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N/C Chat Guide

Internal messaging between Net Control Operators — including @mentions, RELAY fills, threaded replies, reactions, and live-net behavior.

What is N/C Chat?

N/C Chat is a private, internal channel for registered Net Control Operators. Use it to share net updates, ask questions, coordinate handoffs, post pinned notices, and send live RELAY fills (callsign + name + location) to whoever is actively running a net.

Only registered N/Cs can read or post. Other club members never see chat content.

Where to find it

From anywhere in the app

  • Click the chat icon in the top header. An unread badge shows the number of new messages since you last visited.
  • The Home page also surfaces an Unread N/C Chat panel listing your most recent unread messages.

During a live net

  • On desktop (≥1280px), the chat is embedded inside the Net Rail's Chat tab on the right side of the Active Net runner. The rail sticks to the top of the viewport as you scroll, so the chat is always visible without covering buttons or fields.
  • When a new inbound message arrives, the rail auto-switches to the Chat tab and pulses the tab header for a few seconds so you don't miss it.
  • On tablet and narrower viewports where the rail is collapsed into a side sheet, a compact floating chat window docks to the top-right instead. Tap the message-bubble pill to open it; tap the minus or X to collapse it back to a pill. The pill shows an unread badge while collapsed.

Posting messages

  • Type in the message box and press Enter (or tap Send). Shift+Enter adds a new line.
  • Use @CALL to direct a message to a specific N/C — for example: @W1ABC please confirm the next swap.
  • Known callsigns appear as highlighted badges so they stand out in the feed.
  • Messages stay in the channel until the author or a Manager / Co-Manager removes them.

Mention autocomplete

When you type @, a popover appears listing registered N/C callsigns. Keep typing to filter; use the up/down arrow keys to navigate and press Enter or Tab to confirm. This prevents typos and makes sure your @mention actually pings the right operator.

Threaded replies

  • Every message has a Reply button. Tap it to quote that message and focus the composer.
  • A small preview of what you're replying to appears above the input — tap Cancel to drop the reply.
  • Your reply is rendered with a nested quote block showing the original author's call sign and the first line of their message, so multi-topic threads stay readable during a busy net.

Quick reactions

  • Tap the reaction picker on any message to add one of four reactions: thumbs-up (acknowledged), check (done / confirmed), antenna (relay noted), or question mark (need clarification).
  • Reactions appear as pill-style counts under the message and sync in realtime.
  • Tap a reaction again to remove your own. Useful for the Primary to silently confirm a RELAY without typing mid-script.

Unread divider

When you return to chat, a "New" divider line is drawn above the first message posted since your last visit. Scroll down from the divider to catch up on exactly what you missed — no need to re-read the whole feed.

Pinned notices

The Net Manager and Co-Managers can pin important messages. Pinned notices appear at the top of the chat and are also delivered to the active Primary N/C even when their view is filtered (see below).

Live-net behavior

To minimize distraction while a net is being called, the chat applies a role-based filter on the Active Net and Live Follow pages — whether you're seeing it docked in the Net Rail (desktop) or in the floating window (tablet / mobile).

If you are the active Primary N/C

  • You see only messages that mention your callsign (@YOURCALL) plus pinned notices.
  • All other chatter is hidden until the net closes (it is still in /chat).
  • Incoming RELAY fills addressed to you trigger a toast: [RELAY] Fill from W2XYZ: W1ABC, John, Boston.

If you are the Backup N/C

  • You see the full feed — all messages and all RELAY fills.
  • Your role is to monitor traffic and assist the Primary with anything they cannot hear or copy.

If you are another monitoring N/C

  • You also see the full feed.
  • When a RELAY fill appears in chat, do not repeat it on-air — the Primary has already received it.

RELAY a Fill (the green button)

The most common reason to interrupt a Primary N/C is to give them a fill — a callsign they could not copy, and optionally the operator's name and location. The RELAY button turns this into a one-tap, structured action.

How to send a relay

  • Open the chat during a live net (Net Rail's Chat tab on desktop, or the floating window on smaller viewports).
  • Tap the green RELAY a Fill button below the message box. The button shows the active Primary it will reach (e.g. → @W1XYZ).
  • Fill in:
    • Call Sign (required) — for example W1ABC
    • Name (optional) — for example John
    • Location (optional) — for example Boston, MA
    • Note (optional) — anything else worth flagging
  • Tap Send Relay. The fill is auto-addressed to the active Primary.

What the active Primary sees

  • A toast notification: [RELAY] Fill from <YourCall>: W1ABC, John, Boston.
  • The same fill appears in their filtered chat view (because it mentions their callsign).
  • They can immediately read it on-air without having to ask you to repeat.

What other monitoring N/Cs see

  • The fill appears as a green RELAY card in the chat feed with the callsign, name, and location highlighted.
  • This is the signal that someone has already provided the fill — please don't repeat the same info.

Best practice: if you copied the station, send a RELAY immediately rather than waiting to be asked. The structured fill is faster than typing a free-form message, and the green RELAY card prevents two N/Cs from filling the same station twice.

Editing and deleting messages

  • You can edit or delete your own messages from the full chat page (/chat).
  • The Net Manager and Co-Managers can delete any message and pin or unpin notices.
  • Deleted messages disappear from the feed but a record is kept in the audit log.

Notifications and unread counts

  • The header chat icon shows an unread badge that updates in real time.
  • The Home page Unread N/C Chat panel lists the most recent messages you haven't seen.
  • When you open the full /chat page, the docked rail Chat tab, or the floating chat window, your read marker advances and the badge clears.
  • On a live net (tablet / mobile), the floating-chat pill shows an unread badge while it is collapsed. On desktop, the Net Rail's Chat tab pulses when a new inbound message arrives while the Glance tab is in view.
  • RELAY fills directed at the active Primary always raise a toast notification, even if their chat is collapsed.

Etiquette and good practice

  • Keep messages short and on-topic — chat is for net operations, not casual conversation.
  • Use @mentions (with autocomplete) to direct questions to a specific N/C; don't make the Primary scroll to find what's for them.
  • Use the RELAY button (not a free-form message) for fills — it triggers the right notification and styling.
  • Prefer a Reply over a fresh message when responding to a specific point — the quoted preview keeps threads readable.
  • Use a quick reaction instead of a one-word reply when you just need to acknowledge.
  • If you see another N/C has already posted the same fill, don't post it again.
  • Managers: pin only what truly needs to reach everyone, including the active Primary mid-net.

Privacy

All N/C chat content — including RELAY fills — is visible only to registered Net Control Operators. Non-registered club members never see the chat icon, the floating window, or any chat messages.