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INDEX

Definition of Formal NTS Traffic

Radiogram Examples

Preamble

Address

Text

Signature

Received From and Sent To

Originator’s Notes

Handling Instructions

Precedence: EMERGENCY, PRIORITY, WELFARE,  ROUTINE

NTS ARL Messages,

Group One for Possible “Relief Emergency” Use

Group Two Routine Messages

Phonetic Alphabet

Punctuation and Pro-Words

Punctuation

Pro-words

Suggestions for Efficient Traffic Handling

The below information on the NTS is designed to give sufficient information to send and receive NTS traffic.

Definition of Formal NTS Traffic

Formal traffic is detailed information passed between two Amateur stations. The traffic is passed in a predetermined

written form and contains detailed information on the originator and the destination as well as the message itself. In

addition the urgency or precedence of the message is included. All formal traffic is based on the NTS written system.

This is a system that has been adopted world wide to ensure accuracy and uniformity between all groups handling

formal traffic.

Radiogram Examples

There are many examples of radiograms and, providing they conform to NTS format, they are acceptable. Exceptions

are a Served Agencies message form for local use but if your message is going through the NTS you must use the

Amateur Radio Radiogram.

 

AMATEUR RADIO RADIOGRAM

Number	Precedence	HX	Station. of Origin	Check	Place of Origin	Time	Date

To:
Address
City		State		Zip
Telephone	(           )

 

 

 

BREAK FOR TEXT

01	02	03	04	05
06	07	08	09	10
11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30
31	32	33	34	35

BREAK FOR SIGNATURE

Signature

Title:

Rec’d from		Date		Time		Net
Sent / Del.		Date		Time		Net
Moved		Counted		Reported		Completed

 

 

Preamble

 

NUMBER

PRECEDENCE R, W, P, Emergency

HX

STATION OF  ORIGIN

CHECK

PLACE OF ORIGIN

TIME FILED

DATE

 

Text

……………………..     ………………………..     ………………………..     ..………………………     .………………………  

……………………..     ………………………..     ………………………..     ..………………………     .………………………

……………………..     ………………………..     ………………………..     ..………………………     .………………………

……………………..     ………………………..     ………………………..     ..………………………     .………………………  

……………………..     ………………………..     ………………………..     ..………………………      .………………………

Most radiograms have five lines with each line having five places for the text. This makes it easy to confirm the

Check before going on to the next section of the radiogram. Normally we try to keep the count to twenty-five

or less words but there are exceptions to this rule.

Signature

SIGNATURE …………………………………………………………

The form of the signature is the choice of the originator of the traffic. The signature may be a call sign, name or

combination of both if the originator is a ham. Members of the public may add one or more names if the message

is from a family. Anytime  you pass a piece of traffic originated by a Served Agency get a signature and title.

 

Received From and Sent To

RECEIVED FROM …………………………………………………… SENT TO …………………………………………

This part of the radiogram is to be filled out by the person handling the traffic for their records.

 

Handling Instructions

HXA: (Followed by number) Collect landline delivery authorized by addressee within ____ miles. (If no number,

authorization is unlimited.)

 

HXB: (Followed by number) Cancel message if not delivered within ____ hours of filing time; service originating

 station.

HXC: Report date and time of delivery (TOD) to originating station.

HXD: Report to originating station the identity of 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.

HXE: Delivering station get reply from addressee, originate message back.

HXF: (Followed by number.) Hold delivery until _____ (date).

HXG: Delivery by mail or landline toll call not required. If toll or other expense involved, cancel message and service originating station.

 

If the radiogram has HX __ in the preamble some action is requested. The instructions HXB to HXE require a

service message to the station of origin.

 

Precedence

EMERGENCY Always spelled out

Any message having life and death urgency to any person or group of persons, which is transmitted by Amateur Radio in the absence of regular commercial facilities. This includes official messages of welfare agencies during emergencies requesting supplies, materials or instructions vital to relief of stricken populace in emergency areas. “EMERGENCY”: Only to be used to report an ongoing life or property threatening or damaging incident. “EMERGENCY” is the highest priority message possible. It must involve, and is reserved for, ONLY those messages which contain information that someone IS ABSOLUTELY in DANGER OF DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY IF YOUR MESSAGE ISN'T HEARD IMMEDIATELY. Here is an example: If you observe that a damaged brick wall is in danger of falling into the street, that is a safety issue and should rank as a Priority call. If the wall just fell on two people in the street that is a "danger of death" issue and would definitely qualify as an Emergency call. During normal times, it will be very rare. (When in doubt, do not use this precedence.)

 P - PRIORITY

Use abbreviation P. This classification is for all important messages having a specific time limit, official messages not covered in the emergency category, press dispatches and emergency related traffic not of the utmost urgency, notice of death or injury in a disaster area and personal or official types of traffic. To be used to report an important but non-life threatening situation, that your message concerns an immediate SAFETY ISSUE regarding Human Life or Injury or an immediate SAFETY ISSUE regarding impending property damage.

 W - WELFARE

This classification refers to either an injury as to the health and welfare of an individual in the disaster area that indicates

that all is well. Welfare traffic is handled only after all Emergency and priority traffic is cleared.

 R - ROUTINE

Most traffic in normal times will bear this designation. In disaster situations, traffic labeled routine should be handled

last or not at all.

 NTS ARL Messages

These are the abbreviations used within NTS. Spell the numbers out at all times, (e.g. ARL Sixty One, not ARL 61). The

letters ARL are inserted in the check and in the text before the spelled-out numbers.

ARRL NUMBERED RADIOGRAMS

Numbered messages have been established for some of the more common texts sent during emergencies and holiday seasons. When this common text can be used, an ARL NUMBER is substituted for the text and sent. The delivering station

reads the actual text to the address, not the ARL NUMBER.

 

The letters ARL are inserted in the preamble in the check and in the text before spelled out numbers, which represent texts

from this list. Note that some ARL texts include and in the text before spelled out numbers, which represent texts from this

list. Note that some ARL texts include insertion of numerals or words.

 

Group One: For Possible "Relief Emergency” Use

ONE: Everyone safe here. Please don't worry.

TWO: Coming home as soon as possible.

THREE: Am in _______ hospital. Receiving excellent care and recovering fine.

FOUR: Only slight property damage here. Do not be concerned about disaster reports.

FIVE: Am moving to new location. Send no further mail or communication. Will inform you of new address when relocated.

SIX: Will contact you as soon as possible.

SEVEN: Please reply by Amateur Radio through the amateur delivering this message. This is a free public service

EIGHT: Need additional ______ mobile or portable equipment for immediate emergency use.

NINE: Additional ______ radio operators needed to assist with emergency at this location.

TEN: Please contact _______. Advise to standby and provide further emergency information, instructions or assistance

ELEVEN: Establish Amateur Radio emergency communications with ______ on _______ MHz.

TWELVE: Anxious to hear from you. No word in some time. Please contact me as soon as possible.

THIRTEEN: Medical emergency situation exits here.

FOURTEEN: Situation here becoming critical. Losses and damage from _______ increasing.

FIFTEEN: Please advise your condition and what help is needed.

SIXTEEN: Property damage very severe in this area.

SEVENTEEN: REACT communications services also available. Establish REACT communication with _______on

channel _______.

EIGHTEEN: Please contact me as soon as possible at _______.

NINETEEN: Request health and welfare report on _______. (State name, address and telephone number.)

TWENTY: Temporarily stranded. Will need some assistance. Please contact me at _______.

TWENTY ONE: Search and Rescue assistance is needed by local authorities here. Advise availability.

TWENTY TWO: Need accurate information on the extent and type of conditions now existing at your location. Please

furnish this information and reply without delay

TWENTY THREE: Report at once the accessibility and best way to reach your location.

TWENTY FOUR: Evacuation of residents from this area urgently needed. Advise plans for help.

TWENTY FIVE: Furnish as soon as possible the weather conditions at your location.

TWENTY SIX: Help and care for evacuation of sick and injured from this location needed at once.

Emergency/priority messages originating from official sources must carry the signature of the originating official.

 

Group Two -- Routine messages

FORTY SIX: Greetings on your birthday and best wishes for many more to come.

FIFTY: Greetings by Amateur Radio.

FIFTY ONE: Greetings by Amateur Radio. This message is sent as a free public service by ham radio operators

at _______. Am having a wonderful time.

FIFTY TWO: Really enjoyed being with you. Looking forward to getting together again.

FIFTY THREE: Received your _______. It's appreciated; many thanks.

FIFTY FOUR: Many thanks for your good wishes.

FIFTY FIVE: Good news is always welcome. Very delighted to hear about yours.

FIFTY SIX: Congratulations on your _______, a most worthy and deserved achievement.

FIFTY SEVEN: Wish we could be together

FIFTY EIGHT: Have a wonderful time. Let us know when you return.

FIFTY NINE: Congratulations on the new arrival. Hope mother and child are well.

*SIXTY: Wishing you the best of everything on _______.

SIXTY ONE: Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

*SIXTY TWO: Greetings and best wishes to you for a pleasant _______ holiday season.

SIXTY THREE: Victory or defeat, our best wishes are with you. Hope you win.

SIXTY FOUR: Arrived safely at _______.

SIXTY FIVE: Arriving _______ on _______. Please arrange to meet me there.

SIXTY SIX: DX QSLs are on hand for you at the _______ QSL Bureau. Send _______ self addressed

envelopes.

SIXTY SEVEN: Your message number _______ undeliverable because of _______. Please advise.

SIXTY EIGHT: Sorry to hear you are ill. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

SIXTY NINE: Welcome to the _______. We are glad to have you with us and hope you will enjoy the fun

and fellowship of the organization.

*Can be used for all holidays.

ARL NUMBERS SHOULD BE SPELLED OUT AT ALL TIMES

From: FORM FSD-3 (Revised 2/94) ARRL updated: 10-06-94

 

Phonetic Alphabet

A	Alpha	N	November
B	Bravo	O	Oscar
C	Charlie	P	Papa
D	Delta	Q	Quebec
E	Echo	R	Romeo
F	Foxtrot	S	Sierra
G	Golf	T	Tango
H	Hotel	U	Uniform
I	India	V	Victor
J	Juliet	W	Whiskey
K	Kilo	X	X-ray
L	Lima	Y	Yankee
M	Mike	Z	Zulu

 

Punctuation and Pro-Words  

X	in place of a period (Never placed at the end of message)
R	in place of a decimal
/	spoken as “slash”
\	spoken as “backslash”
?	spoken as “query”
.	used only in website and email addresses, spoken as “dot”
_	used in website and email addresses, spoken as “underscore”
#	used in website and email addresses, spoken as “pound sign”.
@	spoken as “at” in an email address
space used in address or website address
-	dash used in address
:	spoken as “colon” used in a website address

 

Suggestions for Efficient Traffic Handling

1. Use only recognized pro-words

2. Use standard phonetics for spelling and during poor band conditions.

3. Pause between each word when dictating the text.

4. Ask for fills do not guess what you have missed.

5. Listen for interruptions during the message, un-key the microphone after every five words.

6. Use “break for …” at the end of the pre-amble, address and text.

7. Honor all handling instructions.

8. Make sure you have copied radiogram accurately before acknowledging receipt.

9. Send slowly, imagine you are writing the message you are sending.

10. Keep a copy of radiograms you handle.

11. Service messages are always serviced back to the originator of the message, not the Amateur you received it from unless they are the originator.