The Northwest Boaters Net meets each morning at 0830 Pacific time. Boating hams and those interested in boating activities switch on their ham radio transceivers and answer the rollcall on 3.865 Mhz. Nearly 100 boating and fixed station hams participate are listed on a roster with an active roll call of about 70 stations on a current basis. Roll call is usually accomplished in less than 15 minutes and is preceded by a 30 minute gab session for those that wish to participate. Early checkins are accepted from 0800 to 0830. Requests for contacts are made during and at the completion of roll call.

N7XT (Aaron Benson) is primary Net Control Operator
Aaron is located on Marrowstone Island near Kilisut Harbor west of Port Townsend, Washington. Aaron has been an active amateur radion operator for over 50 years and also is an active and experienced boater.

BACKUP CONTROL OPERATORS:


WO7O (Bill Whitney)

K7IK (Bill Webber)


WA7OK (Lee Watts)

K7RNZ (Dick Miles)

See ( 'Net Status Page') for additional information about the net.
For the net roster, click on the following thumbnail button:

ROLL CALL LISTING

See the ( 'Support Pages') for additional information on the net including info on selected member boats.

There are no membership requirements other than having an amateur radio operator license qualified for the net frequency, possessing an interest in boating activities and the willingness to participate on a consistent basis.There are no dues. Interested hams may contact the Net Control Operator at the end of roll call for possible inclusion.

The Northwest Boaters Net was originally started in 1985 by "Wojobill", Bill Whitney, WO7O, and a small group of local Port Ludlow boating hams. Through the years it has expanded to its present regional coverage. It is now sponsored by the Port Ludlow Amateur Radio Club and the Port Ludlow Yacht Club and is open to all those interested in Northwest boating activities. For further information about the Boaters Net History and Port Ludlow Amateur Radio Club, go to the "Net Status','Support Pages' and 'Port Ludlow ARC' button links to the left.

The Great Northern Boaters Net offers excellent communication for northwest cruising boaters during the summer months, especially for those in southeastern Alaska waters. Net operations begin on April 15. The net initially meets on 3.870 MHz at 0630 Alaska time (0730 PDT) with KL0YC, Darlene Minor (and OM Floyd, WL7CUO) as net control station. They are located in Dora Bay, 55 14.069 North, 132 14.279 West; 28 miles west of Ketchikan.

The purpose of the net is to assist boaters cruising the inside passage of BC and Alaska. Information can be shared between boaters as to anchorages, fishing activities, weather information and general conversation as to location and cruising plans. Although the northern contacts are mostly informal, Darlene and Floyd offer relay of e-mail messages and handle health and welfare traffic on a priority basis. Their e-mail address is wl7cuo@winlink.org. They operate their station every morning. Boaters are welcome to stop by their home. There is no dock but they offer a good mooring buoy and there is a very good anchorage not far away.

At 0700 Alaska time (0800 PDT), VE7KLU, Barbara Hodgson, assumes net control with a somewhat more formal roll call and provides an efficient link for the southern area boats which may be remote to KL0YC. Barbara has been very active with the British Columbia Boaters Net and the Great Northern Boaters Net for several years. She is also an active member of the Northwest Boaters Net. Barbara and husband, Gerry Hodgson (VE7PGT), are well known boaters, having sailed with their sailboat "S. V. Kluane" for over 20 years.

Barbara's e-mail address is kluane3@shaw.ca and her phone number is 250.655.3533 for contacts with family and friends. Their home station is located near Sidney.

Barbara conducts the net year round at 0800 Pacific time daily on 3.870 MHz primarily to keep the frequency for the Spring and Summer months. Boaters and "land stations" are welcome to check in during the winter months.

During the boating season at 0715 Alaska time (0815 PDT) the net moves to 7.285 in the 40 meter band. If that frequency is busy, they will move somewhere in the 7.280 - 7.285 sector. Between the two net control stations, and operation on both 75 and 40 meters, excellent coverage is obtained from central California to western Alaska.

Roly Brown, VE0TI, has produced an excellent photo gallery of members, boats, and events from the Great Northern Boater's Net. To check out his extremely interesting site, you may enter or click on the following URL: http://www.rolybrown.ca