The protocol for checking into the City of Lights SSB net is simple –
The net starts with Net Control’s hopefully brief introduction. Next, if the band is open, “DX check-ins” are requested, but in this case, “DX” refers to those outside of our local ground-wave propagation area. Finally, all check-ins by callsign are requested. Always give your full call, and when Net Control acknowledges your call, do not respond yet because this acknowledgement tells those lost in the pileup to try again.
After everyone checks in by callsign, each call will be invited to complete their check-in by giving their name, QTH (State, Province or Country) and Ten-Ten number. If you don’t have a Ten-Ten number, just say “no number” and later we suggest you join Ten-Ten so you can get one. Complete check-ins will be invited to transmit in the order they were first heard. The Net Control station will go down the list, so everyone has a chance to chat. Finally, if Net Control wishes, a second pass down the list might be offered for anyone’s final comments.
Finally, at the close of the net, Net Control will take new check-ins – but only to log them in as being “alive and well” since the net has ended.
Because ten meters is usually closed at our net time, we don’t hear many DX stations. When we do, we like to change the pattern a little to get the DX stations up front so we can all take a shot at exchanging ten-ten numbers with them. Otherwise, we usually don’t exchange numbers on the SSB net since most of us are locals who have work each other hundreds of times.