Title: National%20Traffic%20System%20ARRL%20Eastern%20New%20York%20(ENY)%20Section%20Thomas%20J%20Cody,%20WE2G%20ARRL%20Section%20Traffic%20Manager
1National Traffic SystemARRL Eastern New York
(ENY) SectionThomas J Cody, WE2GARRL Section
Traffic Manager
2What is the National Traffic System?
- The National Traffic System or NTS is a system
that organizes Amateur Radio Operators for the
purpose of providing timely and reliable movement
of third-party message traffic from origin to
destination as a free public service to the
amateur community and the general public - Our goals are efficiency and accuracy
3Goal 1 Efficiency
- Efficient net operation
- Participants
- Maintain proper net discipline
- Proper pace for radiogram transmission
- Conditions
- Ability of the receiving station (know your
stations!)? - NCS
- Sending stations off frequency to move traffic in
parallel (know your stations!)? - Prioritizing traffic based on quantity
4Goal 2 Accuracy
- Never change a message in transit for any reason!
- If you feel that corrections are necessary, add
an op note instead. - Follow proper net procedure, and use proper
voicing techniques to help ensure accurate copy.
5History of the National Traffic System
- The National Traffic system (NTS) has its roots
in the earliest days of Amateur Radio - The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) was
founded in 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim to
facilitate the relay of radiogram message traffic - The ARRL organized amateurs as Official Relay
Stations - The ORS appointment still used today in the ARRL
Field Organization
6Why should you get involved?
- Great public service opportunity
- Great training opportunity for ARES/RACES
- Great opportunity to earn wallpaper
- Public Service Honor Roll (PSHR)?
- Certificates are available for repeated
qualification (12 months straight or 18 months
out of 24)? - See your callsign in QST every month you qualify
- Net certificates
- ORS Appointment
- STM Appointment
- Lots of fun and camaraderie
7How message traffic moves
- NTS (Phone and CW modes)?
- Structure
- NTS operates in four daily Cycles which are
structured to provide 24-hour transit from origin
to delivery anywhere in the US and Canada under
ideal conditions - Transit
- Origination
- Local, section (state), region, area nets, Trans
Continental Corps (TCC)? - Delivery
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10How message traffic moves (cont'd)?
- NTSD (Digital Modes)?PACTOR I, PACTOR II, PACTOR
III, PACTOR IV, VHF Packet - Independent (Non-NTS) traffic nets
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12Typical radiogram messages
- Common (routine) message traffic
- Holiday and birthday greetings
- Call Book or roster traffic
- Examples (paraphrased)?
- Congratulations on your new call sign
- Your amateur radio license is about to expire
- Congratulations on your recent license renewal
- Please join a slow speed CW net
- Welcome to FISTS
- Purpose of call book traffic
13Typical radiogram messages (cont'd)?
- Uncommon message traffic
- Health and welfare
- Emergency traffic
- Priority traffic
14NTS Message Format
- NTS Radiogram Messages Made Easy
15Message Number
- Serial Number assigned by originating station.
- Many stations begin with number 1 at beginning
of each year or month. - Allows easy reference to message in the event of
service or delivery problem
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17Precedence
- Indicates importance of message to originator (or
served agency)? - Provides guidance for Net Operators
18Precedence (cont'd)?
- Four Categories
- Emergency Life or Death always spelled out!
- Priority Time sensitive abbreviated P
- Welfare Information pertaining to the well
being of an individual in a disaster area
abbreviated W - Routine Casual greeting or routine public
service message abbreviated R
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20Handling Instructions (HX)?
- Optionally provide instructions to delivering
station or those handling the traffic - HXA Collect landline delivery authorized by
addressee within ___ miles (or unlimited if
blank)(A150 collect call authorized within 150
miles A collect call authorized regardless of
miles)? - HXB Cancel message if not delivered within ___
hours of filing time service originating
station (B72 cancel if not delivered within 72
hrs and send message to originator to notify
them)? - HXC Confirmation of delivery requested by
originating station (DELIVERED 1014 JULY 4 2330Z
X 73 or ARL SIXTY SEVEN 1014 PHONE 650 555 1212
INCORRECT NO REPLACEMENT FOUND X SENT US MAIL X
73 - HXD Report to originating station the identity of
the station from which received, plus date and
time. Report identity of station to which
relayed, plus date and time, or if delivered
report date, time, and method of delivery.
Provides full trace of message through the
system. Not to be used without good reason! - HXE Delivering station to get reply from
addressee and send to originator as a new message - HXF Hold delivery until ___ (numbered day of
month) great for birthday or anniversary
messages (F14 deliver on 14th of the month F1
deliver on the 1st of month after date filed)? - HXG Delivery by mail or toll call not required,
service originating station.
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22Station of Origin
- Call sign of first station to place message on
air - Example If W8ZZ calls W8IHX on the phone and
asks the later to originate the message, the
Station of Origin is W8IHX.
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24Check
- The number of words or groups in the text
- Does not include address or signature
- Mixed groups, such as 6TH or FSD212 count as
one word - The X-ray (X), used in place of a period,
counts as one word - The word count is preceded by ARL when ARRL
Numbered Radiograms are present in the text - Telephone numbers with area code count as 3 words
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26Place of Origin
- This is the location of the individual whose name
appears in the Signature portion of the message - It is not the location of the station that places
the message on-air
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28Time Filed
- Four figure time group in UTC (GMT)?
- Example 2330Z
- Never use local time
- Indicates the time the message was drafted or the
time the event occurred - This is optional
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30Date Filed
- Always expressed as a three-letter month and day
- Examples JUN 10 or JUL 4
- Always read on phone as full month name
- Examples June One Zero or July Four
- Must reflect date in UTC (e.g. new day starts at
7 PM EST or 8 PM EDT)?
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32Address
- Should be as complete as possible
- Include telephone number
- In some cases, it may be abbreviated
- When an agency has a direct liaison on air
- NWS-DTX for National Weather Service
- MSP-EMD for Michigan State Police EOC
- When addressed to a radio amateur active on a net
- e.g. WC8EOC for State E.O.C.
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34The portion of the message containing the
preceding service information is called the
Preamble
35The Text
- Try to limit to 25 words or less for routine
messages - Keep as brief as possible for official traffic
- Avoid difficult or confusing language
- Utilize the X for a period.
- Never end a radiogram text with an X
- Always convert the X to a period when
delivering traffic in writing.
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37The Signature
- The name of the individual or agency originating
the message. - May include additional data, such as address or
telephone number, title, etc.
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39Op Note
- Conveys additional information to relay or
delivery stations - Two kinds of op notes
- Address op note, after name /address / phone
number - Signature op note, after the signature
40Example of a Routine Message
41ARL Texts
- Common message texts designated by a code to
speed transmission of traffic - Example
- ARL One Everyone safe here please dont worry
- ARL numbers are always spelled out
42ARL Numbered RadiogramsFSD-3
43Routine Message with ARL Numbers
44Radiogram Form Record Keeping
- REC'D
- Record call sign, net, date, and time of receipt
- SENT
- Record call sign, net, date, and time of relay
- THIS RADIO MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED AT
- Record your contact information when providing
paper delivery by US Mail or by hand
45Record Keeping Example
46Voicing on phone nets
- It is important that you use pro-words properly
to ensure correct copy - Once you begin transmitting a message, every word
you say should be either part of the written
message or a pro-word. Traffic handling is a
formal procedure and is not an informal
conversation. - NTS MPG has all the details on voicing and
pro-words. Basic pro-words are on the next slide.
47Voicing on phone nets (cont'd)?
- Basic pro-words
- Number
- Figures
- I spell
- Initials
- Mixed Group
- Amateur Call
- Break
- I say again
48Voicing Example
49Book Traffic
- Groups together messages with similar contents
for convenience - Eliminates the need to repeat the same
information multiple times - Basic Book has the same text for every message
in the book, with varying message numbers and
recipients - Other permutations are less common but are
perfectly legitimate
50Net Operations
- NTS Traffic nets are formal, directed nets.
- The Net Control Station is in charge. Be sure to
follow instructions from NCS accurately to the
best of your ability.
51Delivery
- Confirmed delivery (preferred)?
- Telephone
- By hand
- Unconfirmed delivery
- Voice mail or answering machine
- U.S. Mail
- Service originating station if they requested
confirmation, or if delivery was unsuccessful or
unconfirmed
52Delivery (cont'd)?
- You are representing all Ham Radio operators
- Make the call
- Identifying yourself
- Non-Hams
- Hams
- The Message
- Radiogram vs. Telegram
- Hardly ever bad news
- Example My name is Nick and I'm a ham radio
operator. I have a radiogram message of greeting
for David Smith from Steve Jones in Dallas,
Texas. May I please speak with David?
53Reporting
- Station Activity Report (SAR)?
- Mandatory for stations with ORS appointment
- Appreciated from any station handling traffic
- Use a log sheet to keep track of your messages
Originated, Received, Sent, Delivered - Public Service Honor Roll (PSHR)?
- Keep another log sheet with tally of number of
net checkins, total time of participation in nets
and other public service activities (planned and
unplanned)? - Report SAR and PSHR totals to STM and SM STM
Tom Cody, WE2G (we2g_at_arrl.net) SM Pete Cecere,
N2YJZ (n2yjz_at_arrl.org)?
54International Third Party Traffic
- You may handle international third party traffic
as long as the US has signed an official
third-party traffic agreement with that
particular country, or the third party is a
licensed amateur. - http//www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/io/3r
dparty.html - The traffic must be non-commercial and of a
personal, unimportant nature. - During an emergency, the US State Department will
often work out a special temporary agreement with
the country involved. But in normal times, never
handle traffic without first making sure it is
legally permitted.
55How can you get involved?
- You do not need to make a big time commitment
- Start by just checking in to the local nets
- Casual check-ins are OK up to the section level
- Learn the basic check-in procedures
- Maybe take some traffic for delivery or originate
a piece - Substitute for a missing liaison or NCS
- Regularly filling one assignment would be a big
help to the system
56Getting your Feet Wet
- All NTS nets are for training
- Local VHF nets are specifically intended for
training - Do not be afraid to make mistakes. You will
receive tips and guidance from more experienced
operators, which will help you learn how to do
it. - Anything that's worth doing, is worth doing
poorly. - http//www.desktop-meditation.com/new_page_114.htm
57Please help!
- We need help at every level of NTS from local
nets to TCC - Phone operators are needed!
- CW operators are needed!
- Digital operators are needed!
- Personal training is available
- Email or call me!
58Eastern New York Nets
- Capital District Traffic Net (CDTN) on 147.150
0.600 pl 114.8 at 1830 local Mon-Fri, 145.170
-0.600,pl 127.3 1830 local Saturday, Sunday - Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga,
Schenectady, Warren, Washington - Hudson Valley Net (HVN) on 146.97, pl 100hz Mt.
Beacon at 1930 local daily - Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, Ulster
- Southern District Net (SDN) on 147.06 pl 114.8hz
WECA at 2130 local daily - Rockland, Westchester
59HF Phone Nets serving NY
- 3.925MHz LSB
- New York Public Operations Net (NYPON), 5PM
- New York State Phone Traffic and Emergency Net
(NYSPTEN) Independent, 6PM
60Finding more information
- NTS-ENY web site
- Through the ENY Section web page
- http//hudson.arrl.org/eny/
- Click on NTS
- http//www.arrl.org/FandES/field/nts-mpg/
- Email or call me!
61Thanks for listening!
- Contact information
- ENY STM Tom Cody, WE2G
- we2g_at_arrl.net
- 1-518-828-7084
- Any questions?
62Credits
- Thanks to the following sources
- The American Radio Relay League, Inc.
- http//www.arrl.org/FandES/field/pscm/pscm.pdf
- http//www.arrl.org/FandES/field/nts-mpg/
- http//www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/io/3r
dparty.html - Steven R. Ewald, WV1X, ed., The ARRL Net
Directory 2001-2002 Edition (Connecticut The
American Radio Relay League, Inc., 2001), back
cover. - Chuck Hutchinson, K8CH, ed., The ARRL Operating
Manual Seventh Edition (Connecticut The American
Radio Relay League, Inc., 2000), p. 7-6. - James Wades K8SIW, and the Michigan Net, QMN /
National Radio Emergency Net (with permission)? - http//71.238.11.15581/nren/docs/ntst.ppt
- Jim Shultz W5OMG (with permission)?
- Nicholas Castellano, N2QZ
- Thomas Cody, WE2G
- http//myweb.cebridge.net/kb5jbv/Resources/Nationa
l_Traffic_System.ppt