Two nets to get started on air.

What use is an F-call? If you've had a license for a while it becomes harder to remember what it was like just after you received it. Fortunately I get to speak with new comers to the hobby on a regular basis, so my memory of my own experience gets refreshed regularly. Getting on air is as simple as getting a radio, right? I've talked about the process of purchasing a radio in the past, and while it's important, I'll skip past that step today and look at what else needs to happen. There is an assumption that your radio works, that you have an antenna and that you've got it all set-up and working. I realise that this in itself is not a trivial process, but all the puzzle pieces need to be there for this Amateur Radio magic to actually happen. Getting on air is simple, press the push to talk and open your mouth, right? If you have a VHF or UHF radio, the likely spot where you'll do that is a local repeater, a place that will over time attract other Amateurs who use it to talk to each other, to get in touch and to keep track of the community. The local repeater is also likely to host the national amateur news and if you're lucky a local version of the news as well. Note that not all repeaters have the news, so you might need to pick a repeater that's not right next door. In some locations there are conversations after the news, in others there are regular nets where you can go on air and talk. I host with several able and dragooned helpers a weekly net called F-troop. It runs from 0:00 UTC for an hour every Saturday morning, specifically for new and returned hams, and if you're in VK6, you can hear it on the local VK6RAP repeater, outside of there, you can connect to IRLP node 9558 or Echolink conference *VK3JED*. And yes, as a foundation licensee, you are allowed to use IRLP and Echolink. If you have a HF radio, you can also find news broadcasts, regular nets and discussions and all manner of activity. A regular net which will put you in contact with Amateurs from around Australia and New Zealand and beyond is the 7130 DX net. It's held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 0930 UTC for a couple of hours. During that net you'll be able to check in and make contacts. Bring pen and paper and keep track of all the call-signs you hear, add in the operator name as you hear it, write down the signal report when you hear the station and you'll have lots of fun. Those two nets, F-troop and the 7130 DX net are the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of nets around. You'll find some of them listed online at vk6.net. So, get on air, get listening and participate! I'm Onno VK6FLAB