The West Coast Boater’s Net

This net operates each summer during the cruising season.  It is closely tied in with the Great Northern Boater’s Net, serves mostly the same purposes and shares the same database of members.  Many of the regulars check in to both nets, and check-in data is passed back and forth between the two nets. This net began operation in June, 2005, after the BC Boater's Net had closed down their 80 meter section and become exclusively VHF.  Difficulty in recruiting HF net controls in good quiet locations and the success of the VHF operation on the Island Trunk System were the main reasons for this.  Good HF coverage of the BC coast, outside of the area covered by the BCBN VHF net, is still available on the morning Great Northern Boaters Net, which has NCOs in Sidney, BC and SE Alaska, and many relay stations. Still, some of us HFers were unhappy about the loss of our friendly evening net on 80.  Ivan, VE7IVN, who had been an HF NCS on the BC Boater's Net, was persuaded to start a new net, using the old BCBN time and frequency, and the West Coast Boater's Net was born in June 2005. The net did not operate in 2007 and 2008 due to frequency conflicts with rag-chewers but was revived in June 2009 by Bill, VE7WSM, in Port Alberni, who is also an alternate NCS for the Great Northern Boaters Net. Bill manages the net and is the usual NCS and Ivan fills in from Scarlett Point light station, but other stations can step in when neither is available.  The net operates from somewhere around the beginning of June to the end of September or a little longer, depending on who is still out on the water.   Checkins begin on 3860kHz at 1800 PDT, and the net runs as long as it takes, usually a half hour or so.  All are welcome.

Bill, VE7WSM

Ivan, VE7IVN