*** This Message originally posted by Andy, KD4MKI *** This document was written to instruct the packet operator in properly preparing, formatting, and inserting a packet message into the National Traffic System (NTS). The NTS is an American Radio Relay League (ARRL) sponsored public service staffed exclusively by Ham radio operators in the interest of providing emergency and routine communications both in and out of the amateur radio community. The messages, referred to as 'traffic' are relayed by voice, data, and morse code by telephone, radio, and computer. With a message passed along through many points, a systematic format is needed to ensure integrity in the receiver actually getting what was sent verbatim. The ARRL publishes a message form to assist in recording and forwarding the ARRL Radiogram as the piece of traffic is referred to. Now, down to the business of actually sending traffic..... the ST command: For this demonstration, we will assume you are the originator of the message, a short note to a non-amateur friend in Florida. As in all radiograms, the content should be short, (under 25 words recommended, the official ARRL Radiogram form has 25 blank lines to complete). Also we assume you are already versed in establishing a connect to the BBS where you will input the traffic. Assuming you have logged into your local BBS. 1. At the command line, for example, type ST 33616@NTSFL This would send a message to someone at zip code 33616 in Tampa Florida. The format is always ST zzzzz@NTSxx , where zzzzz is the 5-digit zip code and xx is the 2-letter state abbreviation. 2. You will next be prompted for a TITLE or SUBJECT. Simply enter the name of the destination city and the first 6 digits of the 10-digit telephone number. In other words, the area code and the exchange. Leave off the last 4 digits. example SUBJECT: TAMPA 813-258 This tells the receiving station in Florida that the phone exchange is 258 so they can determine if it is a local call for themselves. 3. You will now be prompted for the message. First enter the following header information: example: NR 2 R HXG K2UL 25 TRENTON NJ OCT 3 NR (the abbreviation for number) 2 is the message number.... in this case my second message of the year. The precedence 'R' is for routine handling, presuming this is not emergency traffic. The HXG is optional. It means "if the message cannot be delivered free of charge, just cancel it and send a service message back to me." There are other HX codes, such as HXE which means "get a reply from the addressee and send it back." Next is your callsign, then the "word count". THis is the number of word groups in the text. Since the message may go from packet to voice to CW or whatever, we don't use fancy punctuation. You can use the letter X between sentences instead of a period. The letter X counts as one word group. For a question mark, use the word QUERY. Always write down the message in advance, so you know the "word count" before you start ! Place of ORIGIN is next, TRENTON NJ, or whatever your city and state designator, then the date. The year is excluded as we hope it will be at least delivered in the same year! Use no punctuation in this heading for simplicity, and capital letters throughout the message makes it easier to read. 4. Enter a carriage return, then the name and address of the recipient, and the complete telephone number with area code. It is very important to include a telephone number, particularly for non-hams. 5. Enter = or on a line by itself. This indicates break for text. 6. Type in the message (called text). A good practice is to use 5 words per line only. Remember the X and QUERY each count as a word! By entering 5 words per line the count is made easier to confirm. 7. After the message is completed, enter again on a line by itself = or This is the "break" for the signature. 8. Enter your name. A call sign might be helpful here to further identify yourself. Here is an example of entering a message into the BBS at the BBS> prompt: BBS PROMPT> ST 24401@NTSVA enter Title/Subject: STAUNTON 540-555 enter message text: NR 2 R HXG KD4MKI 25 ROCK HILL SC JUL 17 AMELIA VIDALIA 8888 FULLER LANE
STAUNTON VA 24401 540 555-5555 = HELLO X WANTED TO WISH YOU WELL THROUGH PACKET RADIO X WE COMMUNICATE WITH NONHAMS TOO X YOU REALLY NEED TO GET INVOLVED X LOVE = ANDY KD4MKI So............. there you go!! Piece-O-Cake!! That's pretty much it in a nutshell. A few other niceties such as special handling, and messaging by ARL numbers were not addressed in this short synopsis. Enjoy the packet realm!! 73 de Andy KD4MKI Rock Hill,SC with additions by Jason N1IIC Allenstown,NH and Dan K2UL