I ran a local weekly 2M repeater  net plus the 75M state phone net for many
years.  I memorized the preamble.  As long as you get the main points, it
doesn't have to be exact.  You could make some brief Braille speaking notes
if you need.  For HF, I had a boom mic with a foot switch but for the 2
meter net, I used the hand mic.  It did require putting the mic down while
brailing the calls of the stations checking in.  I used the braillewriter
and put one call per line with any notes about traffic they brought.  As the
traffic was handled, I'd roll the braillewriter back and add more comments
about who took it.

Since the paper stayed in the braillewriter the whole time, I could easily
read it one handed while holding the mic in the other hand.

For a while, I ran the state CW net on 80M as well, again, reaching for the
keyer when necessary and the braillewriter the rest of the time.  So, go for
it.  It's not as bad as you think and is very rewarding.

73,
KY2D
Jim Kutsch
Jacksonville, FL

----- Original Message -----
From: "Howard Kaufman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2004 10:02
Subject: running a net


        I have been asked to run a net on our local repeater.
Since I only have two hands, I am trying to figure out how to read
the  preamble script, my check in list, and hold a hand mike at the same
time.  Does anybody use Braille here and run a  VHF net?  If so how?
Thanks!