THE WEEKLY NSN NET:
The "Net Sonder Naam" Net meets every Thursday evenings at 7.30PM SAST and typically runs around hour and a half in length depending on how large the net is and how many topics there are for discussion. This Net is not a Club activity!! It is constituted by interested radio amateurs in South Africa and even Worldwide.
ABOUT THE NET:
The preferred languages will be English and Afrikaans. You use the language of your preference. The net provides a forum for participants to discuss amateur radio topics, ask amateur radio related questions, and to receive advice, information, and guidance from the pool of knowledge and experience of the net participants. The net is open to all amateurs worldwide and we encourage your participation. We hope you have a little time on Thursday evenings to report in and say hello.
ORDER OF THE NET:
The following is the order of segments of the NSN - Net : Rapport in, Welcoming, Apologies, Announcements, Radio amateurs new to the Net, Weekly topic, "Rondomtalie"/Round Robin, Swap & Shop listings, Date and time of next NSN - Net and Closure.
WEEKLY TOPIC:
Every week we choose a topic question and ask it to each participant.
If you have an amateur radio related topic or survey question that you'd
like the net participants to discuss, we'd love to get your suggestions
and input. Please email your topic suggestions by clicking HERE. If you
prefer that your name/call not be used when we pose your topic to the net,
please state so in your email and we'd be glad to respect your privacy.
This weeks topic:
"Is your amateur radio station equipped to handle any emergency situation, disaster or total power blackout event ?"
"Is jou amateur radio stasie toegerus om enige noodsituasie, ramp of landswye kragonderbreking te hanteer"
This question leads to more questions than answers. The current spell of Phase 4 Load Shedding and the Kwazulu Natal (KZN) Flood has once again made the above question more relevant than ever. Now some might say I am not interested in amateur radio emergency communications. Whether you are interested in emergency communications or not, if your community experience the same situation as currently the case in KZN or we experience a total power black out, and you are asked to assist with radio communications, will you be able to assist within an hour or two.
The following questions are currently unanswered. Hopefully some of the questions might set your brain into the thinking and creative mode:
- Can you be of benefit to your local community before, during and after any emergency situation or disaster?
- Must you be a member of any emergency communication group to assist with emergency radio communications in your local community?
- Are your ready to provide emergency communications during load shedding and what equipment do you have available to overcome power failures?
- How quickly can you respond to a request to assist during a emergency situation?
- Can you use the following modes? Winlink, FT8Call, AREDN, Morse Code etc.
- Should we get involved at all in providing any communication during a disaster or emergency situation?
- Must I be a paid up member to any organization to provide any communications when a disaster or emergency arise?
- If there is no amateur radio emergency communication member or organization in your community will you be able to assist with communications?
- Will you assist with emergency communications when asked by you local authority or community members?
- What equipment do you have available to assist, radios, antennas, batteries, inverters, solar power etc.?
- What roll if any did amateur radio play before, during and after the recent KZN Flood Disaster?
- Should we wait until we are called upon to assist with radio communications during a emergency or disaster event?
- When there is load shedding I have noticed that many amateur radio stations are off the air. As a simple example you can just look at the ZS-Link Network. Activity is at an all time low during load shedding. Why is this the case? If we cannot keep the ZS-Link Network running during load shedding what will happen during a disaster? Will we as radio amateurs be able to provide emergency communications if we do not have backup power systems?
The above questions are not posted to point finger or to "stir". It is questions that came to the fore as a result of the current Phase 4 Load Shedding and the KZN Flood Disaster. Participants really do not need to comment on all the questions during the net. They are posted as food for thought and hopefully to motivate some fellow radio amateurs to improve their stations if they are not currently equipped for total blackouts or natural and man made disasters.
I am currently compiling an article called "Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Re: Kwazulu Natal Flood (7 - 13 April 2022)" where I will look at weather warnings, media releases, weather discrepancies and how amateur radio can in future harness technology to assist with real time on the ground early observations to the authorities, public and communities.
The question: What did you do in amateur radio this week? Tell us about your ventures in amateur radio this past week.
SWAP AND SHOP:
The purpose of the "Swap-Shop Portion" of the NSN - Net is to list amateur radio related items for sale/trade/want. The NSN - Net assumes no responsibility or liability for any transactions, items sold or purchased. Everyone is welcome to email items for sale/swap by clicking HERE.
FEEDBACK NSN NET:
Every week I will post feedback on what happened on the NSN Net. The posting will be available on the GRHub Network Blog and Amateur Radio 101 Telegram Group. I will only provide a short overview. If you would like to know more then I suggest you join the weekly Net.
JOINING THE NET:
You can access the Net as follow:
FINALLY:
Please feel free to join us this Thursday, 28 April 2022 at 19h30 SAST. We are all looking forward to your company and inputs in this regard. Please also tell your amateur radio friends about the Net. Get rid of that daily stress and enjoy a good hour or two in the company of amateur radio friends.
Hope to hear you on the NSN Net!!
