Intent
- Provide reasonably unambiguous and reasonably efficient encoding of forms for transmission through the National Traffic System
- Deliver a close facsimile (information is correct although there might be slight differences in format) of the original form
- Allow relay using all modes: voice, CW, or digital
- Based on ICS-213 but flexible enough to allow for other standard forms
We have established NTS 2.0 standards for an initial set of forms. It is important to note that multiple approaches may be taken for any given form.
Basic Encoding Approach
For every distinct field, a field identifier (usually numeric) is applied which will identify the field. Each field must be a clear, separate element of data, distinguished in the form itself. Some forms, such as the ICS-213 form, already contain numbered fields. Those numbered fields will be used. In contrast, the Texas EMA STAR form does not contain numbered fields. For every distinct field, a field identifier will be created to identify each separate element of data.
There are two basic types of fields: free form text fields, and a standalone check box. The latter is a logical field and and can be “Yes” or blank (and omitted in the radiogram if blank).
For forms such as the HICS-213 form, where field 8 contains both a check box and pure text, the pure text becomes field 8 and the check box is given a field identifier of 8A.
Any blank field in the form is omitted in the radiogram.
All forms encoded into NTS radiograms should use the handling instruction HXI.
1066 R HXI AB1PH 82 WALPOLE MA 1421Z MAR 10
Example with an ICS-213 form
We will use an ICS-213 form for our example:
ics-form-213-Initial-Message-to-Fred-202303100921L v1This can be encoded into an ARRL radiogram as follows: (There are special rules for sending an ICS-213 reply which will be discussed later.)
1066 R HXI AB1PH 82 WALPOLE MA 1421Z MAR 10 FRED KEMMERER ARRL HOLLIS NH 03049 AB1OC ATSIGN ARRL DOT NET BT 20230310921L 1 ICS DASH 213 TEST PROGRAM 2 FRED KEMMERER ARRL 3 WALPOLE CERT TEAM ICS DASH 213 REVIEW COMMITTEE 4 INITIAL SIMPLE TEST OF ICS DASH 213 THROUGH NTS 5 MAR 10 6 0921L 7 THIS IS A SIMPLE ICS DASH 213 TEST MESSAGE FROM THE WALPOLE ICS DASH 213 CERT TEAM X WE HAVE TRIED TO AVOID SYNTACTICAL AMBIGUITIES BUT ARE TRYING TO TEST THE FULL FUNCTIONALITY X PLEASE REPLY WITH COMMENTS ON SUCCESS OF EFFORT 8 WALPOLE CERT COMMUNICATIONS BT DON ROLPH AB1PH AR
In the following streamlined example, the addressee in the radiogram and field 2 are identical; thus field 2 is redundant and may be omitted in the encoded ICS-213 form. The resulting radiogram is:
1066 R HXI AB1PH 78 WALPOLE MA 1421Z MAR 10 FRED KEMMERER ARRL HOLLIS NH 03049 AB1OC ATSIGN ARRL DOT NET BT 0230310921L 1 ICS DASH 213 TEST PROGRAM 3 WALPOLE CERT TEAM ICS DASH 213 REVIEW COMMITTEE 4 INITIAL SIMPLE TEST OF ICS DASH 213 THROUGH NTS 5 MAR 10 6 0921L 7 THIS IS A SIMPLEICS DASH 213 TEST MESSAGE FROM THE WALPOLE ICS DASH 213 CERT TEAM X WE HAVE TRIED TO AVOID SYNTACTICAL AMBIGUITIES BUT ARE TRYING TO TEST THE FULL FUNCTIONALITY X PLEASE REPLY WITH COMMENTS ON SUCCESS OF EFFORT 8 WALPOLE CERT COMMUNICATIONS BT DON ROLPH AB1PH AR
Before final delivery, the encoded form should be converted back into its original format as shown below:
ics form 213 Initial Message to Fred 202303100921-v2 deliverableSending via Voice
While fields are easily recognized in a digital form of the radiogram, both standard and special prowords are required to send an ICS-213 encoded message. See the examples, below, contained between the curly brackets {}:
1066 R HXI AB1PH 82 WALPOLE MA 1421Z MAR 10
FRED KEMMERER ARRL
HOLLIS NH 03049
AB1OC ATSIGN ARRL DOT NET
{BREAK}
202303100921L
1 ICS DASH 213 TEST PROGRAM {next field}
2 FRED KEMMERER ARRL {next field}
3 WALPOLE CERT TEAM ICS DASH 213 REVIEW COMMITTEE {next field}
4 INITIAL SIMPLE TEST OF ICS DASH 213 THROUGH NTS {next field}
5 MAR 10 {next field}
6 0921L {next field}
7 THIS IS A SIMPLE ICS DASH 213 TEST MESSAGE (wait for receiver to request fills or say go}
FROM THE WALPOLE ICS DASH 213 CERT TEAM {XRAY} WE (wait for receiver to request fills or say go}
HAVE TRIED TO AVOID SYNTACTICAL AMBIGUITIES BUT ARE TRYING TO (wait for receiver to request fills or say go)
TEST THE FULL FUNCTIONALITY {XRAY} PLEASE REPLY WITH COMMENTS ON (wait for receiver to request fills or say go)
SUCCESS OF EFFORT {next field}
8 WALPOLE CERT COMMUNICATIONS
{BREAK}
DON ROLPH AB1PH
{END OF MESSAGE}
Note that the prowords within the brackets are not included in any text version of the message, nor are they included in the word count of the radiogram message body.
Sending via CW
While the fields are easily recognized in a digital form of the radiogram, special pro signs are required during CW transmission of an ICS-213 message encoded in a radiogram. See below:
NR 1066 R HXI AB1PH 82 WALPOLE MA 1421Z MAR 10
FRED KEMMERER ARRL {AA}
HOLLIS NH 03049 {AA}
AB1OC ATSIGN ARRL DOT NET {AA}
BT
202303100921L
1 ICS DASH 213 TEST PROGRAM {AA}
2 FRED KEMMERER ARRL {AA}
3 WALPOLE CERT TEAM ICS DASH 213 REVIEW COMMITTEE {AA}
4 INITIAL SIMPLE TEST OF ICS DASH 213 THROUGH NTS {AA}
5 MAR 10 {AA}
6 0921L {AA}
7 THIS IS A SIMPLE
ICS DASH 213 TEST MESSAGE
FROM THE WALPOLE ICS DASH
213 CERT TEAM X WE
HAVE TRIED TO AVOID SYNTACTICAL
AMBIGUITIES BUT ARE TRYING TO
TEST THE FULL FUNCTIONALITY X
PLEASE REPLY WITH COMMENTS ON SUCCESS
OF EFFORT {AA}
8 WALPOLE CERT COMMUNICATIONS
BT
DON ROLPH AB1PH
AR
Note that the prosigns within the brackets are not included in any text version of the message, nor are they included in the word count of the radiogram message body.
Sending Reply for ICS-213
The ICS-213 form and similar forms support sending an attached reply. This provides a way for the served agencies to retain context between the original message and the reply.
The resulting ICS-213 example would look like:
ics form 213 Initial Message to Fred 202303100921 deliverable with reply
This can be encoded directly as:
1082 R HXI WZ0C 101 HOLLIS NH 1536Z MAR 12 DON ROLPH AB1PH WALPOLE MA 02032 AB1PH ATSIGN ARRL DOT NET BT 202303121036L 1 ICS DASH 213 TEST PROGRAM 2 FRED KEMMERER ARRL 3 WALPOLE CERT TEAM ICS DASH 213 REVIEW COMMITTEE 4 INITIAL SIMPLE TEST OF ICS DASH 213 THROUGH NTS 5 MAR 10 6 0921L 7 THIS IS A SIMPLE ICS DASH 213 TEST MESSAGE FROM THE WALPOLE ICS DASH 213 CERT TEAM X WE HAVE TRIED TO AVOID SYNTACTICAL AMBIGUITIES BUT ARE TRYING TO TEST THE FULL FUNCTIONALITY X PLEASE REPLY WITH COMMENTS ON SUCCESS OF EFFORT 8 WALPOLE CERT COMMUNICATIONS 9 MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED SUCCESSFULLY THROUGH NTS X THANK YOU FOR TESTING 10 FRED KEMMERER ARRL MAR 12 1036L BT MICHAEL FORD
Note that the message would be assigned a new message reply reference, in this case 202303121036L.
However, the message may be shortened to include only fields 9 and 10 if it is felt that the recipient can collate the reply to the original message, as shown in this example, below:
1082 R HXI WZ0C 30 HOLLIS NH 1536Z MAR 12 DON ROLPH AB1PH WALPOLE MA 02032 AB1PH ATSIGN ARRL DOT NET BT 20230310921L 4 INITIAL SIMPLE TEST OF ICS DASH 213 THROUGH NTS 9 MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED SUCCESSFULLY THROUGH NTS X THANK YOU FOR TESTING 10 FRED KEMMERER ARRL MAR 12 1036L BT MICHAEL FORD
The receiving station is responsible for collating the original message with the reply. The delivered message would then look like:
ics form 213 Initial Message to Fred 202303100921 deliverable with reply deliverable