The NTS structure, in order to ensure reliability, is based on an hierarchy of local, section, regional, and area nets. The section and/or local net managers are appointed by the Section traffic Manager or the Section Manager. The Region and Area net managers are appointed by the Area Staffs.

A message originated at the local or section level is taken to region net by an assigned liaison station appointed by the section net manager. Likewise, traffic is manager. There are three Area nets in North America; Pacific, Central, and Eastern. Traffic is transferred from Area to Area by members of the Trans-Continental Corps (TCC) appointed by the TCC Director.

Traffic then flows down from Area net, to region nets and then to section and sometimes local nets where it is delivered. Thus traffic is both originated and delivered at the section and/or local net level. The rest of the NTS is simply a relay system.

Thus packet radio networks form a natural media to help facilitate the accurate and speedy handling of such messages. Because messages for the most part are still delivered in NTS section and local nets, the existing NTS format is important to maintain for reasons of interface. There are literally hundreds of section and local nets meeting daily across the continent on both voice and cw that deliver third party traffic as a public service and as a training for disaster communications.