Find our membership form at the bottom of this page.
YL System GUEST INFORMATION
Welcome to the Visitor Information page! Since you likely have been directed to this website by one of our on-air System Controls or maybe by a search engine, we would like to tell you more about us. We are a global community of amateur radio operators that operate as the YL System. We have been in existence since 1963 and are a completely volunteer organization. If you would like to learn about our detailed history, please visit our HISTORY page.
While the YL System has many of the same characteristics as a Net, we are not a net and consider ourselves a System. A primary difference is that while nets assign a number to each station checking in and operate on a round-robin format to allow stations to make a specific number of calls to other stations, rather the System is interactive which means that a station is able to respond to a System Control call for check-ins to be recognized to make a call with a station just heard. This gives you a much better opportunity to contact that elusive station you have been looking for!
The YL System has an annual convention which may be held in person but if not will be held via Zoom videoconferencing. This is a great opportunity to meet others in the System that you have become friends with on-air and finally meet them face to face.
YL System Operations:
General Information: You probably found us by spinning your VFO dial and heard some booming signals that attracted your attention. We are present on-air 7 days a week, 365 days a year with our primary frequency of 14.332 on the 20-meter band. On this frequency, we operate 5 periods a day beginning with the Sunrise Period and ending with the Moonbeam Period. We run an abbreviated schedule on the weekends and holidays. We also operate on other bands and frequencies as well and you can find detailed information for our operating schedule by visiting our System Schedule page.
We typically operate each of our YL System Periods with 3 to 5 System Controls scattered widely to cover as much area as we can.
You may have noticed when you check in with us that our System Controls have information about you. This is because we use a computer program called NETLOGGER to log all of our calls by your callsign. This interfaces with QRZ and pulls in your specific information into the logging program. As an added benefit to you, NETLOGGER is a free download available to you so you can follow along to see who has checked in on our current session. An additional benefit of NETLOGGER is its AIM window or Instant Messaging window so you can communicate by text with other participants on NETLOGGER. This is of great benefit to our System Controls when propagation is not favorable to pass control to each other. This program is a great addition to your ham-shack that many NETS use as well. If you would like this program, you can find the NETLOGGER download link at the bottom of every page on our website. Remember its FREE!
The YL System not only encourages and supports the ARRL and other organizational awards, we have many of our own awards that are available to YL System members. We operate on honesty and trust and do not require any kind of LOTW, QRZ, paper or electronic QSL card confirmation for our System awards.
As a Visitor and guest of the system you are very welcome to check in with one of our controls on each period during the day. Since we are moderated, if you hear a station you would like to make contact with, you are welcome to contact the System Control when they are asking for Check-ins and announce yourself with “RE-CHECK” and your callsign to be recognized to make contact with that station. Also you will hear many stations during the day checking in for a radio check, an audio check or to check the performance of different antennas, radios or microphones as well.
Benefits of participating as a visitor (guest) of the YL System:
- You may check-in as often as you like on as many of our YL System periods on each frequency where we operate
- You may recheck 3 times per hour, 1 call per recheck on any Period to make calls to other stations
- You may act as a relay to bring in a station that is not heard by a System Control
- You are welcome to request a radio check or any other equipment check at any time
- We are here everyday so you have a place to hang out to listen and make friends
- You may request a contact confirmation from any of our stations for your contact. Most of our participant stations still will respond with a paper QSL if you wish.
Benefits of participating as a member of the YL System:
- You are eligible to participate in any of our many YL System award programs
- You are eligible to participate as a System Control provided you have a paid subscription to QRZ, you are proficient with Netlogger, and you are current with your dues.
- You are eligible to participate in any of our leadership roles as well as be elected to any of our corporate and Board of Director level positions and be selected to serve on our Emeritus Council
- You have full access to our website where you can find information on our Award programs as well member specific information
- You have access to our library of documents for various topics such as using NETLOGGER as a general user as well as specific training for System Controls
- You have access for one-on-one training on being a System Control
- You have access to the current and past issues of the Communicator which is our monthly newsletter
- You have access to current and past issues of the Voice which is our annual report presented at our Annual Convention
- You may host an Annual Convention
- You may attend our Annual Convention in person or via ZOOM video-conferencing
- You may participate in our regularly scheduled Meet and Greet Zoom video-conference
- You and each of your family members are eligible to apply for a one-time YL System Scholarship for further studies in higher education
There are many reasons you should join and remain an active member of the YL System! Please consider joining and becoming a part of our community of Amateur Radio operators and be one of our family.
Definition of Logo terms:
- HONOR– The YL System community is built on Honor. This foundational pillar of the System demands mutual respect for all people as we interface with each other. Honor also requires trust. This is exemplified by the fact that our System awards for members do not require QSL, LOTR or eQSL validation for these awards. We trust our members to be honest about their contacts.
- DEDICATION– The YL System community requires Dedication. Our members are dedicated to improving our on-air and technical skills. This dedication is demonstrated in that our members are committed to operating our stations with adherence to the regulatory requirements from our amateur licensing bodies. Another facet of this is dedication to serve not only the YL System community but amateur radio as a whole. Many of our members are VE’s, Elmers and technical resources, and participating in SKYWARN and ARES (among a few opportunities) for their local communities as well as serving the System. Service to others is our heritage, not only during emergency situations but to the YL System by volunteering as a System Control, Operational Coordinators and our YL System leadership roles as well.
- FELLOWSHIP – As a YL System community, we provide opportunities for our members for fellowship and to develop long standing friendships. This is accomplished by our regularly scheduled Meet and Greet Zoom sessions, our Annual Convention, and our on air System sessions. Many of our members have met on the System and stay in contact with each other on-air, email, phone and face to face. We are more than friends and a community, we are family on the System. We care about each other and often will check up on our regular members that have not checked in on awhile.
The YL System can be joined for an annual fee of $21 USD. Joining for just one year issues a YL System Number that can be used anytime checking into the net whether your membership is active or not. Paying annually helps the YL System to grant scholarships every Summer to young people who are beginning their journey in higher education.
Presently, Life Memberships are available to long-standing members.
