The biggest thing to remember when working Radio at a Rally is to Listen and Shut Up. If your assignment is a Radio Operator then your job is to listen to the Net and answer their questions when they ask. If they can't raise you, the stage has to stop. Net Control doesn't need to know every little thing that happens on your stage. If the problem can be taken care of in the woods, take care of it and don't bother Net Control.
The biggest frustration I've had at Rallys is to have the information that Net Control needs, but not be able to get into the Net because too many other people were talking about stuff that was not important at that time.
The Nets I've seen that work the best use a Tactical to call in, and Call Sign when your done. The Tactical lets everybody know where you are, Stage 2 Start, which helps everybody know what's going on. You don't get to talk until Net Control acknowledges you, they may have other things going on that you can't hear, another radio, phone, lunch who knows. When they acknowledge you, you transmit your information or question. This may involve a few back and forth communications. When you are all done with what you needed to say you give your Call Sign. Net gives their Call Sign. This lets Net Control and everybody else know that you are done talking and someone else can now talk. It always good to wait a couple of seconds to see if someone else has a transmission that is more important than yours. Of course if you are too polite you will never get in.
Think about what you are going to say before you say it, ask yourself how important is it that Net Control get this information, and proceed accordingly.
Remember, Net Control is usually no where near the Rally, they make all the decisions but you are their eyes and ears. They need good information, so they can make good decisions.
Rally On!
Kevin D