Formal Radio Traffic aka National Traffic System (NTS)

Transcription

1 Presented to the Quannapowett Radio Association (QRA) Formal Radio Traffic aka National Traffic System (NTS) February 19, Steve Telsey, N1BDA

2 Who Am I? Middlesex ARES District Emergency Coordinator Concord RACES Radio Officer Deputy Director, Concord Emergency Management Agency

3 Why use rigid format messages? Complete documentation of what has been sent, time, addressee, etc. Conciseness actually takes less time than informal traffic Easier copy as operators know what information to expect and in what order You should omit speaking terms such as Message Number, Precedence, Date, etc.

4 When to use NTS Format Messaging When communicating non-tactical information on behalf of another person, particularly a municipal official When a formal record is required When receipt of a message is required

5 When NOT to use NTS format messaging To transmit tactical or emergency related messages: Immediate threats to life and property fires, critical medical need, shots fired Critical weather events - funnel cloud, large hail Frequency change requests Net Control Operations

6 Who should use NTS format traffic? Everyone passing traffic among municipal officials, state and Federal agencies, and service groups such as the Red Cross

7 Message Format Preamble (Header) Address Text Signature Operator s Notes (optional)

8 Sample Message

9 Sample Message (2)

10 Preamble (Header) Contains: Message number (any unique sequential number) Precedence (see below) Emergency Emergency is ALWAYS Spelled out Priority - Spelled Out Welfare - Abbreviated W Routine - Abbreviated R Handling Instructions (See below) Callsign of originating station Check (See below) Origination location Time (optional if not time-critical) (specify local or zulu) Date (omit year, note possible date change if using zulu)

11 Precedence (1) EMERGENCY--Any message having life and death urgency; always spelled out Example: Dam about to burst, building about to collapse Example: May include official messages of welfare agencies during emergencies requesting supplies, materials or instructions

12 Precedence (2) PRIORITY 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. Example: Heavy rains threatening building foundations

13 Precedence (3) WELFARE--an inquiry as to the health and welfare of an individual in the disaster area or an advisory from the disaster area that indicates all is well. Welfare traffic is handled only after all emergency and priority traffic is cleared.

14 Precedence (4) ROUTINE--Most traffic in normal times will bear this designation Non-time-critical messages

15 Handling Instructions Handling instructions (HX) are optional and less often used. When used, they are mandatory with all relaying/recipient stations. 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. Example: 207 R HXA50 W4MLE 12...(etc.). If more than one HX pro-sign is used, they can be combined if no numbers are to be inserted, otherwise the HX should be repeated thus: NR 207 R HXAC W4MLE...(etc.).

16 Check The check is the word count of the actual message after the preamble and addressee and before the signature. Closing salutations are part of the count. More details to follow.

17 Address Name of recipient Title Enough information to reach person: Address Zip Code (used for routing) Telephone Number Perhaps repeater or frequency person is monitoring

18 Body The message Text is separated from the addressee and signature by a BREAK (BT) The message text should be separated into groups of five words and total length should not exceed 25 words

19 Signature The Signature is the name of the person originating the message. This is usually the local official, shelter manager, etc. This should include person s title and telephone number Must be an actual signature for EMERGENCY traffic

20 Operator s Notes Optional, not often seen Separate from Signature by a BT Use to indicate things like a count that doesn t match or message content that is suspect

21 IMPORTANT Always get official to review and sign every message even though you may compose it. Do you want to explain to a court why you think and are pretty sure you requested 20 units of blood that were asked for but only 10 arrived?

22 What s the Count (1) Not always obvious address: n1bda at arrl dot org count is 5 read as Amateur call [or mixed group] N1BDA at letter group a-r-r-l dot letter group o-r-g Web Address: ARES dot EMA dot ARRL dot ORG slash doc1 dot htm 11 words Omit Read as letter group A-R-E-S dot letter group E-M- A dot letter group A-R-R-L dot letter group O-R-G slash mixed group d-o-c-1 dot letter group h-t-m

23 What s the Count (2) Frequency - Decimals often get lost - Use R or the word decimal - Methods Mixed group 146R11 (count 1) Figures 146 letter R Figures 11 (count 3) Figures 146 decimal Figures 11 (count 3)

24 What s the Count (3) Position (Latitude/Longitude) (needed when streets & signs are gone) - degrees, minutes, seconds - degrees, minutes, tenths - degrees, minutes, hundredths What does POSN N W mean? 36 m 15 s or min?

25 What s the Count (4) Suggestion: Use decimal format Designate decimal with R Example: POSN N 41 33R14 W 71 29R06 (not 29R6) or POSN N 16 49R6 W 23 37R2 (count = 7) Alternate format (d/m/s) : POSN N W (count = 9)

26 Why Bother with Lat/Long? How would you describe locations in these situations?

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33 Punctuation X, spoken as XRAY, represents a period X counts as a word Do not use as last word in message No other punctuation generally used

34 Serviced Message For a message to be properly serviced and thus traceable, record how it traveled. This may be in your traffic log or on an actual Radiogram form for each message. Received from another station For all messages except those originated, record Received From: Station, date, time received from. If relaying to another station Sent To: Station, date, time relayed If delivering hard-copy to addressee, Received At: Your call, phone, name address Send Reply to sender or Service message to Originator

35 Drill Messages Include This is a drill XRAY as the first line of message text This way the drill indication is part of the message and the word count and can t be overlooked as part of the header

36 Operational Hints Read S L O W L Y trace over words as you read; senders read too fast Read text in groups of five words and drop carrier between groups When in doubt, use phonetic spelling. Always spell difficult names or variants: John versus Jon, Steven versus Stephen, Bierkenstock Always spell chemical names, medications, and technical terms. Too many chemicals have similar names except for the endings, for example, -ane, -ene, ine. Their properties may by dramatically different. Use pro-words this is critical

37 Pro-words (1) Figure single numeral follows Figures several numerals follow Letter Group usually an abbreviation (EOC) Mixed Group letters and numerals (12A) Amateur Call 9or Call Sign) special type of mixed group I Spell phonetic spelling follows I Say Again repeat of previous word Telephone Number Format is figures 800 figures 555 figures 1212 (count = 3) Contrast to mixed group 800 dash 555 dash 1212 (count = 1) Extensions: letter group ext figures 437 (count is 2)

38 Prowords (2) Address several possible formats URL omit spell out dot Correction I m going to correct something End end of message More additional message(s) follow No more no additional messages Say Again request from recipient to repeat Word after Word before All after All before Between

39 If Check Doesn t Match Clarify special items, e.g., address is 5 words Read message at reading speed stopping after every 5 words so recipients can identify where count is off or read every fifth word Note discrepancy in count in optional Operator s Notes

40 IMPORTANT Never refuse to accept or forward a message because you cannot agree on the count. Never refuse to accept or forward a message because you question the content (unless illegal). Goal is to get the message through!

41 Practice 6 Priority N1BDA 38 Concord Massachusetts 0730 local December 6 All ARES and RACES area hams Break Route 2 closed immediately between Concord rotary and route 126 X Will not reopen before 0200 December 8 X For more information listen to WIQH at 88R3 FM or check www dot concordma dot gov under special announcements Break Dick Tracy Concord Police PIO Telephone or via repeater End, No More

42 Practice Notes 6 Priority --- N1BDA 37 Concord, Massachusetts 0730 local December 6 All [letter group] ARES and [letter group] RACES area hams Break Route [figure] 2 closed immediately between Concord rotary and route [figures] 126] Xray Will not reopen before [figures] 0200 December [figure] 8 Xray For more information listen to [letter group] WIQH at [mixed group] 88R3 [letter group] FM or check [letter group] www dot concordma dot [letter group] gov under special announcements Break Dick Tracy Concord Police [letter group] PIO [Mixed Group] 978 dash 318 dash 3400 or via [Mixed Group] 145R11 repeater End, No More

43 Your Turn Your EMA Director, Gregory Burns, asks you to compose a message to Mikael Main, Region 1 MEMA Director, saying that you can accommodate 220 evacuees in 4 shelters immediately. Shelter details are available at Make up any info you need like phone numbers. What do you do after you ve composed the message?

44 Possible Message 2 Priority HXC N1BDA 22 Concord Massachusetts 1440 local July 23 Mikael [I spell Mikael] Main, Director MEMA Region Break Reading can accommodate 220 evacuees immediately in 4 shelters X Shelter details are available at www dot Reading dot org slash EMA Break Gregory Burns Reading EMA Director End, No More

45 Next Steps Present message to your EMA Director for review AND signature. Only then do you send the message. Log message sent. Log receipt from HXC request.

46 There s More Emergency Relief Numbered Radiograms (ARL) Book traffic Relaying All for another time.

47 References FSD-3 ARRL Numbered Radiogram - FSD-218 Amateur Message Form - FSD-220 Handy Operating Aid - FSD-255 Emergency Reference Info Card

48 Questions?

49 Traffic Nets Net Time Frequency Mode Net Manager EM2MN 8:00 PM PL: 88.5 FM Jack-N1TPU CM2MN 9:00 PM PL: FM Kent-KK1H HHTN 10:00 PM M-F MMRA System FM Byron-K1YCQ CITN 7:30 PM PL: 88.5 FM Mike-N2JWW EMRI 7 PM/10 PM MHz CW Chris-K8SH EMRIPN 5:30 PM MHz LSB Andy-WA1FNM 1RN/2 1:45/3:30 PM MHz LSB Alvah-K1TMA 1RN/3 6:30 PM MHz CW Chris-K8SH 1RN/4 7:45/9:30 PM MHz CW Bill-W1UD Packet 24/ Simplex FM Gil-W1GMF

50 Phonetic Numbers 0 Zeero 5 Fife 1 Wun 6 Siks 2 Too 7 Seven 3 Tree or Thr-ree 8 Ate 4 Fower 9 Niner

51 FINIS!