Post date: Jan 3, 2021 09:00

Saturday, January 9, 2021 is the annual ARRL Ohio VHF+ Simplex Contest, otherwise known as Simplex Day! Stations all over and around Ohio will be making contact with one another at 50MHz and up in simplex mode, using the same station classifications as Field Day, and competing for points according to rules specific to Simplex Day.

Central Ohio Traffic Net is looking to operate special 59-minute sessions starting at 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, and 1500, covering the entire period of the contest. We are asking for stations able to serve as Net Control and Liaison stations in particular to volunteer for a shift or two, to ensure that someone is always on the COTN simplex operation. Even if you can't be net control or a liaison, please volunteer to originate or receive radiograms. If you need some ideas of radiograms to send, visit our practice radiogram page.

Our nets will start as usual, with an abbreviated call-up for liaison stations and traffic. Once all traffic has been passed, the net will be free, where stations stay on frequency but any station may call any other, and make contacts for points in the contest. This operation will allow us to test simplex operation for traffic handling, identified as an area for improvement in SET 2019, as well as to assist contest participants by performing the function as a "spotter net" under the contest rules.

If you'll be participating in Ohio Simplex Day, please register your operation at https://ohsimplex.org/, and if you're able to support COTN's Simplex Day operation, please complete the form below to volunteer for a shift or two. We'll publish the COTN operating schedule on the Simplex Day Page before the contest gets underway at 10 o'clock Saturday morning.

Our operation will be according to our Standard Operating Procedure, which specifies operating frequencies—including simplex. If you don't hear a net when one should be active, try tuning around to see if the net is operating on a different frequency. Remember, net control is always on the right frequency—net control might have had to move the operating frequency to avoid interference—so find the net, move some traffic, make some contacts, assess your station's performance, and have fun!

Hoping to hear you on the air Saturday.

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