tablets work well) so that the FREE software will give you excellent communication in even noisy and weak signal conditions.  Tonight was unusually noisey, but it's like the weather, here today then gone tomorrow.


Welcome Aboard!

- Sir John Honeybucket

[JohnyMac]

A NARLY STORM JUST PASSED AND IS EAST OF ME BUTTTT
 THERE IS A LOT OF NOISE.
WE WILL TRY 7.239 TONIGHT. STAND BY.
I WILL START TO DO EARLY CHECKINS AT 1945-ISH.

[Jackalope]

    I had a good copy on everyone tonight, except the NJ station.  The MI station after the new was loud and clear too, probably because he's further west. 

[JohnyMac]

I had no problems listening to RXing anybody 

Thanks to all the participated.