Help & Guides
N/C Operator Onboarding
Everything new Net Controllers need to know before their first login. The console replaces the paper log for the Monday 19:30 two meter net on the 146.985 MHz repeater. It runs in your browser — no install.
TL;DR — In two minutes
- Open the app on the device you'll use during the net (laptop or tablet works best).
- Go to Profile and fill in your call sign, name, and location. The preamble auto-fills these.
- Add yourself to the N/C Roster so you can be scheduled as Primary or Backup.
- Run a Test Net at least once to get comfortable with check-in logging — it doesn't affect statistics.
- For a visual walkthrough, download the N/C Training Slide Deck from the Help menu (graduation-cap icon) — a 21-slide .pptx covering the full live-net workflow.
Before your first login
- No password required. The console is open to the club — there's no individual login. Your call sign on your profile is what identifies you. Treat your profile call sign as your identity — keep it accurate.
- Set up your profile. Open Profile and enter your call sign, name, and location. These auto-fill preamble placeholders (
{CALL},{NAME},{LOCATION}) when you run a net. - Join the roster. Only operators on the roster can be selected as Primary or Backup N/C. If a Net Manager hasn't already added you, saving your profile with a new call sign submits an approval request — a yellow "Pending approval" banner stays on every page and the app runs in read-only mode until a Net Manager or Co-Manager approves you on the Net Controllers page. Ping a Manager on the air or by email if you need it expedited.
- Turn on net reminders (optional). In Settings → Reminders opt in to in-app notifications before nets you're scheduled for.
During a net — your tools
| Page | What it does | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Pick Primary/Backup, start a real or test net, see the live net in progress. | Every Monday at 19:25–19:30. |
| Preamble | Step-by-step on-air script with auto-filled call sign, name, location. | Read on-air during the opening and between groups. |
| Active Net | The check-in logger. Add stations by group (EchoLink, First-Time, Mobile/Portable, Short Time, Regular, Late, App Relay). | From the first check-in until you close the net. |
| Announcements | Current club announcements read after Group 4. | Pull up after Group 4 and read on-air. |
| Schedule | See who's assigned which Monday; request swaps if you can't make it. | Anytime — check at least a week ahead. |
| Net History | Every past net, full check-in record, Excel export. | Looking up a past check-in or exporting a log. |
| N/C Chat | Private chat between registered N/Cs for relays, fills, and coordination. | Anytime, but especially while a net is live. |
N/C Chat
A private chat channel for registered Net Controllers — used to coordinate before, during, and after a net without going on-air. See the dedicated N/C Chat Guide for full details on @mentions, RELAY fills, and live-net behavior.
App Relay Requests
Listeners who can't reach the repeater or EchoLink can submit a check-in request directly through the app. These appear in your N/C view as the net runs. App relay is a last resort — operators are still expected to try the repeater and EchoLink first.
Where they appear
- Quiet pill — during early preamble steps, a small amber count above the script panel.
- Full tray — at Late Check-ins (Group 6) the pill expands into a review tray with each pending request.
- Hidden in Freeform / Review modes — relay requests only surface in the Guided runner.
How to handle a request
- Acknowledge — optional. Lets the listener see you've spotted their request.
- Approve & Log — calls the operator into the App Relay group and adds them to the net log (station type: App). Always attempt to acknowledge them on-air before approving.
- Reject — declines the request with an optional reason. The listener sees your reason in their app.
Primary ↔ Backup handoff
Every live net has a Primary N/C running it and (almost always) a Backup ready to step in. Because both operators share the same live view, swapping roles mid-net is a single click. See the dedicated Primary ↔ Backup Handoff Walkthrough for the pre-flight checklist and step-by-step procedure.
Who can do what
- All operators — view the schedule, preamble, history, and announcements; run nets when scheduled; check in to live nets; use N/C Chat.
- Editors — edit the preamble script and manage announcements (validate the list, add/edit/delete entries).
- Net Manager & Co-Managers — full roster, scheduling, editor grants, chat moderation, and audit-log access. See the Manager / Co-Manager / Editor Guide (visible in the Help menu when you hold one of these roles).
Tips for your first time as N/C
- Practice first. The home page has a Start Test Net button — runs the full flow but is excluded from real statistics.
- Help is one click away. The Help menu in the top bar links every guide; the Tips and Features pages have icons next to it.
- Keep N/C Chat open the first few times you run — your Backup or another N/C can quietly RELAY a fill if you miss a call sign.
- Use the Feedback button to report bugs or suggest improvements directly to the maintainers.