Sending an NTS Radiogram (Field Day) - Ham Radio Q&A

[@christopherdix926]

Thank you so much for putting this together, Michael! Although the on-air procedures of passing a radiogram can vary (based on mode and net procedures), this overview serves as an excellent "crash course" to get people started writing their messages. Will share with net participants and newcomers to traffic handling in my area. 73 Chris W3CJD, ARRL Official Relay Station NNJ

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

There is a fair amount of nuance that's missing in this video‚ but it has the basics so you can craft a message and get it on the air.

[@christopherdix926]

​@@KB9VBRAntennas Agreed, there are a lot of finer points in effective message handling that are learned with experience. If you are ever interested in making another video about traffic handling, I encourage you to take a look at what's being discussed over at groups.io/g/arrlnts. I (and I'm sure many other NTS officials on that forum) would love to collaborate with you and talk more about the traffic system. 73 Chris W3CJD, ARRL Official Relay Station NNJ

[@ki6ada2005]

What an awesome form of. Communication. Thanks for sharing the history.

[@N9IBZED]

Could you also do a video explaining the differences and similarities between the NTS and ICS 213 messages that are sent often durring emergency communications please and thank you in advance

[@stevephillips9233]

Michael, very good info thanks. I "sent my first radiogram last night as practice on our areas/races net. Nice to hear Denny on the air doing it perfectly as usual. I'm now able to critique my message I sent and boy, have I got some practicing to do. Love all your videos.thanks 73 KD9PLS

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

That’s great! The best practice I get in handling traffic is to check into the Sunday morning WI ares/races Hf net.

[@xevsetter1201]

Thanks to your video I'm going to try this! 73'S KD2QCR

[@kd5you1]

I sent a NTS Radiogram to our SEC one Field Day maybe 10-15 years ago for our club Field Day event. A month after Field Day I was told that the message didn't earn any points because they claim that it didn't leave the Field Day site via amateur radio, but it did. I used Winlink Express and sent the message via a RMS Packet station miles away from our site. This past weekend I operated at home and I sent the NTS Radiogram to our Section Manager via a VARA station in Colorado.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I know what you mean. 10 or so years ago the league had funny feelings about using Winlink at Field Day.

[@kd5you1]

@@KB9VBRAntennas Hopefully things have changed, and I did send my message to an RRI this year. 73 KD5YOU

[@ericgilman5457]

Would love to see a Field Day radiogram sent via winlink.

[@raykiii]

This was great information. Thanks for sharing it.

[@clydeosterhout1221]

In regard to the recent disaster in North Carolina, one of the most pressing issues was that people could not let their families know that they were ok. Could this network have been used to help this process? If every community had set up a communications plan that would allow RT (or I assume Winlink) to relay those message then it would seem that the pressure on other systems could be reduced, and families could receive information far more quickly. I am a new tech, and have a lot to learn!

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

The National Traffic System was designed for tasks that you described. Unfortunately, the biggest challenge is getting radio operators into shelters, or other areas where they can accept the messages and send them out. That's why local emegency communications groups need to forge strong relationships with their local emergency manager and aid organizations at the local level like the Red Cross and Salvation Army.

[@CannaCJ]

Must a radiogram be funneled through an NTS net, or are individual stations authorized to handle traffic in this manner? For the purpose of daily health and welfare updates when hiking in remote mountain locations, for instance, would some other (less formalized) method be more appropriate?

[@K1ZEK]

Thank you , the way things are going this may become the norm; sad. 73 Leo

[@robertambrose3370]

I want to use 2m packet to send Winlink messages via a local RMS node. First does this violate the no repeater rule? How to I find the 10 stations to send Winlink messages to? I've found lists for previous years, but not for 2020.

[@christopherdix926]

Hi, Robert - You can send NTS messages through a repeater and have them count towards the bonus, but you just can't count the exchange of traffic as a QSO towards field day. (Ex. if W3CJD sends 5 pieces of traffic to W1AW through a repeater, W3CJD gets 50 bonus points but can't use that to log a contact with W1AW.) I don't use Winlink to send messages, so I'm not sure of how to look up who is available in your area. However, I'm sure that you will be pointed in the right direction if you bring this question to your local VHF traffic net or contact your Section Traffic Manager. 73 Chris W3CJD, ARRL Official Relay Station NNJ

[@MrThemeddleman]

So, couldn't we just send an image of a completed NTS form? A facsimile?

[@matthughes2069]

you can using digital modes and audio coupling via fldigi and send many forms like this

[@NelsonReyesJr]

Great video!!! Thanks!!!

[@robertkard3195]

Well done, thank you. 73, Bob AI6ZG

[@1crazynordlander]

Either I am hopeless or the ARRL website is hopeless or both. I am trying to find my section manager. EDIT Okay if I search your section manager I can then put in Minnesota instead of Wisconsin. Found it...I think...

[@gavinlee6196]

I don't even know when field day is this year and don't have a license. Can anyone tell me just like what to listen to on that day?

[@christopherdix926]

Gavin, there are a lot of good introductory resources available at www.arrl.org/field-day. Field day is across all bands and modes, so I'm sure you'll hear signals pretty much everywhere (except on repeaters, since they can't be used for field day contacts). 73 Chris W3CJD

[@Matt61702]

Can NTS messages be sent to anyone or only licensed operators?

[@christopherdix926]

Hi, Matt - NTS messages can be sent to anyone; they don't have to be a ham operator. If sending to a non-ham, I recommend supplying a phone number in the address so the delivering station does not have to send it by snail mail. 73 Chris W3CJD

[@michaelbradley8508]

Great video. I noticed you have a FT DX 3000D on your desk. Can you tell me why you chose it over other popular radios like the IC 7300, the FT 991A, or the IC 7610. Michael VA6XMB

[@k5wxp22]

Michael hasn't answered you, but I will explain why I bought mine. I purchased mine before the Icom was released. The price at the time was about 2,300 dollars. I compared mine to the Kenwood 590SG (about 1,900 dollars at the time) at an Atlanta HRO, where I was able to sit at a desk and compare rigs with the same antenna. To me, the receive on the Yaesu was far superior to the Kenwood, especially with the DSP. Another factor for me was the Yaesu looked and felt like like a real base station. Big VFO knob, tons of controls on the front of the rig without going into the menu, etc. I was also able to use the rx out and add an RSP1 dsp receiver as a panadaptor. Using Omni Rig, Log4OM, and SDR Console (all free!), I am able to point and click on received signals, and immediately switch the rig to the correct band and mode. I still love this setup to this day. Sorry for the long explanation! 73, Brett

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

I chose the FTdx-3000D for a couple of reasons. I was shopping for a mid-range rig to replace my aging Icom IC-718. I already have an FT-891 and loved the receive on it so stepping up in the Yaesu line made sense to me. The IC-7300 is a very nice rig but wanted to go with the triple conversion super heterodyne receiver over an SDR for its increased sensitivity. The band scope wasn't a big draw for me. I also wanted a rig with buttons for common controls so I didn't have to dig through menus. My budget was around $1500 so the 3000 fit nicely in my price range. It's been around for a few years but really has stood the test of time; I'm quite happy with it and glad I made the decision I did.

[@glenmartin2437]

Thank you. N0QFT

[@patriklindahl4991]

The DNR makes the speech a bit difficult to read

[@kd5you1]

I agree. Most of the words were intelligible but even though the spoken audio was loud, I really had to listen closely to understand what I was hearing.

[@robertvarner9519]

Isn't this method an anachronism in the age of cell phones and internet?

[@twohandsandaradio]

Actually no. We live in a over dependant day and age of cell phones and Internet which could go away in a blink. Then what do you do? It's called preparedness. Who would have thought we would be locked in our closets in the blink of an eye?

[@christopherdix926]

While you are correct, the NTS isn't as widely used by the public anymore in our modern, Internet-connected age, the infrastructure still remains in place for emergency scenarios when the cellular network and other Internet links go down. In my opinion, every ham operator should know how to pass radiograms like this, as formal message handling through systems like the NTS is what gives ham radio its public service value during emergencies. 73 Chris W3CJD, ARRL Official Relay Station NNJ

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Not really. Case in point‚ 2 years ago Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico's communication infrastructure. Message handling‚ similar to this‚ was crucial in communicating health and welfare traffic to the mainland.

[@joeshmoe7899]

Welcome to the rabbit hole.

[@N5LRZ]

Terrible audio