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=======================
October 2024 NTS Letter
=======================
Editor: Marcia Forde, KW1U - October 1, 2024
-From the Editor
-"Happy 75th, NTS" (Part 2)
-Treasure Hunt Update
-Training via Zoom - October 14
-Coordination between NTS and ARES: Reports from Alabama, Eastern
-Pennsylvania, Ohio and Georgia
-Spotlight: Gerry Jurrens, N2GJ
-Re-energizing NTS Activity in New Mexico
From the Editor:
----------------
Have you been unable to find current and back issues of The NTS Letter? If
you are an ARRLİ member, you can subscribe to have the current issue
delivered to your email box each month. You can find instructions on
subscribing as well as an archive of all issues since the first one from
October 2023. Go to the website https://nts2.arrl.org/nts-letter for helpful
information. Please spread the word.
Since the Simulated Emergency Test (SET) generally takes place in October, I
am including in this issue articles from several sections where NTS and ARES
groups have been working together toward emergency preparedness. See
articles from Section Traffic Managers in Alabama, Eastern Pennsylvania,
Ohio and Georgia as well as one from New Mexico on the re-energizing of NTS
activity in that section.
"Happy 75th, NTSİ!" (Part 2)
----------------------------
Bud Hippisley W2RU
This month marks the 75th anniversary of the commencement of National
Traffic Systemİ operations. This is Part 2 of my anniversary article about
some of the challenges encountered and overcome during the early years of
NTSİ operation.
In the original NTSİ structure, westbound inter-area traffic was supposed to
be carried from each area net to those to the west of it by direct
representation. That meant that by the time PAN met each evening it was
supposed to host separate reps from EAN, CAN, and MAN. But messages -
especially from CAN and EAN - were not consistently getting to PAN via the
official plan. Propagation vagaries, required power levels, and the 3-hour
time difference between the coasts conspired to make this a highly
unreliable linkage - especially in the early '50s. At one point, PAN's
manager reported to W1NJM that the only EAN signal his net controls could
reliably hear was that of Clara Reger, W2RUF, near Buffalo, NY, who was
known to be one of the few EAN reps with a kilowatt amplifier - and who also
had Lake Erie a few miles to her west!
But alternative routings, such as relaying the PAN traffic via CAN or the
trunk lines, had their own shortcomings. From his review of long-haul relays
with the various managers and other traffic handlers, W1NJM saw that what
worked most reliably for westbound traffic was a combination of direct area
net-to-area net representation when the two nets were in adjacent time
zones, but individual station-to-station out-of-net skeds when the area nets
were separated by one or two time zones and for eastbound traffic. By the
spring of 1952, George was finalizing plans for a new TransContinental Corps
(TCC), which began operations that fall. As we all know today, TCC has
served NTS admirably for both westbound and eastbound traffic ever since. In
fact, a key advantage of the integration of a parallel daytime cycle of nets
in the mid- and late-'70s was the expansion of TCC functions to
"cross-connect" the daytime and evening cycles - an expansion instrumental
in speeding up the delivery of messages in both directions!
Yet another challenge to NTSİ in the early years was the dual matter of
weekend and summer operation. Seventy-five years ago, most nets operated
only five nights a week, and many section nets discontinued operations
completely each summer. But traffic didn't just disappear then. W6CE and
other west coast operators apprised W1NJM that PAN usually had eastbound
traffic to clear on weekends. Also, fairs, hobby shows, and other
short-duration events throughout the country generated quantities of weekend
traffic that collectively couldn't be ignored. So, during the first few
years of NTSİ operation, managers of the new area and region nets
experimented with a variety of ways to keep traffic moving during the
weekends and summer months.
Generally, members of a typical NTSİ net were split between those who
resisted formal weekend and summer operations and those who enjoyed
activating their net "informally" in order to keep the traffic flowing. But
gradually, cracks in the opposition to formal sessions grew - fanned by net
participants themselves, many of whom did not like to see messages sitting
"on the hook" and getting stale. And although many managers did not keep
detailed records of their nets' summer operations in these early years,
their members kept the system running through the hot months - even if not
"on all cylinders." For instance, 1RN operated M-W-F during the summer of
1950. But by the mid-'50s, much of the System was formally conducting
operations six days a week and many active traffic handlers were pressuring
net managers at all levels of NTSİ to formally expand operations and - most
importantly - volunteering to staff and run those new sessions themselves!
As a result, by 1958, Communications Manager Ed Handy, W1BDI, was able to
report to the ARRL Board that NTSİ was now officially operating 7 days a
week, 365 days a year.
Happy 75th, NTSİ!
Treasure Hunt Update
--------------------
Hello, Treasure Hunters! Twenty stations participated in the September NTS
Treasure Hunt. The following stations successfully completed all three
rounds as of September 23rd:
1st: W1LEM Lem
2nd: VE1IJ Glenn
3rd: N1CVO Shawn
4th: N3KRX Jerry
5th: W4BZM Mike
The first-place finisher in this, the September Treasure Hunt, as well as in
future treasure hunts, will be awarded a specially designed mug courtesy of
the NTS 2.0 Planning Committee. The other finishers will receive a
certificate courtesy of the NTS 2.0 Treasure Hunt committee.
About this past hunt:
The NTS Treasure Hunt for September round #1 (THR1) asked, 'What Radiogram
information is essential for transmission on the Digital Traffic Network?' A
lot of people had some trouble with this question. The answer we were
looking for was "State and Zip Code". For a digital station to input a
radiogram into the DTN we must address it to NTS:zip@xxxxx format.
The THR2 question was 'The Benton Harbor Lunch Box was Query'. This trivia
question is about the 1950s era Heathkit radios. Some of the radiograms lost
their meaning when they lost a word or two in transit, SO, if you miss, add
and/or change a word it will completely change the message. This is
something traffic handlers need to keep in mind.
THR3 asked what does handling instruction HXR mean query. This is a new
handling instruction which can be found on the NTS2 website HERE. The answer
is "Please confirm actual receipt by addressee and notify the originator."
The Radiogram Portal is a new tool you may use to send your Radiograms, BUT
I missed that free text is not an option unless you are registered on the
portal website. (Click HERE for details how to register.) Otherwise, this
tool allows the use of some of the more common numbered text messages. You
may want to set up a computer at hamfests or community exhibits and
introduce people to NTSİ messages.
Would you like to be a judge for the Treasure Hunt? You need to be available
to receive NTS traffic on a regular basis and insert NTS traffic back into
the system. Please contact Dan AC8NP@xxxxx.xxx if you are interested.
If you missed the official Treasure Hunt announcement in the December 2023
issue of The NTS Letter, here is a recap: This is a fun, on-air, multi-step
competition in which you will respond to a "judge" with your answer to an
initial clue or question via radiogram. The judge will reply via radiogram
with the identity of the next judge, along with the next question or clue in
the hunt.
There will be no Treasure Hunt in October. See the November issue of The NTS
Letter for November's Round One Question!
If you have any comments or suggestions, please use the survey form or email
Dan Rinaman, AC8NP, at ac8np@xxxxx.xxx. 73.
Training via Zoom - October 14, 2024
------------------------------------
Once fellow amateur radio operators have been introduced to traffic handling
and the NTS, it is important to help them develop the necessary skills
needed to participate in traffic nets and handle third party messages. While
training is generally done during traffic nets, here in New England, Western
Massachusetts Section Manager Ray Lajoie, AA1SE, has organized a training
session on Zoom which will take place on Monday, October 14, 2024, at 7:00
PM EDT. You don't have to be in Massachusetts. Due to the wonders of
technology, anyone with an interest in learning more about message handling
and NTS is welcome to join in this call. See details below.
Interested in NTS and traffic handling? Join us on Monday, October 14 at 7PM
(EDT) on Zoom and receive training. Hosted by Ray, AA1SE, the WMA SM, and
joined by Marcia, KW1U, the EMA, WMA and RI STM, Bob, KC1KVY and Shawn,
N1CVO, we will provide training on the basics of proper handling of NTSİ
traffic as well as participating in a net. This will be a combination of
videos and open discussion to get started in this aspect of the hobby that's
been around for over 100 years. This is an important skill for anyone
considering emergency communications. It is rewarding and it is fun! All ham
operators are invited to join, whether you are experienced or not. To
receive a link to this training, contact Ray, AA1SE (aa1se@xxxx.xxxxx or
Marcia, KW1U (kw1u@xxxx.xxxx. We hope to see you on Zoom.
Coordination between NTSİ and ARESİ
-----------------------------------
With SET exercises coming up in October and into the fall, I was interested
in how NTS and ARES groups are working together toward emergency
preparedness. Here are a few examples from Alabama, Eastern Pennsylvania,
Ohio and New Mexico:
From Otto Arnoscht, N4UZZ, STM Alabama
We have established a new local VHF net for Montgomery County (Alabama)
ARESİ. We use it for training and keeping ARESİ members up to date.
We have an exciting new STEM project. We will be launching two balloons and
tracking them via APRS. The first launch is a rehearsal, the second launch
is with the Elmore County School District, and STEM-oriented students will
be heavily involved in all the details, such as calculations of atmospheric
pressure, balloon inflation, ascension rate, burst altitude, understanding
of APRS, learning mapping and coordinates, and tracking down the payload and
(hopefully) recovery. We are developing a program to offer these balloon
launches as STEM hands-on educational activities to schools in the area to
promote science and amateur radio.
We are planning to pass many ICS213 messages by VHF digital during the
upcoming Simulated Emergency Test Oct 5 which will be a joint Montgomery and
Elmore County effort, using NBEMS, the Narrow Band Emergency Messaging
System, with FLDIGI, FLMSG and MT63-2000. Other traffic will be passed by FM
voice on local area repeaters.
73 de Otto, N4UZZ
From Tom Inman, KC8T, STM Eastern Pennsylvania
In October, the Eastern Pennsylvania section of the NTS will be assisting
the Eastern Pennsylvania ARES in the latter organization's fall Simulated
Emergency Test (SET). Jay King, W2AFE, and Tom Inman, KC8T, worked together
to include participation in the NTSİ.
King put together a scoring system for the SET which includes points for
such things as dictating a radiogram by phone to a NTS participant, checking
in to an NTS affiliated net, sending a radiogram via radio, and sending a
radiogram or ICS-213 via Winlink.
A significant number of ARESİ participants are not familiar with NTSİ
procedures, frequencies used, or network times. King and Inman hope this
exercise will not only provide important training, but also boost NTSİ
participation.
In preparation for the event, Jay worked with NTS managers to develop a
comprehensive instruction sheet and met with local Emergency Coordinators to
discuss the exercise instructions.
The following networks are part of the NTSİ EPA section:
Eastern PA Emergency Phone and Traffic Net
3918 kHz 5:00 PM Eastern time, Daily.
Pennsylvania Traffic Net (CW statewide)
3585 kHz 7:00 PM Eastern Time, Daily.
Luzerne County ARES Traffic and Training Net
146.61 Megahertz repeater with a tone of 82.5 Hertz and a negative offset of
0.6 megahertz every Monday at 8:00 PM local time.
The last LCARES Net of the month will be on the N3FCK UHF Linked - The last
LCARES Net of the month will be on the N3FCK UHF Link system (see
frequencies below).
Lackawanna County ARES Traffic & Training Net
First & second Wednesday evening, 8:00 PM: 146.715, -0.6 MHz, tone 136.5
Fourth Wed.146.94, -0.6 MHz, tone 127.3
Fifth Wednesday: N3FCK UHF Link system, 442.55, 443.60, 444.50, and 441.15;
all +5.0 MHz, tone 100
The RF Hill ARC Southeastern Pennsylvania Practice and Traffic Net,
W3AI repeater at 145.310 MHz (-600) with a PL tone of 131.8. (Sundays and
Wednesdays at 8:00 PM local time.
Note: Are you aware of, or participate in, a local Eastern PA net which
handles traffic? If the answer is yes, and your net is not listed here, then
please contact Tom Inman at KC8Tom@xxxxxxx.xxx. We would like to document
all traffic handling nets and give operators credit for participating.
From Dan Rinaman, AC8NP, STM Ohio
On ARESİ and NTSİ: Here in Seneca County. Ohio our NTSİ and ARESİ groups
work well together due to the relationships built between the groups over
the years. Many of the ARESİ members are also members of the Ohio Single
Side Band Net (OSSBN), which meets three times daily to pass traffic within
the Ohio Section and with liaison to many local nets and to the 8th Region
Net. Some of these members are also Net Control Stations on both the OSSBN
and the county ARESİ net. We are also fortunate to have as our ARESİ EC Dan,
KC8PBU, who retired from the EMA director position a few years back. Dan
helped bring amateur radio into the plan for emergencies within our county.
Our county emergency operations center has a radio dispatch center in a room
just off the main operations room. This dispatch center, which is a backup
for any county dispatch center, is 911 ready so if the county sheriff or any
of the city dispatch centers go down, this dispatch center can be activated.
This dispatch center also is equipped with amateur radio. We have a VHF/UHF
control station and an HF station. The VHF/UHF station has multiple radios
tuned to the county amateur repeaters and simplex frequencies. The HF
station can be used in voice and digital modes. If needed, we can move
messages during an emergency from our EOC to the NTS and have personnel
trained to do so. It all starts locally. You need to develop relationships
with the people needed for when the time comes.
From Frank Hobbs, KN4QJ, STM Georgia
I am Frank Hobbs, KN4QJ, and recently had the idea of passing radiogram
traffic on the Walton County Repeater Group (WC4RG) ARESİ nets. This is
nothing new, however these radiograms will be addressed to ex-members of the
club and ARESİ group who no longer participate. The reasoning for this is
that it helps the person taking the traffic to become more knowledgeable and
comfortable in receiving and delivering radiogram messages. I am also hoping
that it will get some of the "old" members to regain interest in net and
meeting participation as well as other activities.
This past Monday, I originated and passed a radiogram message on the Walton
County ARESİ Net that was addressed to an individual ham operator who has
been inactive in our nets and meetings for a couple of years. The message
stated that we would like for this individual to return to the weekly ARESİ
nets and monthly club and ARESİ meetings. A net participant took the traffic
and delivered it to the recipient. The recipient thanked the deliverer and
said he would try his best to attend again. My intentions are to originate a
radiogram of this type for a different individual each Monday night.
If they do not return, at least they will know that we are still active as a
club and ARESİ group and might decide to participate at some time in the
future and if they do return, they will be welcomed back. Either way, we
consider it a win for the person taking and delivering the radiogram and the
recipient as well as our club and ARESİ group participation.
Spotlight - Gerry Jurrens, N2GJ
-------------------------------
Gerry Jurrens, N2GJ
Gerry Jurrens, N2GJ, has been active in amateur radio for 60 years. Gerry
tells a funny story about how he was introduced to amateur radio. As a
typical teenager, Gerry became interested in a girl. When he went to her
family's home to visit her, he noticed her brother talking to someone in
another part of the world and thought, "how cool was that!" The brother was
a licensed amateur radio operator, and they began talking. We don't know
about the girl, but from then on, Gerry was hooked on amateur radio. He
obtained his own license at the age of 16. In college, he began studying
electrical engineering, following in his dad's footsteps, but soon decided
it was not for him. He switched to a major in English which set the stage
for his career path. He became a teacher, which also led him to a variety of
experiences including teaching Boy Scouts about ham radio, teaching English
as a second language to Hispanic people in his neighboring New Jersey
communities, and ultimately working for Oracle, where he became a certified
technical trainer and taught customers about a variety of Oracle software
products.
Gerry has long been interested in public service and has been active in
traffic nets and emergency communications, serving at one time as Assistant
Section Emergency Coordinator in both the Northern and Southern New Jersey
sections. He was interviewed by Eric Guth, 4Z1UG, on his well-known 'QSO
Today' podcasts (see https://qsotoday.libsyn.com/size/5/?search=n2gj). Gerry
has also been involved in various ham radio clubs, including service in
leadership roles. After losing his wife, Connie, N2ATJ (SK), to cancer after
43 years of marriage, Gerry met his current wife, Susanne, and moved to
Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he now resides. He discovered there was very
little activity involving NTS and traffic handling at the time and in
January 2024 he was appointed as Section Traffic Manager. Gerry, along with
Tom Russell, N5ATR, have since been very active in promoting NTS, traffic
handling and emergency preparedness.
Editor's note:
I was so impressed with some of their activities and accomplishments that I
asked Gerry to report on some of the things they have accomplished in the
few months since the beginning of this year. His article follows.
Re-energizing NTS Activity in New Mexico
----------------------------------------
Bill Mader K8TE, the New Mexico (NM) Section Manager (SM), appointed me
(Gerry 'with a G' Jurrens, N2GJ) to the position of Section Traffic Manager
in January 2024, based upon my many years of service to the National Traffic
System. Since becoming the NM STM, I have built a great relationship with
Tom Russell, N5ATR, a recently retired airline pilot and avid ham radio
resource. Together we have begun to generate more and more interest in
traffic handling in our section. Some of our accomplishments since January
include the following:
I immediately began soliciting and collecting reports from managers of all
nets, NTS affiliated or not, requesting numbers of sessions, check-ins,
messages handled (formal and informal) and total time of operation each
month. I send these monthly reports to the Section Manager, Section
Emergency Coordinator and Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator as well as
to Steve Ewald, WV1X, ARRL Field Organization Supervisor.
With Steve Ewald's help, we have been able to gain access to and update our
section website at www.arrl-nm.org/wp.
Tom, N5ATR, has worked closely with Pete ,NM5PB, our regional technical
guru, to establish a packet BBS (ABQBBS) on 145.010 MHz, allowing local hams
to send and retrieve radiograms for delivery. We also now have a new VARA
digipeater built by the Caravan Radio Club, which operates on the Sandia
Crest on 145.050 MHz and which will be used for Winlink traffic.
Tom and I have met with members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Traffic Net,
our only official NTSİ net, which meets on 3.939 MHz daily at 0100Z, to try
to build interest in getting members to originate, send, receive and deliver
third party radiogram traffic. Progress has been slow, but we are trying to
overcome decades of disuse of the NTSİ program.
To encourage members to send radiograms to each other as well as to friends
and relatives, Ed, KC2LM, has created a "Packet Pals" group on Winlink. Ed,
a retired schoolteacher, is also active in building websites for
organizations. He serves as a net control operator on the ARESİ nets and has
encouraged others to use the new ICS-213 form on the NTSİ 2.0 website.
Tom, N5ATR, has given briefings to several community groups, providing
information about traffic handling as well as general ARESİ capabilities.
These briefings have been very well received. He has also created a Google
group https://groups.io/g/NMTRAFFIC to facilitate communications among
interested parties.
I have given briefings to several central NM ham clubs concerning NTSİ,
past, present and future, as well as to a recent NM ARRL Convention, where I
spoke with Maryann, NS7X, a veteran CW traffic handler and one-time Iowa
Section Traffic Manager, about the possibility of creating a NM slow speed
CW training and traffic net. We believe that handling traffic can be a
terrific aid to learning Morse Code.
One area yet to be addressed is the New Mexico relationship with the 12th
Region Net. The 12th Region SSB Net meets on 3.9235 MHz daily at 7:00 AM
Mountain Time, but currently there is no coordination of liaison stations.
Also, on my to-do list is to follow up on any activity with the CW 12RN. I
think we have accomplished a lot in a few months' time, and I am optimistic
there will be more to come.
73 de N2GJ, Gerry (with a G) Jurrens
NTSİ Resources
The National Traffic Systemİ (NTSİ) is a network of amateur radio operators
who move information during disasters and other emergencies. General
messages offering well wishes also move through the NTSİ to help test the
system and to help amateur radio operators build traffic handling skills.
While the NTSİ is primarily set up to serve the United States and Canada, it
is possible to move traffic internationally through the NTSİ through various
local, regional, area, and international network connections.
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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