Ham Hijinks

Date: 21 Sept., 2005

Location: Mill Creek, Patuxent River, near Solomons, MD

Current position: N38 20.195' W076 30.218'

We both got our general ham licenses in March of 2004 for two primary reasons: safety and communication while we're on the boat. We must admit that we're of the "get the license first, then figure out what you're doing" class of ham. We haven't used our radio much at all except to listen. That is, until just recently. We have burst upon the ham scene like a couple of drunken gorillas uninvited to a tea party. And we're pretty sure that ain't just simile ..

Every morning at 7:45, the Waterway Radio & Cruising Club (link above) hosts a ham radio "net" attended by cruising hams all up and down the east coast. The net is broken into four distinct segments: emergency and priority medical traffic, weather reports, general traffic, and position reports. The first two are pretty self explanatory, the third means "you can call and talk to other members of the net as time allows", and the fourth allows vessels at anchor or under way to report their positions and/or destinations. Position reports are recorded by the "fleet captain" in a database and are a good way to let others know where you are, where you're headed, and when you expect to get there. This is an excellent and highly respected service provided for all hams by the WRCC.

So. It's come time for s/v Rachel's new crew to introduce themselves to cruising hams all up and down the East coast. Hoo boy.....

Day one: When asked if there are any new hams on the net, Mark responds and introduces himself, Julie and "Rachel". S/v Rachel's previous owner comes on and welcomes us to the net, explains the boat names (m/v Rachel vs. s/v Rachel) to everyone, and we feel like we've done pretty well. Having given our current location during this exchange, Mark doesn't bother doing so again when the "position reports" portion of the net comes along. So Rachel's new crew's first position report is not official and doesn't get entered into the database. Oops.

Day two: Julie introduces herself during the new hams portion of the net. The net controller says "Julie, I don't know if you remember me, but we met at my house last year when you and Mark were buying Rachel". Julie looks like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming semi and says nothing. Of course she remembers meeting him and his wife, but can't think of anything to say. Oops. She does, however, recover long enough to log us into the "vessels under way" position report- "Wilton Creek to Reedville".

Day three: We're heading north from Reedville to Solomons and Julie hears "vessels under way" as we're messing with the sails. She shoots below and gives our position report. The net control comes back and says "That was very nice, Julie, but please save position reports for the official position report segment of the net. We are currently working general traffic". Oops.

A few minutes later Rachel's previous owner hails her, but she can't understand what he's saying (his signal is very strong), so she gets the deer in the headlights look (again) and doesn't say anything (again). He stops. Finally, she waits and provides a position report at the appropriate time. Later in the day we get a phone message from him saying "What's the matter? Too good to talk to me on the radio?". Oops. Now we're alienating the PO and we're pretty sure we're starting to get a net-wide reputation, as well.

Day four: At the beginning of the general traffic segment, the net controller says "Please hold all position reports until the appropriate time". Uh oh - this is new and we're certain it's being said specifically for us. Mark waits sheepishly for the appropriate time and gives our position report, feeling pretty good about finally getting it right. After all the position reports are in, the net control and the fleet captain compare notes and come to the conclusion that KI4FTC (Mark) and KI4FTD (Julie) are on the same boat. It seems that the database only has space for one call sign, so the generally accepted protocol is to use one call sign for all checkins to prevent confusion and make their job easier. Since Julie was the first to call in a position report during the correct segment of the net, s/v Rachel is now listed under her call sign, KI4FTD. This discussion, of course, takes place on the net for all to hear as they're figuring it out. Oops. Now we know we must be getting a reputation.

Day five: When announcing "general traffic" the net control (a different net control than the previous days) also says "Please hold all position reports until position reports are requested by the fleet captain". Hoo, boy. Now they've made "our announcement" permanent. We decide to call it "the Rachel announcement". We're starting to wonder if they'll petition the FCC to rescind our ham licenses and have us placed permanently in the stocks, wearing mittens and well out of reach of any microphone w/ a "press to talk" key. The good news is that Julie once again manages to log our position at the appropriate time without any problems or surprises.

She also sent an email to the net controller we previously met in which she Abjectly Apologized, Petitioned Phorgiveness, and Called fo Clarification on the 2 call sign/one boat issue and how we should handle it. His response was to use our own call signs for anything on the net, but to use a single, consistent call sign for position reports. So s/v Rachel is now officially KI4FTD, and Julie's been appointed to the newly created crew position of "official yakker".

Finally, as we're writing this we visit the WRCC web site and notice a menu button labeled "Net Procedures". Following this link we find a document that tells us all about how to behave on the net. Oh. Oops.

Mark (KI4FTC) & Julie (KI4FTD)
s/v Rachel