All messages passed through the National Traffic System should be prepared in a standard format to prevent garbling, misunderstanding, non-delivery, etc. Being in the standard form also permits handling of your message on all of the NTS facilities - not just packet. This may become necessary since packet does not yet reach all parts of the U.S. If you will follow these guidelines, you will ensure that your message has the best chance of arriving at its intended destination with little or no delay and in its original form.

Let's look at the whole picture of sending a message through a standard BBS, as an example. BOLD wording will represent what the user receives. The BBS} prompt is generic and will change from BBS to BBS. Everything else is supplied by the user. The example assumes you have already logged on to the BBS in question.

MESSAGE TO - 'ST (digit Zip) @ NTS??'

Where ?? is the US Postal Abbreviation for the State or Province. This tells the BBS how to route the message to it destination. 'qtc CITY ST' is used to help the BBS operator if the message has a problem and needs to be routed by hand. Example: ST 76201 @ NTSTX.

MESSAGE NUMBER

An identification number assigned at your station, unique to your station and independent of the number assigned by the BBS which accepts your message for relay.

PRECEDENCE

95% of all amateur traffic is ROUTINE (R). There are other which may be used:

Y = EMERGENCY This precedence is reserved for messages relating to a true emergency situation one in which lives and/or significant property loss is involved. This IS NOT TO BE USED lightly or irresponsibly.

W = WELFARE This precedence is used on all messages which either request or report individual health and welfare status. Messages with this precedence should be processed ahead of all ROUTINE messages Remember, messages of this nature are sending information about loved ones which cannot be obtained by commercial means and should receive preferential treatment.

HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS

Special delivery instructions which you are requesting the relaying and/or delivering station to comply with. For example:

HXA followed_by_number - Collect landline delivery authorized by addressee within number of miles. (If no number, authorization is unlimited.)

HXB followed_by_number - Cancel message if not delivered within number of hours of filing time. Service back to originating station.

HXC - Report date and time of delivery (TOD) to originating station.

HXE - Delivering station get reply from addressee, originate message back.

HXF followed_by_number - hold delivery until specified date.

HXG - delivery by mail or landline toll call not required. If toll or other expense involved, cancel message and service originating station.

TEXT "CHECK"

The number of words used in the text of the message. This is the total number of words between the beginning and ending "BREAK" ("BT"). This includes the "X" . (NTS messages use NO PUNCTION IN THE TEXT'.)

ORIGINATING STATION

The amateur call of the station actually originating the message.

CITY/STATE OF ORIGIN

Your QTH. Always use the location from which you sent the message.

TIME OF FILING

The time (in GMT/Z) which the message was given or written by you for transmission.

DATE OF FILING

The GMT/Z date on which the message was prepared.

DESTINATION ADDRESSEE

The person to whom the message is to be delivered. Include COMPLETE address with phone number. The more complete the address is, the better the chance the message has of being delivered.

BREAK-FOR-TEXT

Indicates the start of the textual content, and, if the message is being passed by phone, it gives the receiving station a chance to get anything he might have missed or to confirm something questionable.

TEXT

The information you wish to be conveyed. The letter "X" should be used for all punctuation and is counted as one word. Do not end a message with X.

BREAK-FOR-SIGNATURE

Indicates the end of the textual content, and again, gives the person receiving the message a chance to get anything he missed.

SIGNATURE

The identification of the sender. Special care should be taken with requests for welfare information to include the full name, address and phone number of the party requesting the information.

Conclusion

I hope this short explanation will help in creating your messages. By following these guidelines, you can be sure that your message is in the right form and that it will be handled as expeditiously as possible. If you have any further questions you should contact a local traffic handler for more information. Handling third-party (non-amateur) traffic is a powerful public relations tool for amateur radio and should be exercised whenever the opportunity arises. The amateur community receives beneficial recognition whenever we perform this service for the non-amateur public.