❓ Frequently asked questions

So nobody can claim a net they don't run, or invent a club that doesn't exist. Anyone can create an account, but a Palnetto administrator confirms every net manager and club officer before they can set anything up. It usually takes less than a day.

Once you're approved, you're in charge: you add your own net controls, and club officers can add their club's other nets without waiting.

Sign up and tick I'm a net control. Then click Find the net I call, search for it, and click I'm a net control here. The net's manager gets an email and adds you with one click. See Getting started, step 15.

Only the net's manager can request a net. But you can invite them: under My net isn't on Palnetto yet, enter the net's name and your manager's name and email. We send them one email with simple steps. When their net is approved, you're added as a net control automatically.

They tell Palnetto what to help you with after you sign in. Tick all that apply. They don't grant anything on their own: net managers and club officers are approved by an administrator, and net controls are approved by their net's manager.

Every net belongs to one club. When you request a net you choose: a club already on Palnetto, a new club (approved along with your net), or no club. An independent net simply gets its own one-net club, run by you, so you never have to think about it.

If you add your net to a club that's already here, that club's managers are told about it and can see it. Club officers who are approved can add more nets to their club themselves and appoint each net's manager, because they vouch for their own people.

No. When you request your net, choose No club, it's independent. Behind the scenes the net gets its own one-net club that you run, and you can ignore it.

The club becomes useful when you run several nets: one logo, one set of club managers and one announcement list cover all of them.

The net manager runs one net: its frequency, schedule, script, regulars and who calls it.

The club manager oversees all the club's nets. They can see everything, read every report, create new nets and choose (or replace) each net's manager, but they don't change a net that has its own manager. Think of it as the club officer who appoints net managers and lets them run their nets.

Open the net's page, go to Net control & managers, and add yourself with the role Net manager. You'll then be a co-manager and can change anything. The change is recorded, so the net's manager can see it happened.

A club manager opens the net's page and, under Net control & managers, adds the new net manager and removes the old one. All the net's logs, regulars and settings stay exactly as they were.

If you remove a net's last manager, the club managers manage it until someone new is appointed.

Yes. Add as many as you like with the role Net manager. They all have the same abilities, which is handy as a backup.

Yes. One account works everywhere. Their Dashboard and Schedule show every net they call, across every club.

No. Net controls call the net, fix their own logs for 30 days, and manage their own nights (ask for cover, hand off to a substitute, volunteer for open nights). Changing the net itself is up to its manager.

No. Only net controls and managers need accounts. Anyone can check in on the air, and net control logs them with a few keystrokes.

If a station signs up later, every check-in under their callsign is already there waiting in My check-ins.

To make sure people sign up with their own callsign. If your last name, city and state match your FCC license, your account is approved as soon as you confirm your email. If not (say you've moved and haven't updated the FCC), an administrator reviews it, usually quickly.

Click your callsign at the top right and change First name to what you go by. Net controls will see "Bud" from then on. Your license name is only used to check who you are.

On My account, click 📻 Fill from FCC license. It copies your name and mailing address from the FCC, but never your preferred first name or where you check in from. Review it, then click Save profile.

It's a second step when you sign in: either a passkey (approve with your fingerprint, face or device PIN) or a 6-digit number from an authenticator app. It's optional, but we recommend it for anyone who manages a net, because it keeps your club's logs safe even if your password leaks. See Getting started, step 4.

What's a passkey? A modern, phishing-proof sign-in built into your phone and computer. Nothing to type: your device asks for your fingerprint or face, and you're in.

Can I sign in without a password? Yes. Once you've added a passkey, click 🔑 Sign in with a passkey on the Log in page. It's as secure as a password plus 2FA, because only your device can use it and it checks your fingerprint, face or PIN.

On the Log in page, click Forgot your password?, type your callsign or email, and follow the link we email you. No email on your account? Ask your net manager to reset it for you.

No. Type the callsign and press Enter. Palnetto fills in the name and location from (in order) the station's Palnetto account, your regulars roster, their past check-ins, or their FCC license. You can always type over it.

Keep logging. Check-ins are saved on your computer and upload by themselves, in order and with the right times, as soon as you're back online. The top of the screen shows OFFLINE until it catches up. Just don't close the window.

No, one logger at a time, so the log never gets mixed up. If net control has to hand off mid-net, the next person opens the net and clicks Take over as net control; it's recorded.

Yes. On the net's page, in Settings, choose No, check-ins only. The "in & out" button and the comments line-up disappear. Some nights you just need to skip comments? Use ✂ Abbreviate net on the net control screen instead.

Mobile, portable and remote stations often can't stay long. Palnetto puts them first in the comments line-up by default. The net manager can change the order, or turn priority off, in the net's Settings.

Traffic is a formal message (a radiogram) a station wants passed along. Click the gold 📨 Traffic tag on their check-in and mark it Handled, Not handled, or I'll take it to copy it on a radiogram you can save, print or download as a PDF. See Getting started, step 18.

Yes. During the net, click ✏️ Edit on the line. Afterward, open the session from the net's page. Net controls can fix their own nets for 30 days; net managers can fix anything. Every change is recorded.

Yes. Click 📺 Streamer View on the net control screen for a live board you can add to OBS. Only callsigns, names, locations and tags are shown, never comments or contact details.

Yes. Open the net's 📅 NCO schedule. Everyone on the net sees the whole schedule; your own nights are highlighted.

On the NCO schedule, click 🙋 Need cover next to your date. Palnetto emails every other net control on that net with a one-click link to volunteer, and lets you know when someone takes it. Already found someone? Use 🔁 Substitute instead.

Yes. Click Schedule in the top menu, then 📱 Apple / Outlook or Google Calendar under "Add to your calendar". It stays up to date by itself, including substitutions.

Yes, by email. On My account, under Reminders, pick 24 hours, 2 hours, 1 hour, 30 minutes or 15 minutes before. Make sure your email is confirmed, and try Send a test email.

Not at the moment. Reminders come by email, which shows up on most phones just like a text.

No. On the 1st of every month, Palnetto emails each net control's report for the previous month (nets called, check-ins, traffic and total time) to the net's managers and club managers, with a copy to the net control.

A scheduled night when nothing was logged. It shows on the Dashboard and the net's page so the manager can check what happened, and mark it reviewed with a note.

Nothing. Palnetto is free for the ham community, forever. No ads, and your data is never sold. See our privacy page.

Click Send feedback at the bottom of any page. It goes straight to the people who run Palnetto.