Ham Radio 2000 #1/Ham Radio 2000.iso/ham2000/misc/arrl/fsd/howto.nts

Internet Message Format | 1996-08-07 | 14.0 KB

From the files of the ARRL Automated Mail Server, ([e-mail]):
file: howto.nts    updated: 12-03-91


                             HowTo.NTS

Sending NTS messages on packet is simple and easy.  If you have a friend
that is already on packet and wish to send him or her a message, all that
is necessary to know is that friend's home bbs (where he/she checks for mail
and bulletins regularly. The format on any linked w0rli type bbs is
simply; "SP Callsign @ BBScallsign". An example of sending a personal
message to my friend Robby, N6LAM, who uses WD6BFC BBS would be:

"SP N6LAM @ WD6BFC".  This message would be automatically forwarded from
my local BBS to WD6BFC BBS and when N6LAM checked into the WD6BFC BBS in
Redding he would see that mail was waiting for him. The "P" in "SP" makes
the message personal so that only the originator and addressee can read
it and it is not listed with the "L" command to others. This is a
recommended practice as it saves congestion on busy BBS channels by not
having to list irrelevent data.

Now comes NTS. What if you want to send a message to a ham friend who is
not on packet?  He can't pick the message up at a BBS. No one else can kill
the message if it's sent to his callsign unless he/she kills it (or you
do). Also what if you wanted to send a message to a non-ham (radiogram)?
What if there is a disaster and the local disaster agency asks you if you
can send thousands of radiograms out to relatives and friends of victims
telling them that they are alright? This is where the National Traffic
System (NTS) radiograms can do the job i.e., as a public service. W0RLI
devised a way where third party traffic could be deleted by traffic
handler. It is the "T"option. If you send a message "ST" then it can be
read and killed by anyone. The message may be killed by typing "KT ####"
where #### is the message number. Thus third party traffic is allowed to
be deleted after it is safely in the hands of a traffic delivering or
relay station even though the message is not sent to that person's own
callsign.

Let's now see how to actually use NTS and send a message. Remember that
the existing packet bbs system works fine for ham to ham communications
as long as both hams are on packet and know each other's mailbox.
Otherwise the message must be sent to special designators and in NTS
format. It is important to use the accepted and nationally recognized
designators if we are to not delay the traffic needlessly.


                     USE THE ACCEPTED DESIGNATORS

Use valid designators. See the file desig.nts on most WestNet BBS.
Currently the nationally recognized and supported designator is the 5
digit zip code in the "to" column with the "ntsxx" abbreviation in the @
column. (Note that xx are the standard Post Office abbreviations found in
the ARRL Net Directory for States and Provinces). @ NTSXX can be left out
of any Calif bound traffic if sent within California and is only helpful
for out of state traffic.  Some examples for sending NTS traffic are:

ST 60625 @ NTSil        QTC 1 Chgo Il 312 453
ST 94610                QTC 1 Oakland CA 415 763
ST 06111 @ NTSCT        QTC 1 Newington CT 203 594
ST 91006                QTC 1 Arcadia CA (no phone)

If you do not know the zipcode and do not have a post office zipcode
book, then the message may be sent to ntsxx @ ntsxx as we assume that
everyone will know the State or Province. Messages sent with inadequate
addresses and without phone numbers are not encouraged and delivery may
be delayed or impossible. Remember that there is a ham on the other end
who will have to deliver the message and we should make his/her job as
easy as possoble.

The title should indicate the destination city of the message as well as
contain the first 6 numbers of the telephone number so that some delivery
stations may be able to ascertain their ability to deliver without having
to read the text.

NTS designators for packet depend on a complex system of HF/VHF GateWays,
NTS officials, linked VHF systems, BBS software support, and other groups
to agree upon more efficeint methods and designators. This system is
constantly evolving and is subject to change. For the current list of
supported NTS designators, see the file DESIG.NTS found in most WestNet
BBS. It is expected that the 5 digit zipcode @ ntsxx format will be
supported for quite some time.


                           NTS MESSAGE FORMAT

NTS radiogram format is like an envelope within an envelope.  The outer
envelope is the packet bbs message itself being forwarded via W0RLI
forwarding protocols and headers.  The NTS envelope is the age old NTS
radiogram format which can interface with local and section nets and
allows delivering stations all the necessary information to trace,
service and deliver the message.  The following is the standard ARRL
radiogram format.

Radiogram format should follow the standard ARRL radiogram  message
format in order to maintain the necessary information to interface with
SECTION nets, tracing originators, and essential record keeping. Delivery
nets all across the Continental USA will not accept traffic for delivery
unless it is in standard NTS form.

Standard ARRL message form requires a number, station of origin, word
count  (check), place of origin, date and time.  Give as a full an
address as possible. Separate the text with a BT.  End the message  with
the signature and the prosign AR. Sending "ctrl Z" will send the message
to the mailbox.

When connected to the WestNet linked BBS, the following commands should
be used and the message format adhered to:

                                                Comments
prompt >                                       (Note the ">" is your prompt)
ST 60625 @ NTSIL<cr>                  Use ST 5 digitzip @ NTSXX, where xx is
Enter title for message>                  the state or province abbreviation.
QTC 1 Chicago Il 312 453 <cr>            give quantity,qth, first 6 digits of
Enter text and close with a Ctl-Z (^Z):                     telephone number.

Nr 1 W6ABC 20 San Francisco Ca 1230Z Nov 25     (Standard nts format)
Mr George Smyth                                 (Addressee)
2315 North Oak St                               (Give FULL address)
Chicago Il  60625                               (Include Zip as shown)
312 453 1793      BT                            (Give Phone number)
                                                use BT to separate text
Hi Dad arrived safely at                        (five words per line
San Francisco X stop over                       makes it easy to
only two hours then Guam                        check the word count)
X will write soon love    BT                    (give BT at end of text)
John                      AR                    (Use AR at end of message)


Include all helpful information in the address. If there is an apartment
number or a  space  number (mobile parks), zip code, area code, etc be
sure to include it when entering the message. Always check for typos.


                          OPERATING PROCEDURES

Remember to use the "T" in the "ST" command or your message will not be
able to be killed with the "KT" command at the end point. When you check
into a mailbox type "LT" to get a list of NTS traffic. If you can deliver
any, type "R Number" and after making sure you have 100 % copy, delete
the message. To kill (delete) NTS traffic use the "KT" command followed
by the message number. *Do so only after you are sure you have confirmed
copy*. This erases the message so it won't be delivered twice. On some
systems it also services a message back to the originator that the
message has been picked up and by whom and when.

Summary:
LT                  Lists all NTS traffic on the BBS
R ####              Reads the message number ####
KT ####             Kills the message number ####  (Use only after you are sure
                                                    of 100% copy)
ST ZZZZZ @ NTSXX   Sends an NTS message to zipcode zzzzz @ the state or
                   province of xx.

                         SERVICE MESSAGES

If the message that you have QSl'd and deleted cannot be delivered
because of an incorrect telephone number, incorrect address, no listing,
etc., then we request that all users generate a service message back to
the originating station as to the reason why the message was
undeliverable.  The message should be sent in standard NTS form and
should be sent therefore to the  5 digit zip @ ntsxx of the originating
station; who by the way, may not be the station who first put it on
packet.  You may not have a callbook or a zip code for the originating
station but the ARRL radiogram format guarantees that you have a
callsign, message number, and place of origin.  Thus the message is
addressed to the station of origin telling him or her what message number
was undeliverable and why. For example, if the callbook says that w6abc
in the above example was located in San Francisco with a zip code of
94102, the message may be sent something like this from Illinois:

ST 94102 @ NTSCA <CR>    QTC 1 W6ABC SF CA

nr 5 k9ozm arl 21 Chicago il  dec 5

alan  allen w6abc
2345 mercenary dr
san francisco 94102   bt

arl sixty seven 1 phone
incorrect and no listings for
george or g smyth or
smith  x address incorrect also
73                          bt

Don K9OZM at w9cd bbs    <CTRL Z>

This would give w6abc all the information necessary to be able to see
what message did not get delivered and determine why.  Maybe his phone
book was inaccurate or maybe he made a typo when entering the data or...?

You might have noticed the word arl in the header. That is a NTS symbol
to indicate that there is an ARRL arl mesage in the text.  The text arl
sixty seven is only one of many ARRL canned messages that is sent as an
abbreviation over the air. The delivery station then translates the arl
number back into English when delivering the message.

In this case ARL Sixty Seven translates as:
Your message number----------undeliverable because of -------.
Please advise.

For a list of the ARRL Numbered Radiograms check your packet BBS or write
your Section traffic Manager or the ARRL for CD-3 "The ARRL Numbered
RADIOGRAMS".


                  UNBUNDLE YOUR MESSAGES (No Book Traffic)

If you have more than one message even if they are going to the same
state or section, please send them as individual packet BBS messages.
Please remember that traffic eventually will have to be broken down to
the individual addressee somewhere down the line for ultimate delivery.
When the originator places two or more NTS messages destined for
different addresses within one packet message, eventually the routing
will require the message to be broken up by either the bbs sysop or the
relay station; placing an additional unreasonable burden being on them
both. Therefore it is suggested that the originator to expend the extra
word processing in the first place and create individual messages per
city regardless if there are common parts with other messages. This means
that book messages are not suitable in packet at this time unless they
are going to the same city.


                     NCN  AND  SCN BOUNDARIES

The Boundaries between NCN and SCN are often unclear to many. They are
based on  the ARRL Division lines which in turn are based on Sections
lines which in turn are based on County lines.

SCN is composed of Los Angeles, Orange, Inyo, Riverside, San Bernardino,
Imperial, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura
Counties.

NCN then is the rest of the California Counties not just mentioned plus
the entire State of Nevada.

For a further elaboration of SCN and NCN boundaries, see the file,
"CALNVNET.NTS" in most WestNet BBS.


Amateurs are encouraged to use the NTS frequently - the  experience will
be  fun and your friends will appreciate hearing from you ---but, most
important, the experience will also give you training for emergency
communications  (which all Amateurs should be able to work with when the
occasion demands--- Mexico City, etc.)

                        THIRD PARTY AGREEMENTS

The FCC limits our ability to engage in third party traffic with foreign
nations. Currently third party traffic is permitted with Antigua ,
Barbuda, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Christopher, Nevis, St. Lucia, St.
Vincent, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecudor, Guyana,
Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad, Tobago, Uraguay, Venezuela, Geneva (4U1ITU),
Israel, Jordan, Ghana, Liberia, The Gambia, Swaziland, Australia,
Pitcairn Island.  These agreements are constantly changing  and "QST"
magazine publishes the updates regularly.


                      FURTHER REFERENCES

The following files are found on most WestNet BBS:
CalNvnet.NTS :  A list of all the NTS section nets in California
                and the breakdown of section boundaries. Please note that the
                May 1986 issue has the incorrect time for SCN. SCN begins at
                1830 local time not 1900 local.

Desig.NTS    :  A list of the up-to-date valid designators that are supported
                by the packet system at this time. This list is periodically
                updated. Please note there are still a few states and
                provinces that are not yet interfaced with packet and thus
                should not be used at this time.

Whatis.NTS    :  Short history of NTS and what it does.

The above files may be under different names on your BBS. Ask your sysop. More
info to NI6A @ W6CUS.

Further information on NTS can be obtained from your local Section Traffic
Manager or the ARRL, 225 Main St. Newington, CT 06111, especially;
"The Public Service Communications Manual"
"CD-218" (Net procedure, abbreviation, and message format aid)
"The ARRL Field Organization" (FSD 300)
"The ARRL Net Directory" $1.00 (FSD 50)
"The ARRL Field Resources Directory"
"The ARRL Numbered RADIOGRAMS" CD-3

(Rev 0188)

*eof