Rebirth of the North American Traffic and Awards Net!

[KU0G]

Coming January 1, 2009 (11 p.m. EST)!

The North American Traffic and Awards Net is returning to the hambands! Please join us for a rebirth of this classic WAS net! We've got a system of FREE awards for you based around the net's original premise of Worked All States.

We will also be handling formal message traffic at the outset of each net and welcome all stations with message traffic to be passed nationwide to join us nightly on 3905 kHz at 0400z. We even have an award to recognize stations for bringing and passing message traffic!

For more information: www.northamericantrafficandawards.net

[K0HB]

Rather than stations individually tracking down the contacts needed for Triple Play "in the wild", this net seems to be a collective effort to round up and share the contacts. Doesn't this sort of shortcut diminish the value of the award?

[KU0G]

Hello Hans!

No more so than using contest contacts for awards credit, I'd say. One run through any of the major stateside contest with a serious effort will generally complete a WAS using LOTW. In fact, if you read ARRL's announcement of the Triple Play they specifically suggest upcoming contests as a means to earn teh award. On a net, especially where time is limited, the chances of getting the contacts completed in a similar amount of time just aren't there.

NATA was not specifically planned to pursue this award. The fact that ARRL announced this award now simply give us another reason to be!

I would encourage you to visit the website and read more about the net there. The net also has its own free awards. There are other awards-oriented nets out there (HHH, County Hunters, Century Club, OMISS, and others) that also provide a place for awards seekers to pursue many awards!

I believe that ALL of these nets serve a useful purpose in that they keep a cadre of experienced HF operators ready to step up in a communications crisis. I'd hate to think what we might face with people who haven't ever been on HF in their ham "life" try to get on the air and know what to expect.

Aren't operating awards also intended to encourage HF participation as well as developing HF skills AND station improvement to make it possible to get those contacts?

I guess it all depends on how we each choose to look at it! There are certainly benefits to doing it either way!!!

[K0HB]

I guess I view awards like DXCC, WAS, WAZ, (and yes, Triple Play which I originated) as individual "RF scavenger hunts" where each 'contestant' independently collects the target items without assistance from a group, in the sense of "just a boy and his radio". (The ultimate in self-training in propagation, station operation, and operating/listening habits.)

Good luck with your net.

[W8ZNX]

nothing quite so help full as
listen up for WX#XXX calling you now

you are 2 and 2, 2 and 2, 22 22 22 rifle shot
over

was that 3 and 3

try again

2 and 2, 2 by 2, 22 22 22 rifle shot
over
was that a 2 and 2

good contact
next station

[KU0G]

Yep! That's one of MY pet peeves. If you have to ASK somebody else if that's what you heard then you didn't hear it! This is something that you won't hear on NATA nets. We'll help call the other station's attention to your call but anything beyond THAT is nothing better than a "relay."