August 2024 NTS Letter

Treasure Hunt Update

Update: Handling Instructions and ARRL Numbered Texts

Recognition Certificates

New England HamXposition: August 22 – 25, 2024

Traffic Handling in Alaska AL7N

Recruiting New Traffic Handlers

On Confirming POTA Contacts

Who Calls First?

Spotlight: K9GLU

Twenty stations participated in the July Treasure Hunt. The following stations successfully completed all three rounds as of July 25th, although judges are responding to TH messages until the August issue of the NTS Letter is published:

Rcvd Date    Rcvd Time    Sender      Name

07/05/24    1424Z       K1IG        George

07/06/24    2025Z       VE1IJ        Glenn

07/07/24    1444Z        W1ELM     Lem

07/11/24    2231Z        KC3WHU    Walt

07/13/24    2059Z        AE5MI       Yvette

07/14/24    2029Z        N1CVO      Shawn

07/14/24    2331Z       W4BZM      Mike

07/17/24    1439Z       N7DMB      David

07/18/24    2025Z       N3KRX       Jerry

07/22/24    2300Z       N7YD       Mark

07/23/24    2028Z       W7FSC       Jerry

Congratulations to George Allison, K1IG, for achieving first place in the July hunt. More information about the Treasure Hunt can be found at nts2.arrl.org/treasure-hunt.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please use the survey form or email Dan Rinaman, AC8NP, at ac8np@ac8np.com.

The list of handling instructions is relatively unchanged; however, it does contain three new instructions:

• HXI — Please handle as ICS-213

• HXR — Please confirm actual receipt by addressee, and notify originator

• HXT — Special traffic test message, ID ___.

ICS-213 and radiogram compatibility using HXI have been discussed in earlier articles; please refer to “Using Radiograms to Pass Agency Forms” under “Standards & Procedures” on the NTS 2.0 website for a detailed discussion.

HXR is an especially relevant instruction for amateurs who are involved with communications on behalf of served agencies. It is discussed in “Update on NTS 2.0 Modernization Project,” June 11, 2023, on the NTS 2.0 website:

“HXR […] requires the delivering station to notify the originator of the message confirming that the recipient has personally received the message. This is a frequent requirement from served agencies. This is different from the HXC instruction, which is sent by the delivering station instead to the station of origin, whose call sign is in the header. Where HXC notifies the station of origin of delivery (such as the message being deposited in a mailbox) of their radiogram, HXR confirms to the sender that the recipient has the message in-hand.”

HXT will be discussed in greater detail under “NTS Traffic Tests” in documentation to be released in the near future.

The list of numbered texts is a superset of the older list of ARL numbered texts. In order to facilitate compatibility and minimize differences in the traffic system between ARRL and Radio Relay International, the ARRL recognizes additional RRC numbered radiograms that RRI developed in late 2022 and has adopted those verbatim into the ARL numbered radiogram list.

It also includes the new ARL FORTY-ONE to be used in conjunction with the 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.”)

Phil Temples, K9HI

• First Radiogram Certificate – Celebrating successfully sending the first properly formatted Radiogram via a National Traffic System-affiliated traffic net.
• ARES Response Certificate – For handling message traffic in association with official Amateur Radio Emergency Service activity during or in preparation for emergency events.
• Net Manager Participation – For submission of 24 or more net manager reports to the Section Traffic Manager or appropriate Field Service representative in the Section.
• Net Control Participation – For service as net control or alternative net control station for 24 total months.
• Section Traffic Manager Participation – For submission of 24 months of Section Traffic Manager reports to ARRL Headquarters.
• Official Relay Station of the Year – Who as an Official Relay Station has gone above and beyond with respect to traffic handling in a way that furthers the National Traffic System mission, objectives, and participation.
• Radiogram All States – Who as an ARRL member has received radiogram traffic from all states.

In addition to the current BPL and ORS awards, a new specially designed challenge coin will be awarded. Stay tuned for more information on the rollout for these awards.

I don’t suppose you hear much “formal traffic related” news from the Alaska Section. Formal traffic operations up here are not a “normal” activity. We do not have any Section traffic nets, mainly because real formal traffic is so scarce these days. And I suppose it will remain that way until “something” happens that is so bad that there won’t be any other way for the general public to communicate. In that case, we would place “W” precedence traffic as a priority activity, both outbound and inbound.

We cannot hear or work the NTS or RRI CW traffic nets up here in the Alaskan interior because they all operate down in the 80- and 40-meter bands. Propagation on those bands between here and the lower 48, even the West Coast, is nil at this latitude, 65 degrees North. To that end, there are only a few who actually practice the formal traffic art up here.

We have a Radio Relay International digital gateway station, VE7GN, in British Columbia that we can access via KL7EDK’s station here in Fairbanks. KL7EDK is our main digital “sysop” around here and provides the connection where I can maintain a 24/7 connection to EDK via a VHF RMS and poll for inbound traffic every hour on the hour. ARRL NTS and Radio Relay International digital networks route radiogram traffic to Alaska via VE7GN and I take it all off via the VHF RMS and then distribute it to wherever it goes within Alaska.

We use combinations of methods. We have reliable Winlink connections with traffic stations in southeast (Juneau KL7IWC) and south central (Anchorage KL7JFT) Alaska, as well as the Delta Junction -Tok-Alcan Highway area via KC7FWK in Delta Junction. These stations assist us with “last mile” deliveries very well in their respective areas. For other intrastate points, we try direct contact via daily HF SSB or VHF nets, or use USPS if we must, and deliver via US Mail. Maybe even dog team in winter?

We do ask that originators of all Alaska-bound formal radiogram messages include a full US snail mail address including Zip code. This will enhance the probability of timely delivery to the recipient. Experience has shown that phone numbers are too often incorrect. Email addresses are okay if they are known to be correct, but messages with only a name and phone number will be serviced back, as it is too much trouble to track down a recipient with only this info available.

Higher precedence traffic delivery will normally be via direct telephone call if we have a good number to use on the message. Routine traffic deliveries are not generally phoned. We have found that people do not generally care to get phone calls from complete strangers calling from unfamiliar numbers, about ” a radiogram” (What is THAT?). So, we feel that some delivery other than a phone call is much less stressful all around. Plus, the recipient ends up with a “hard copy” with which they can do whatever they want.

Outbound traffic is handled via the same network connections in the reverse direction. I take all or nearly all formal outbound radiogram traffic into my station here at AL7N and then apply the proper digital routing headers to them and send them to VE7GN who passes them on into the RRI and ARRL NTS digital networks. We follow the protocol in RRI Operating Aid RRI1702r3 for outbound radiogram message traffic. This has been proven to work well with the present traffic load.

I do maintain a CW “Traffic Watch” daily on the RRI IATN frequency 14115 and can work the CW Morse circuit down into the PacNW pretty well, with stations such as K6YR, W7GB and some others. I do like to use that for traffic whenever possible because if something happens to take out the digital systems, we would need something that still works. I will gladly take inbound Alaska traffic via CW on 20 or 17 meters anytime on request, propagation conditions permitting.

Anyway, that is the current status of the formal traffic operations in the Alaska Section at this time.

My personal experience has been that gaining new traffic handlers must happen on a local level. We’ve had relative success here in southwest Florida giving an intensive (about four hours on a Saturday) NTS program once or twice a year to our local club. Each class has generated at least a couple of new participants. But it’s that in-person connection that I think makes all the difference. Someone stumbling into a net and trying to coax them to do something over the air from a couple hundred miles away doesn’t make it happen in most cases.

The question is, when a station is sent off net frequency by the NCS, who should call?

“That answer is the station that is going to RECEIVE the traffic picks the frequency, asks if the frequency is busy and calls first. That’s who needs to know if the frequency will work for traffic. At times, the suggested frequency may be busy, so the receiving station will find a clear spot by going in the same direction farther from the net frequency and call there. Only after several unsuccessful attempts will the stations return to the net and report the problem.

If the NCS wants a two-way exchange to be done on net frequency, the station named first by the NCS (the receiver) calls first. The NCS might tell the receiving station, “Call (sender) and receive one here.” Again, the receiver calls first. Then the traffic is passed right on net frequency.

When the NCS tells a receiving station to “call and arrange,” the receiving station picks the potential spot off net frequency. The receiver doesn’t ask where the sender wants to go or give the sender choices to be discussed and decided on the net. The receiver just picks a spot, tells the sender, goes there, and calls. At times, the receiver may request, “Please send it to me via RMS.” The sender confirms. Then it’s done on the appropriate digital frequency.

These procedures all save net time, keep order, and demonstrate efficiency.

Denny Rybicke, K9LGU, Section Traffic Manager for the ARRL Wisconsin section

Denny Rybicke, K9LGU, Section Traffic Manager for the ARRL Wisconsin section, is a ham with a most varied background. I had asked Denny to tell me about his work experience, particularly what may have contributed to his interest in amateur radio. His list, alphabetically, included adjunct college professor, audio system supervisor, bean picker, city mayor (12 years), clothing store clerk, drama director, electrician, exterior / interior painter, floral shop driver/dispatcher, grant writer, grave digger, high school teacher (34 years full-time; 20 years part-time), innkeeper (15 years), janitor/custodian, microprocessor salesman, novels and documents editor, potato warehouse worker, public speaking coach, roofer, stage lighting director, and tree trimmer. He adds, “Those varied experiences have given me a true appreciation for the myriad of backgrounds of ham operators.”

He continues, “When I taught English and communications full-time to high school seniors for 34 years – specializing in written and spoken communications – my extra-curricular duties included sound and lighting supervision, senior class adviser, forensics coach, and adviser to the National Honor Society chapter. I was simultaneously an adjunct professor with the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh from 1986 to 1999. While teaching, I was elected mayor of the City of New Holstein and served six consecutive terms beginning in1982. As mayor, I recognized that at times a bad city council meeting is not unlike a bad study hall or a raucous DX pile-up. On the other hand, working with other public servants brought a satisfaction not unlike being part of the NTS and relaying traffic even under poor conditions.”

Denny received his amateur radio license as KN9LGU in 1958 and has held his current Extra class call K9LGU since the 1970s. He says, “As a Boy Scout message runner for a RACES exercise in 1957, I sat next to the radio operator (W9CFO) for the full midnight shift. I was fascinated. He generously offered to tutor me.” Denny has now been serving as Wisconsin Section Traffic Manager for 25 years. He says “My STM management style is to enlist good net managers and let them do their work.”

Wisconsin has been a good example of cooperation between the ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) and NTS programs. When I asked Denny about this, he wrote, “In Wisconsin, ARES/RACES has combined membership and our NTS nets serve as an equal and supportive partner in their exercises such as SIMCOM, the SET, severe weather nets, tabletop and functional exercises, and regular testing of several communication media. N9VC has also established an infrastructure-independent BBS for our section’s ARES/RACES leadership at the request of the state Office of Emergency Management. We try to have our regular NTS nets provide the models and training needed for deployment. As an example, during one inter-agency exercise (SIMCOM), hams were asked to handle a large mixture of NTS– and ICS213-formatted messages. Our traffic handlers switched forms smoothly and still maintained the accuracy and efficiency needed. Under some poor conditions, visitors from the National Guard were especially impressed with how we continued our operation even using CW when needed.”

“Our section is certainly indebted to NX9K and N9VC for their continual efforts to exercise the NTS and welcome new hams to the hobby. Our section’s operators are proud to be part of that operation, which reflects the spirit of the hobby for new operators. New hams are grateful for the welcome they get from Jim, Kris, Glenn (VE1IJ), and others that reflect the broad base of the hobby and offer training and a chance for personal connection to a local operator.

I’m very pleased that our section operators accept all legal traffic and make extra efforts to deliver each message. Leadership? It’s not me. It’s them.”

Many thanks to Denny for his years of service to amateur radio. With ARRL’s current emphasis on emergency communications, we might all learn a thing or two from the efforts of those folks in Wisconsin.

NTS Resources

NTS 2.0

NTS Manual

NTS Methods and Practices Guidelines

Handling Instructions

Numbered Texts

Form Encoding Rules for Form

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Editor: Marcia Forde, KW1U, Section Traffic Manager — Eastern Massachusetts, Western Massachusetts, and Rhode Island

ARRL Director of Emergency Management: Josh Johnston, KE5MHV

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