For a schedule in date/time order of all known scheduled CW activities in VK and the region, please see Skeds page
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Table of Contents
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Sunday morning 7025 CW Net
Held every Sunday since 11 March 1973 (thanks Col VK4CU-SK), the CW Net provides operators with the chance to make new contacts and catch up with old friends. The net is managed by a controller who pairs up stations and allocates them to a frequency. Stations may QSO for up to 15 minutes then return to the Net Control Station on 7025 kHz for more (QNI) or check out (QNX). This net has been going strong since 1973 (46 years) with over 2,000 weekly sessions.
Time and frequency
Every Sunday (except RD Contest)
0000Z0100Z-0200Z Winter and 23000000Z-0100Z Summer. i.e., 10001100-1200 local South East Australian time all year round.
Net control frequency: 7.025MHz
Check into the net by sending your callsign followed by QNI (or if you want to announce / request leaving, QNX). Read the June 2002 article from Amateur Radio magazine by Drew VK3XU about the net with photos and examples. Also see Sunday-Net-History.
Please try to keep QSOs to 15 minutes or less and report back QNX if leaving so net control will know your frequency is available for reassignment to other net participants. Multiple check-ins (QNI) are encouraged, have as many QSO as you like. Always remember to check your assigned frequency by listening and QRL? before transmitting.
Net Control Stations may send you and QSO partner to 80m if you are close and within 40m dead zone or weak signals, or to 30m if you are further away but have weak signals to each other and/or high noise level. In this case please go to 3525 or 10125 kHz and establish contact there, and then QSY off this meet-up frequency upon establishing contact.
A list of check-ins will be provided at the close of the net. Recent online list of net check-ins please add QNS lists!
If you are available once a month or so for net controlling duties or as assistant net controller (to cover dead skip zones), please inform via Email to 7025 {atsign} vkcw {dot} net. Provision can then be made to slot you into the roster at convenient times. Net controlling is a good skill to learn and encourages fellowship between your CW friends.
Upcoming Roster of Net Controllers will be published here: Roster
For more detailed information about this net and its traditions and rules for Net Control Stations please see: 7025
Remember as a participant in the net it is very easy: simply check in (QNI) or check out (QNX) and just follow the Net Controller's instructions.
VKCW Check-in Nets
0600UTC 14049kHz (WEDNESDAY ONLY)
First 3 minutes: DX, QRP, Urgent QTC announcements only: otherwise stations send callsign ONCE ONLY per minute.
At 3 minutes, the Net Control will call CQ.
ALL WELCOME to check-in at this point, usually there are one or more net controllers. QNI means please check in (call in) with your callsign.
Net controller (also known as QNN) will acknowledge check-ins and then call you when it is your turn.
After that, it should become clear as there is a net controller to help you and all others. It's a great way to keep in touch with other CW stations, with a simple check in and then optional to stay longer or even have QSO after the short formal part of the net closes (QNF means the net is now closed, free for all).
When it is your turn you will be called by Net Control, now you can ask for check-out by sending "QNX", or check out immediately with "QNO". If you would like a QSO with any other station in the net, send QSO CALLSIGN (of the station you want to QSO) and Net Control will let you QSO after closing the check-in net and after any messages have been passed, or assign you both a frequency to QSY to.
Other optional codes you can use are listed below. Signal reports are not usually exchanged in the first part of the net to keep it short, or just Q1 = Unreadable, Q2 = Readable at times, Q3 = Readable with Difficulty, Q4 = Good Readable, Q5 = Very strong.
The following Q codes may be useful in these nets but don't be intimidated, you can keep the list handy or send "?" if you don't understand and net control will give you plain text. The format of these check-in nets is first to take check-ins, then give each station a turn number (QRY) for a short transmission during which you can use e.g. QRU, QSO, QTC (see codes below) or just a signal report. Checking into these nets is as easy as sending your callsign once when net control sends QNI K or QNI PSE K
QNC - Message to All on the Net
QND - This Net is directed, follow instructions
QNE - Entire Net please stand by (wait)
QNF - Net is now closed, free for all
QNG - Please take over net control
QNG1 - Please make one "CQ CW Net DE YourCallsign" call in case others cannot hear the main net control
QNG2 - as above but please call again a second time after passing on the results of the first CQ call
QNI - Please check ins call now, or "I am checking in"
QNM - You are causing interference please standby
QNN? Who is the net controller? (if no answer within 3 minutes of net start time, by all means, take control of the net)
QNN - Net Control station is …
QNO - I am checking out now
QNP - Cannot hear station…
QNS - List of stations who have checked in is: …
QNT n - I will be back in 'n' minutes
QNX - Permission to check out
QNX? - May I check out please?
QNZ - please zero beat with net control (come onto frequency, one more stations are off frequency)
QRU - I have nothing for you (no news, no messages)
QSO - Requesting QSO with … (callsign)
QSR - Please repeat your call on the calling frequency, I did not hear you
QSU - I am listening here AND on … kHz
QTC - I have a message for … (callsign)
QTC? - I would like to practice formal message exchanges after the net
QTX - I am monitoring this frequency until further notice
Optional themes (for the net and afterwards):
The above are optional themes for the net, but very much encouraged, so that all types of operators can participate in, or try different things from the usual routine!
Side Swiper Nets
See SideSwiperNet the Region 3 SSN is on Sunday evenings starting 0900Z
Col's CW Net
Every Sat & Sun at 3.15pm (0415 UTC) on 7115kHz, Net is run by Alex VK2ICL
FISTS Down Under CW Net
Net Controller: Arthur VK2ASB (VK2FDU)
Tuesdays, 8.00pm EST on 7028 (Summer 0900Z) or 3528kHz (Winter 1000Z)
Note: switches to 7028kHz in December.
FISTS Down Under Slow Morse Net
Net controller: Garry VK2GAZ (VK2FDU)
Wednesday nights 8PM (Sydney NSW local time)
November - April 7.028MHz +/- QRM
May - October 3.528MHz +/- QRM
Call: CQ CQ QRS Net de VK2FDU
Power: any level
VK2CCW RX Practice Sessions
Monday and Friday 8pm Sydney time on 3549.3 CW 3550 LSB
Speeds 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 20 and 26wpm
Also sessions are available on WWW.FDU.ORG.AU for download
New practice files placed on site twice a week or more
SOTA CW Practice Net
Thursday, 8.30pm EST (0930 UTC) on 7045 (Summer) or 3540kHz (Winter)
Format: SSB check in followed by CW check in. Then some SOTA type QSOs or special practice exercises
Speed: your speed, 5 to 18 wpm
Net control: usually chaired by Ron VK3AFW
FISTS FEA CW Net
All VK CW operators are most welcome to check in to the FISTS East Asia CW Net on Sundays at 0800UTC on or around 14054kHz depending on QRM.
AA (All Asia CW) Net
Net controller: JL1MUT
Monday evenings 1200Z 14349kHz, if poor condx 1210Z 10149kHz, and at 1230Z on 7051.2kHz
The Gnarly Net
Seven days a week starting at 5am EST on 3599 KHz CW then switches to LSB at 0630 EST on 3600 KHz. Net control is usually Rob, VK4ARQ in Ingham, North Qld with a variety of QRQ, QRS, ele keyers, bugs and straight keys as stations check in and out. Worth a try if you are an early riser!
0600Z 14049 VKCW Net (WEDNESDAY ONLY)
QNN (Net Control Stations): VK3DRQ, VK4QC, VK6RR
Net starts after 3 minutes listening for urgent calls or QRP or DX stations calling in so you may not hear anything until 0603 UTC
This net is a chance for longer distance VK contacts as well as international contacts with Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Please check in (QNI) and wait your turn as directed by the QNN (Net Control Station). To request a QSO with a particular station send (QSO CALLSIGN), if you have formal messages send QTC. After formal net closes (QNF), it is free for all. A good chance to keep in touch with those further away!
Any other CW Nets?
If you know of any CW Nets not mentioned above, or corrections required, please leave a comment below or contact us.
Schedule of CW Activities
For a listing in day/time order of all regular CW activities please see skeds and all are welcome to edit and keep that page updated. You may like to print it out. There are MANY Morse Code activities on a regular daily basis in Australia. If you are starved for activity, take a look at skeds page and join in whatever takes your fancy!