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Recruitment, Training & Online Presence

NTSTIN On Hiatus

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Bill Leibengood, N8RWF, writes:
NTSTIN Sessions Postponed
The National Traffic System Training and Information Net (NTSTIN) has been postponed indefinitely, writes Bill Leibengood, N8RWF.
Bill cites, in part, the “lack of interest and participation in this digital voice traffic net concept, and reflector hotspot connection issues.” However, he’s optimistic about local traffic nets now holding training sessions. Bill encourages all traffic handlers and would-be traffic handlers to support their local, section, region, and area traffic nets.
For those who wish to learn traffic handling skills, please participate in the Virtual NTS Training Net (VNTN) which meets on Zoom every Wednesday at 7:00 PM ET.
 “Radiogram Traffic Handling is the backbone of Amateur Radio,” adds N8RWF. “Let’s continue to support it, advance it and grow it from the grassroots level.”
Publicity and Outreach

Radio Relay International® and ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® Sign Memorandum of Understanding

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ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, signs NTS-RRI MOU. -Photo courtesy K9HI

From ARRL News:

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® (ARRL®) and Radio Relay International® (RRI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). [PDF] The formal agreement, signed by ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and RRI Board Chairman James Wades, WB8SIW, outlines the value the organizations find in cooperation.

SEE THE JOINT PRESS RELEASE [PDF]

ARRL, established in 1914, is the nation’s leading advocacy organization for the Amateur Radio Service. ARRL’s mission is to promote and protect the art, science, and enjoyment of amateur radio, and to develop the next generation of radio amateurs. ARRL’s 71 Sections across North America promote public service with ham radio through programs including the Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) and the National Traffic System® (NTS®).

Radio Relay International® (RRI) was established in 2016 to enhance and promote effective nationwide messaging and emergency communications capabilities. Since its founding, RRI has developed an extensive work product consisting of a wide variety of training programs, a tested and evolved National Response Plan, and communications facilities designed to better prepare radio amateurs to serve their community in time of emergency. Central to these goals has been modernization of the NTS.

Both ARRL and RRI recognize the importance of effective public service and emergency communications, including the shared goal of modernizing and enhancing the National Traffic System. “Coordination between our two organizations will prevent duplication of efforts and ensure that both the public and emergency services agencies have access to effective NTS disaster communications facilities,” said James Wades, Board Chair and Emergency Management Director for RRI.

The National Traffic System, created by ARRL in 1949, is a network of trained amateur radio operators who ensure the rapid transmission and relay of messages, or “traffic.” In addition to basic voice and Morse code or “CW” communications networks, the NTS has recently been modernized through the addition of the Digital Traffic Network, as well as interoperable messaging gateways and specialized software templates developed in association with the Winlink Development Team, which operates an international radio email service well-suited to disaster response.

“Through last year’s hurricanes and the recent devastating floods in Texas, we’re seeing amateur radio continue to be a vital tool before and during times of crisis,” said ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV. “Amateur radio works When All Else Fails®, and traffic handling is an important part of that,” he said.

Future plans for the improvement of NTS include the development of additional robust HF digital networks, improved interoperability with local and state emergency communications organizations, and continued development of local and regional VHF and UHF digital “packet radio” network capabilities. Coordination between RRI and ARRL will play an important role in achieving these goals.

www.arrl.org/nts
www.radiorelay.org

For more information contact:
James Wades, WB8SIW, Radio Relay International Board Chair radiorelayinternational@gmail.com  and/or Sierra Harrop, W5DX, ARRL Public Relations and Outreach Manager sharrop@arrl.org.

Publicity and Outreach / Updated Access & Delivery Methods

Improve Your Club’s Message Fair Using the Radiogram Gateway!

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NTS DisplayThe following story appeared in the March 18, 2025 issue of ARRL Club News:

Your club is planning to staff a table at a local community fair or event. Offer to send radiograms. Recruit volunteers to explain what a radiogram is and, later, send the messages. Who in your radio club is active on the traffic nets? How many members know the radiogram format or know how to send a radiogram message on the air? Fear not! Your club can put its best foot forward and hold an amateur radio message fair with minimal traffic-handling skills using an exciting new tool: the Radiogram Portal!

Jonathan Taylor, K1RFD, inventor of EchoLink, has developed a web-based tool that the public can use to enter a short message by following simple instructions. The message will be picked up by a participating amateur radio volunteer operator (called a “radiogrammer”) who logs in to a restricted portion of the website, takes the message off the gateway, and sends it over the air on a National Traffic System (NTS) net for relay to its destination. The recipient will get a local phone call from a nearby ham. Along the way, ham operators will relay the messages by voice, digital, or even Morse code and get valuable practice in emergency public service.

“It’s not a problem if your club lacks an active traffic handler to check into the traffic nets,” says Phil Temples, K9HI, who chairs the ARRL EC-FSC NTS subcommittee. “You merely set up a laptop at your message fair using a Wi-Fi connection and allow members of the public to enter their own messages. Later, a skilled traffic handler in your area will pull the message off the portal and send it in a timely fashion.”

The Radiogram Portal was successfully demonstrated at the 2024 New England Division Convention. An extensive display sponsored by the Nashua (New Hampshire) Area Radio Society highlighted the NTS and the Radiogram Portal running on a computer, along with a trifold that pictured the NTS2 website, the NTS Letter, training videos, and a downloadable handout available for clubs and public gatherings.

For more information on the Radiogram Portal, visit nts2.arrl.org/radiogram.

Updated Access & Delivery Methods

Virtual NTS Training Net

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Zoom iconMany Technician class amateurs miss out on fun and skills learning of traffic handling because they reside in areas of the country where local traffic nets on VHF repeaters don’t exist. The Virtual NTS Training Net (VNTN) seeks to address this problem with the creation of a Zoom-based local traffic net that can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection.

VNTN will accept check-ins and radiogram traffic utilizing standard phonetics and pro-signs; in short, participants will enjoy the same experiences as those who check into conventional “RF” traffic nets.  The net will incorporate a “hands-on” training approach in traffic procedures, radiogram creation, and relay.

It is our hope that new amateurs who participate in VNTN will be motivated to join section and region nets on HF after upgrading to a higher license class.

The Net meets Wednesdays at 7:00 PM ET.  In future, it is hoped that a west coast version will be established at around 7 PM PT. The VNTN URL is: <https://bitl.to/3xj4>.

[Monitor this site for possible updates and Zoom URL changes.]

Recruitment, Training & Online Presence

NTS Traffic Handling Training Session, October 14, 2024

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NTS logo in colorInterested in NTS and Traffic Handling? Join us Monday, October 14 at 7:00 PM via Zoom. This training will incorporate videos and open discussion to get you started in an exciting aspect of the hobby that’s been around for over 100 years!

Your hosts: Western MA Section Manager Ray LaJoie, AA1SE; MARI Section Traffic Manager Marcia Forde, KW1U; Bob Sparkes, KC1KVY; and Shawn Dodds, N1CVO, will discuss NTS traffic handling basics and traffic net procedures.

All amateurs are invited to join, regardless of experience level. This will be first come, first served event and limited to 100 participants. We hope to see you on Zoom. Any questions? Email Ray, AA1SE at aa1se@arrl.net.

Uncategorized

First Region NCS Demonstration at New England Division Convention

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Northeast HamXposition bannerNTS traffic net operation will be prominently on display at the 2024 Northeast HamXposition and New England Division Convention, on Saturday, August 24 at 2:45 PM. John Gotthardt, K1UAF, will operate remotely as net control station at the Nashua Area Radio Society exhibit for a session of the First Region Net. All are welcome to visit the booth and observe how formal message traffic is passed on the air.

Additionally, two separate talks and forums dealing with NTS and traffic handling will be held Saturday and Sunday at the convention.

Publicity and Outreach / Updated Access & Delivery Methods

Jonathan Taylor, K1RFD, Featured on QSO Today

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Jonathan Taylor, K1RFDJonathan Taylor, K1RFD, Ridgefield, Connecticut, inventor of the highly popular program “EchoLink,” was featured as guest on the QSO Today podcast, episode #487. Taylor is also author of the NTS 2.0 Radiogram Portal web application.

From QSO Today: “Jonathan Taylor, K1RFD, has reached his 50th year has a ham radio operator, is the creator of Echolink, one of the first amateur radio Voice over Internet Service linking amateur radio stations, the receiver of technical innovation awards, and author of ‘VoIP: Internet Linking for Radio Amateurs,’ now in its second edition. K1RFD checks all of the ham radio boxes for operating, homebrewing, software development, radio restoration, and is my QSO Today.”

NTS Letter / Recruitment, Training & Online Presence

ARRL Launches the NTS Letter

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NTS Letter bannerFrom ARRL News:

10/06/2023 – There’s a new newsletter in the ARRL repertoire as of this week. The first issue of The NTS Letter was published on October 3, 2023. The NTS Letter is a monthly digest of all things related to the ARRL National Traffic System®. It is edited by Marcia Forde, KW1U, who is a veteran traffic handler and serves as the Section Traffic Manager for the ARRL Eastern and Western Massachusetts and Rhode Island Sections.

The NTS is network that allows for rapid movement of messages, referred to as “traffic,” from origin to destination, and for training amateur operators to handle written traffic and to participate in directed nets. The network consists of the layering and sequencing of both voice and CW traffic nets, as well as a digital system that operates 24/7. This nationwide system operates 365 days a year, generally relaying routine message traffic for training purposes and for maintaining readiness if called upon in an emergency. If called upon, these operators stand ready to assist emergency communications personnel and served-agency partners in relaying welfare and other messages. It is the modern continuation of the historic “radio relay” from ARRL’s founding in 1914.

Director of the ARRL New England Division, Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, said the NTS is a great way to get involved in emergency communications. “Newly licensed and experienced amateurs alike who participate in NTS find satisfaction and enjoyment in learning the skills of sending and receiving concise written voice and CW traffic in an organized, on-air network. It’s a natural complement to the skills and training one needs to become an effective emergency communicator and Amateur Radio Emergency Service® volunteer. Plus, it’s an opportunity to meet new friends, and it’s fun!” said Kemmerer.

The NTS Letter is published monthly and is free of charge to ARRL members. Members can subscribe at arrl.org/opt-in-out by selecting “edit” to view all of their subscription preferences (members need to be logged in to their ARRL website account to do this).