PUBLIC SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS MANUAL

                        Edited by Luck Hurder, KY1T


Foreword _____________________________________________________________

     Public-service communications have been a traditional responsibility 
of the Amateur Radio Service since 1913, when amateurs at the University of 
Michigan and Ohio State University, in conjunction with numerous individual 
amateurs in and around the region, successfully bridged the communications 
gap surrounding a large isolated area left by a severe windstorm in the 
Midwest.  In those early days, such disaster work was spontaneous and 
without previous organization of any kind.  In today's Amateur Radio, 
disaster work is a highly organized and very worthwhile part of day-to-day 
operation, implemented principally through the Amateur Radio Emergency 
Service (ARES) and the National Traffic System (NTS), both sponsored by 
ARRL.  The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) and other amateur 
public-service groups are also a part of ARRL-recognized Amateur Radio 
public-service efforts.
     The ARES now consists of approximately 80,000 licensed amateurs who 
have registered their availability for emergency operation in the public 
interest.  The operational leadership of ARES consists of approximately 
2200 local and district emergency coordinators, along with the section ECs.  
     NTS operates daily to handle local, medium and long-distance written 
traffic in standard ARRL format.  NTS consists of nets at four levels, with 
lines of liaison connecting them for the systematic flow of message traffic 
from point of origin to point of delivery in the shortest possible time 
consistent with organizational training objectives and mass handlings.
     A separate subpart of the US amateur regulations (Part 97, Subpart F) 
provides for the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service.  RACES is a special 
phase of amateur operation sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA), and applies to US amateurs only.  The primary purpose of 
RACES is to provide amateurs with a special opportunity to serve 
governmental civil preparedness agencies.  ARRL has signed a memorandum of 
understanding with FEMA to enhance the coordination of ARRL and FEMA 
resources.
     This edition of the Public-Service Communications Manual constitutes 
an overall source of basic information on the League's public-service 
communications program.  The appendices will provide the reader with 
additional operational details that are not covered in the rest of the 
booklet.  
     I am indebted to the three NTS area staffs--and in particular to N6GW 
and W2MTA--for their efforts in making the 1990 edition of the PSCM an 
accurate source of guidance for both the new and experienced public-service 
communicator.

Luck Hurder, KY1T


Deputy Manager, Field Services


                                                                         


Public-Service Communication___________________________________________

THE WHYS AND WHEREFORES

     Throughout our history, we amateurs have established a reputation for 
public-service communications which is of the greatest importance to our 
continued occupation of frequencies.  At first, this service was rendered 
spontaneously and on an individual basis.  As time progressed, the need for 
and value of organization became evident, resulting in the establishment of 
organized trunk lines and net systems; later the Amateur Radio Emergency 
Service (ARES) and the National Traffic System (NTS) were formed to 
complete the organization.
     Today, there exists in Amateur Radio a very complete and unusually 
tight volunteer organization of amateur operators and administrators who 
work together to implement their own effective and various forms of public-
service communications.  This portion of the ARRL Field Organization 
includes the combined facilities of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, as 
it has developed since 1935, and the National Traffic System, which was 
begun in 1949.
     It is significant that Part 97 of the FCC's Rules and Regulations 
mentions, as the very first principle under "Basis and Purpose," the 
following: "(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur 
service to the public as a voluntary non-commercial communication service, 
particularly with respect to providing emergency communications."
     ARES and NTS exist as the League's implementation of this basic 
principle for the basis and purpose of our fraternity.  ARES and NTS have 
much in common.  Every emergency net is bound to be, to some extent, a 
traffic net, and every traffic net should be prepared to take on various 
forms of emergency-related communications duties.  Emergency-conscious and 
traffic-conscious operators have this in common: they both derive their 
chief pleasure out of activities which are directly beneficial not only to 
Amateur Radio, but also to their communities as well as their country.

IMPLEMENTATION: THE ARRL FIELD ORGANIZATION

Basic Organization and Functions

     The diagram in Fig 1 gives a general idea of how the ARES and NTS 
portions of the ARRL Field Organization are structured.  While a really 
graphic portrayal is difficult to present, one can, from the diagram, get 
an excellent idea of how ARES and NTS work together from top to bottom.  
Most ARES nets exist only at the local level, and are tied into NTS at 
local or section level for integration into the national system.  The 
overall support for all levels of ARES and NTS is provided by the Field 
Services Department at ARRL Headquarters.
     Leadership in the emergency division (ARES) is exercised by the 
Section Emergency Coordinator and the district and local ECs, as shown; in 
the traffic division (NTS) by Net Managers at various levels, at the 
section level by Section Traffic Managers and Net Managers.
     Usually, emergency operation is initiated at the local level and is 
the business of the ARES Emergency Coordinator.  Even if the emergency 
situation transcends the local level and becomes of statewide, regional, or 
even national concern, the immediate situation and what to do about it are 
primarily the concern of ARES officials.  Much of the emergency 
communications will be generated by civic and welfare officials, or at 
their request, with resulting problems handed to the ARES for solution.
     While ARES and NTS are two of the ARRL's public-service organizations, 
it should not be concluded that this is all that there is to Amateur Radio 
public service, or that this is the extent of the League's interest in 
public-service communications.  On the contrary, there are many other 
amateur public-service operating groups under different sponsorship which 
are a vital part of the public-service function of the Amateur Radio 
Service.  As such, they merit and receive the League's recognition and 
assistance to the extent desired and feasible.

Fig 1 -- ARRL ARES/NTS Diagram

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service___________________________________

     The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed 
amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment 
for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes.  Every 
licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or 
national organization, is eligible for membership in the ARES.  The only 
qualification, other than possession of an Amateur Radio license, is a 
sincere desire to serve.  Because ARES is an amateur service, only amateurs 
are eligible for membership.  The possession of emergency-powered equipment 
is desirable, but is not a requirement for membership.

     ARES ORGANIZATION

     There are four levels of ARES organization--national, section, 
district and local.  National emergency coordination at ARRL Headquarters 
is under the supervision of the ARRL Field Services Manager, who is 
responsible for advising all ARES officials regarding their problems, 
maintaining contact with federal government and other national officials 
concerned with amateur emergency communications potential, and in general 
with carrying out the League's policies regarding emergency communications.
     At the section level, the Section Emergency Coordinator is appointed 
by the Section Manager (who is elected by the ARRL members in his section) 
and works under his supervision.  In most sections, the SM delegates to the 
SEC the administration of the section emergency plan and the authority to 
appoint district and local ECs.  Some of the ARRL sections with capable 
SECs are organized to the hilt.  A few have scarcely any organization at 
all.  It depends almost entirely on who the section members have put into 
office as SM and whom he has appointed as SEC.
     It is at the local level where most of the real emergency organizing 
gets accomplished, because this is the level at which most emergencies 
occur and the level at which ARES officialdom makes direct contact with the 
ARES member-volunteers and with officials of the agencies to be served.  
The local EC is therefore the key man in the ARES.  The EC is appointed by 
the SEC, usually on the recommendation of the DEC.  Depending on how the 
SEC has set up the section for administrative purposes, the EC may have 
jurisdiction over a small community or a large city, an entire county or 
even a group of counties.  Whatever jurisdiction is assigned, the EC is in 
charge of all ARES activities in his area, not just one interest group, one 
agency, one club or one band.
     
Fig 2--Section structure for ARES.

     Now that we have looked at the top of the section organization and at 
the local level where the actual communications take place, we should 
recognize that in the large sections the local groups could proliferate to 
the point where simply keeping track of them would be more than a full-time 
chore, not to mention the idea of trying to coordinate them in an actual 
emergency.  To this end, SECs have the option of grouping their EC 
jurisdictions into logical units or "districts" and appointing a district 
EC to coordinate the activities of the local ECs in the district.  In some 
cases, the districts may conform to the boundaries of governmental planning 
or emergency-operations districts, while in others they are simply based on 
repeater coverage or geographical boundaries.  Fig 2 depicts the typical 
section ARES structure.
     Special-interest groups are headed up by "assistant emergency 
coordinators," designated by the EC to supervise activities of groups 
operating in certain bands, especially those groups which play an important 
role at the local level, but they may be designated in any manner the EC 
deems appropriate.
     These assistants, with the EC as chairman, constitute the local ARES 
"planning committee" and they meet together from time to time to discuss 
problems and plan projects to keep the ARES group active and well-trained.
     There are any number of different situations and circumstances that 
might confront an EC, and his ARES unit should be organized in anticipation 
of them.  His job is not likely to be monotonous or humdrum.  An EC for a 
small town might find that the licensed amateur group is so small that 
appointing assistants is unnecessary or undesirable.  On the other hand, an 
EC for a large city may find that even his assistants need assistants and 
that sometimes it is necessary to set up a special sub-organization to 
handle it.  In any case, bear in mind that organizing and planning are not 
a one-man operation.  There is no specific point at which organization 
ceases and operation commences.  Both phases must be concurrent because a 
living organization is a changing one, and the operations of a changing 
organization must change with the organization.
     We have discussed how a typical ARES unit may be organized.  Just what 
shape the plan in your locality will take depends on what your EC has to 
work with.  He uses what he has, and leaves provision in the plan for what 
he hopes, wants and is trying to get.  Flexibility is the keynote.  The 
personnel, equipment and facilities available today may not be available 
tomorrow; conversely, what is lacking today may be available tomorrow.  In 
any case, bear in mind that organizing and planning are not a one-man task.  
The EC is simply the leader or, as the title indicates, the coordinator.  
His effectiveness inevitably will depend on what kind of a group he has to 
work with; that is, on you and your cohorts.  Make yourself available to 
your EC as a member of his planning committee, or in any capacity for which 
you think you are qualified.
     Local ARES operation will usually take the form of nets--HF nets, VHF 
(repeater) nets, even RTTY or other special-mode nets if the area produces 
the required wherewithal in the form of people and equipment.  Your EC 
should know where your particular interests lie, so that you can be worked 
in where your special talents will do the most good.
     It is not always possible to utilize the services of all ARES members.  
While it is general policy that no ARES member must belong to any 
particular club or organization to participate in the program, local 
practical considerations may be such that you cannot be used.  This is a 
matter that has to be decided by your EC.  In some cases, even personality 
conflicts can cause difficulties; for example, the EC may decide that he 
cannot work with a particular person, and that the local ARES would be 
better served by excluding that person.  This is a judgment that the EC 
would have to make; while personality conflicts should be avoided, they do 
arise, more often than we would prefer.  The EC on the job must take the 
responsibility for making such subjective evaluations, just as the SEC and 
DEC must evaluate the effectiveness of the job being done by the EC.

ARES Operation During Emergencies and Disasters

     Operation in an emergency net is little different from operation in 
any other net, except that here the object is preparation for disaster.  
This includes training in handling of written messages--that is, what is 
generally known as "traffic handling."  Handling traffic is covered in 
detail in the ARRL Operating Manual.  This is required reading for all ARES 
members--in fact, for all amateurs aspiring to participate in disaster 
communications.
     The specifications of an effective communication service depend on the 
nature of the information which must be communicated.  Pre-disaster plans 
and arrangements for disaster communications include:
     1. Identification of clients who will probably need Amateur Radio 
communication services.
     2. Discussion with these clients to learn the nature of the 
information which they will need to communicate, and the people they will 
need to communicate with.
     3. Specification, development and testing of pertinent services.
     While much amateur-to-amateur communicating in an emergency is of a 
procedural or tactical nature, the real meat of communicating is formal 
written traffic for the record.  Formal written traffic is important for:
     1. A record of what has happened--frequent status review, critique and 
evaluation.
     2. Completeness which minimizes omission of vital information.
     3. Conciseness, which when used correctly actually takes less time 
than passing informal traffic.
     4. Easier copy--receiving operators know the sequence of the 
information, resulting in fewer errors and repeats.
     When relays are likely to be involved, standard ARRL message format 
should be used.  The record should show, wherever possible:
     1. A message number for reference purposes.
     2. A precedence indicating the importance of the message.
     3. A station of origin so any reply or handling inquiries can be 
referred to that station.
     4. A check (count of the number of words in the message text) so 
receiving stations will know whether any words were missed.
     5. A place of origin, so the recipient will know where the message 
came from (not necessarily the location of the station of origin).
     6. Filing time, ordinarily optional but of great importance in an 
emergency message.
     7. Date of origin.
     The address should be complete and include a telephone number if 
known.  The text should be short and to the point, and the signature should 
contain not only the name of the person sending the message but his title 
or connection also, if any.
     Point-to-point services for direct delivery of emergency and priority 
traffic do not involve relays.  Indeed, the full ARRL format is often not 
needed to record written traffic.  Shortened forms should be used to save 
time and effort.  For example, the call sign of the originating station 
usually identifies the place of origin.  Also, the addressee is usually 
known and close by at the receiving station, so full address and telephone 
number are often superfluous.  In many cases, message blanks can be 
designed so that only key words, letters or numbers have to be filled in 
and communicated.  In some cases, the message form also serves as a log of 
the operation.
     Not a net goes by that you don't hear an ARL Fifty or an ARL Sixty 
One.  Unfortunately, "greetings by Amateur Radio" does not apply well 
during disaster situations.  You may hear an ARL text being used for health 
and welfare traffic, but rarely during or after the actual disaster.  
Currently, no ARL text describes the wind speed and barometric pressure of 
a hurricane, medical terminology in a mass casualty incident or potassium 
iodide in a nuclear power plant drill.  While no one is suggesting that an 
ARL text be developed for each and every situation, there is no reason why 
amateurs can't work with the local emergency management organizations and 
assist them with more efficient communications.
     Amateurs are often trained and skilled communicators.  The emergency-
management community recognizes these two key words when talking about the 
Amateur Radio Service.  Amateurs must use their skills to help the agencies 
provide the information that needs to be passed, while at the same time 
showing their talents as trained communicators who know how to pass 
information quickly and efficiently.  We are expected to pass the 
information accurately, even if we do not understand the terminology.
     Traffic handlers and ARES members are resourceful individuals.  Some 
have developed other forms or charts for passing information.  Some hams 
involved with the SKYWARN program, for instance, go down a list and fill in 
the blanks, while others use grid squares to define a region.  Regardless 
of the agency that we are working with, we must use our traffic-handling 
skills to the utmost advantage.  Sure, ARL messages are beneficial when we 
are passing health and welfare traffic.  But are they ready to be 
implemented in times of need in your community?  The traffic handler, 
working through the local ARES organizations, must develop a working 
relationship with those organizations who handle health and welfare 
inquiries.  Prior planning and personal contact are the keys to allowing an 
existing National Traffic System to be put to its best use.  If we don't 
interface with the agencies we serve, the resources of the Amateur Radio 
Service will go untapped.
     Regardless of the format used, the appropriate procedures cannot be 
picked up solely by reading or studying.  There is no substitute for actual 
practice.  Your emergency net should practice regularly--much more often 
than it operates in a real or simulated emergency.  Avoid complacency, the 
feeling that you will know how to operate when the time comes.  You won't, 
unless you do it frequently, with other operators whose style of operating 
you get to know.

Equipment Considerations

     No one expects that every amateur will prepare himself for an 
emergency by having a complete and separate self-powered station, although 
a large number of individuals and groups do so.  There is, however, no 
reason why any enterprising amateur cannot prepare his station for an 
emergency by having an emergency power supply ready with a quick means for 
utilizing all or part of his regular station equipment as an emergency-
powered station.  The emergency power supply can be anything from a small 
transistor supply operated from batteries to a large gasoline-driven 
generator.
     Equipment most suitable for emergency use is that which combines the 
utmost in compactness, portability and versatility.  Within these three 
requirements, emergency equipment is little different from any regular 
station equipment.  It is chiefly the power supply which determines whether 
or not a piece of equipment is useful in emergencies.
     Operation from a gasoline-driven generator need not be discussed, 
since normally such operation is identical to that to be expected from the 
commercial ac lines.  The primary considerations concerning emergency power 
have to do with battery-operated power supplies.
     Equipment used for emergency purposes can be specially designed and 
built, but most of today's amateur gear is compact enough so that it can be 
transported rather easily.  Therefore, the principal requirement is that 
arrangements must be made to transport it quickly and set it up promptly at 
the point where it will be used.
     Many emergency operation centers and government buildings are already 
equipped with emergency power, so standard ac-supplied radios can often be 
used.  Otherwise, batteries of some kind will be necessary: dry batteries 
(limited life) or rechargeable batteries such as NiCds, lead-acid or other 
"storage" types.  Lead-acid batteries are usually available, because they 
are used in every automobile and battery-start engine and can be recharged 
from those same engines, regardless of the latter's other purpose.  For 
example, a storage battery being used to power a communications unit, when 
nearly spent, can be swapped for a charged-up battery in a vehicle.  Use in 
the vehicle can charge the battery, after which another swap can be made.
     Mobile operation from vehicles is not the answer to everything.  The 
availability of portable units and hand-held units is a definite asset in 
any emergency, making spot communications available from places where 
automobiles cannot go.  This usually means VHF and operation from dry 
batteries.
     Operation on VHF FM is the "way to go" for emergency purposes in 
today's Amateur Radio.  Repeaters are available almost everywhere, and many 
of them are equipped for operation in emergencies.  Some ARES units even 
have their own repeaters, as do RACES, MARS, REACT and CAP groups.  So, 
equipment capable of triggering one or more repeaters in the affected area 
is almost a necessity.  Even if the repeaters are not emergency oriented, 
most of them will be used in an emergency situation if they remain on the 
air--and most repeater owners (group or individual) will be more than 
willing to have them used for this purpose on a planned basis.
     For emergency purposes, your best bet is a 2-meter FM unit.  Usually, 
very low power (one or two watts) is sufficient to work through most 
repeaters.  This can be accomplished using self-contained dry batteries, 
although provision to use an automobile storage battery is also very 
helpful.  Check on what the amateurs in your area are using; you may find 
that you would be better advised to use a different band (not 2 meters), or 
that the nearest repeater is too far away to key with one watt, in which 
case a different rig or one with more power may be required.

THE RADIO AMATEUR CIVIL EMERGENCY SERVICE

     After World War II, when it became evident that the international 
situation was destined to be tense and the need for some civil-defense 
measures became apparent, successive government agencies designated to head 
up such a program called on amateur representatives to participate.  In the 
discussions that followed, amateurs were interested in getting two points 
across: first, that Amateur Radio had a potential for and capability of 
playing a major role in this program; and second, that our participation 
should, this time as never before, be in our own name, as an Amateur Radio 
Service, even if and after war should break out.  These principles were 
included into the planning by the formulation of regulations creating a new 
branch of the amateur service, the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, 
RACES.
     Recognition of the role of Amateur Radio as a public service means 
responsibility--this time in our own name.  The RACES regulations are 
printed in full in the ARRL publication the FCC Rule Book, along with the 
rest of the amateur regulations, and are not reprinted here.  Every amateur 
should study closely and become familiar with these rules; civil 
preparedness, now a major function, may become our only on-the-air function 
if we are plunged into war.

What is RACES?

     RACES, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
of the United States government, is a part of the Amateur Radio Service 
that provides radio communications for civil-preparedness purposes only, 
during periods of local, regional or national civil emergencies.  These 
emergencies are not limited to war-related activities, but can include 
natural disasters such as fires, floods and earthquakes.
     As defined in the rules, RACES is a radiocommunication service, 
conducted by volunteer licensed amateurs, designed to provide emergency 
communications to local or state civil-preparedness agencies.  It is 
important to note that RACES operation is authorized by the FCC at the 
request of a state or federal official, and this operation is strictly 
limited to official civil-preparedness activity in the event of an 
emergency-communications situation.

Operating Procedure

     Amateurs operating in a local RACES organization must be officially 
enrolled in that local civil-preparedness group.  RACES operation is 
conducted by amateurs using their own primary station licenses, and by 
existing RACES stations.  The FCC no longer issues new RACES (WC prefix) 
station call signs.  Operator privileges in RACES are dependent upon, and 
identical to, those for the class of license held in the Amateur Radio 
Service.  All of the authorized frequencies and emissions allocated to the 
Amateur Radio Service are also available to RACES on a shared basis.  But 
in the event that the President invokes his War Emergency Powers, amateurs 
involved with RACES would be limited to certain specific frequencies (while 
all other amateur operation would be silenced).
     While RACES was originally based on potential use for wartime, it has 
evolved over the years, as has the meaning of civil defense (which is also 
called civil preparedness), to encompass all types of emergencies.  It 
should be emphasized again that RACES is part of the amateur service, its 
regulations are part of the amateur regulations, and it operates in the 
amateur bands.  The segments of the amateur bands it uses are shared with 
the rest of the amateur service in peacetime; in the event of war, only 
RACES operations would be permitted on RACES frequencies.
     While operating in a RACES capacity, RACES stations and amateurs 
registered in the local RACES organization may not communicate with 
amateurs not operating in a RACES capacity.  (Of course, such restrictions 
do not apply when such stations are operating in a non-RACES--such as ARES-
-amateur capacity.)  Only civil-preparedness communications can be 
transmitted (as defined in Section 97.191 of the FCC Rules).  Test and 
drills are permitted only for a maximum of one hour per week.  All test and 
drill messages must be clearly so identified.

Table 1 -- Dedicated RACES Operating Frequencies

ARES and RACES

     Although RACES and ARES are separate entities, the ARRL advocates dual 
membership and cooperative efforts between both groups whenever possible 
for an ARES group whose members are all enrolled in and certified by RACES 
to operate in an emergency with great flexibility.  Using the same 
operators and the same frequencies, an ARES group also enrolled as RACES 
can "switch hats" from ARES to RACES and RACES to ARES to meet the 
requirements of the situation as it develops.  For example, during a 
"nondeclared emergency," ARES can operate under ARES, but when an emergency 
or disaster is officially declared by a state or federal authority, the 
operation can become RACES with no change in personnel or frequencies.
     This situation is still not well understood and accepted throughout 
the United States; both ARES and RACES still exist, separately, in many 
areas.  League officials will have to determine the situation in their own 
area.  Where there is currently no RACES, it would be a simple matter for 
an ARES group to enroll in that capacity, after a sophisticated 
presentation to the civil-preparedness authorities.  In cases where both 
ARES and RACES exist, it is possible to join both or to be involved in 
either.  As time progresses, the goal would be the merger into one strong 
organization, with coordination between ARES and RACES officials using the 
same groups of amateurs.  In some sections, of the US today, the ARES 
structure has also been accepted as the RACES structure.

Other Amateur Facilities

     There are a number of other Amateur Radio facilities, not sponsored or 
directly affiliated with the League, which are nevertheless an integral 
part of our public-service effort.  Some of these organizations are the 
monitoring services, MARS, independent nets (both international and 
domestic) and other similar activities.  While naturally we want you to 
participate in organizations sponsored by your League, it's better to 
participate in a non-League sponsored public-service organization than not 
to participate at all.  In this booklet we cannot give details of the 
operation of these other organizations because there are too many of them, 
and their operations change too rapidly.  Suffice it to say that they do 
exist, and they are worthy of your support.

PRINCIPLES OF DISASTER COMMUNICATION

     It is impossible to state exact rules that will cover every situation 
that arises.  The good amateur faced with a disaster situation may, 
however, benefit greatly from certain rules of thumb.  These rules are, or 
should be, part of his training in his ARES group.  They are presented here 
somewhat at random and should be digested by all amateurs, even those not 
active in disaster communications preparation.
     1. Keep the QRM level down.  In a disaster, many of the most crucial 
stations will be weak in signal strength.  It is most essential that all 
other stations remain silent unless they are called upon.  If you're not 
sure you should transmit, don't.  Our amateur bands are very congested.  If 
you want to help, study the situation by listening.  Don't transmit unless 
you are sure you can help by doing so.  Don't ever break into a disaster 
net just to inform the control station you are there if needed.
     2. Monitor established disaster frequencies.  Many localities and some 
geographical areas have established disaster frequencies where someone is 
always (or nearly always) monitoring for possible calls.  When you are not 
otherwise engaged, it is helpful simply to sit and listen on such 
frequencies, some of which are used for general ragchewing as well as 
disaster preparedness drilling.  On CW, SOS is universally recognized, but 
has some legal aspects that should be considered where the need is not 
truly crucial.  On voice, one can use "MAYDAY" (universal, the phone 
equivalent of SOS) or, to break into a net or conversation, the word 
"emergency."
     3. Avoid spreading rumors.  During and after a disaster situation, 
especially on the phone bands, you may hear almost anything.  
Unfortunately, much misinformation is transmitted.  Rumors are started by 
expansion, deletion, amplification or modification of words, exaggeration 
or interpretation.  All addressed transmissions should be officially 
authenticated as to their source.  These transmissions should be repeated 
word for word, if at all, and only when specifically authorized.  In a 
disaster emergency situation, with everyone's nerves on edge, it is little 
short of criminal to make a statement on the air without foundation in 
authenticated fact.
    4. Authenticate all messages.  Every message which purports to be of an 
official nature should be written and signed.  Whenever possible, amateurs 
should avoid initiating disaster or emergency traffic themselves.  We do 
the communicating; the agency officials we serve supply the content of the 
communications.
     5. Strive for efficiency.  Whatever happens in an emergency, you will 
find hysteria and some amateurs who are activated by the thought that they 
must be "sleepless heroes."  Instead of operating your own station full 
time at the expense of your health and efficiency, it is much better to 
serve a shift at one of the best-located and best-equipped stations, 
suitable for the work at hand, manned by relief shifts of the best-
qualified operators.  This reduces interference and secures well-operated 
stations.
     6. Select the mode and band to suit the need.  It is a characteristic 
of all amateurs to believe that their favorite mode and band is superior to 
all others.  For certain specific purposes and distances, this may be true.  
However, the merits of a particular band or mode in a communications 
emergency should be evaluated impartially with a view to the appropriate 
use of bands and modes.  There is, of course, no alternative to using what 
happens to be available, but there are ways to optimize available 
communications.  Long experience has developed the following advantages:
CW
 1) Less QRM in most amateur bands.
 2) Secrecy of communications--contents of communications are much less 
likely to be intercepted by the general public to start rumors or undue 
concern.
 3) Simpler transmitting equipment.
 4) Greater accuracy in record communications.
 5) Longer range for a given amount of power.
Phone
 1) More practical for portable and mobile work.
 2) More widespread availability of operators.
 3) Faster communication for tactical or "command" purposes.
 4) More readily appreciated and understood by the public.
 5) Official-to-official and phone-patch communication.
RTTY, AMTOR and Packet
 Advantages (1) and (2) of CW, advantage (2) of phone, plus greater speed 
in record communication than some of the other modes, and--in the case of 
AMTOR and packet--error detection.  In addition, all three digital modes 
offer the potential for store-and-forward capability from within the 
disaster site to the "outside world."  Finally, packet provides the 
capability of digipeating from point A to point Z via numerous 
automatically controlled middle points.
 The well-balanced disaster organization will have CW, phone, RTTY, AMTOR 
and packet capabilities available in order to utilize all the advantages.  
Of course one must make the best use of whatever is available, but a great 
deal of efficiency is lost when there is lack of coordination between the 
different types of operation in an emergency.  Absolute impartiality and a 
willingness to let performance speak for itself are prime requisites if we 
are to realize the best possibe results.
     7. Use all communications channels intelligently.  While the prime 
object of emergency communications is to save lives and property (anything 
else is incidental), Amateur Radio is a secondary communications means; 
normal channels are primary and should be used if available.  Emergency 
channels other than amateur which are available in the absence of amateur 
channels should be utilized without fear of favoritism in the interest of 
getting the message through.
     8. Don't "broadcast."  Some amateur stations in an emergency situation 
have a tendency to emulate "broadcast" techniques.  While it is true that 
the general public may be listening, our transmissions are not and should 
not be made for that purpose.  Broadcast stations are well equipped to 
perform any such service.  Our job is to communicate for, not with the 
general public.
     9. Within the disaster area itself, the ARES is primarily responsible 
and in many cases has been doing an admirable job.  When disaster strikes, 
the first priority of those NTS operators who live in or near the disaster 
area is to make their expertise available to their Emergency Coordinator 
where and when needed.  For timely and effective response, this means that 
NTS operators need to talk to their ECs before the time of need so that 
they will know how to best respond.

PRINCIPLES OF REPEATER OPERATION

     Much amateur operating in emergencies is done on repeaters, so a few 
words about some of the special problems involved are in order.
     1. Use minimum power.  If your rig has a low and high power position, 
use the low position whenever you are close enough to the repeater.  
Otherwise, especially in heavily populated areas, you may run the risk of 
keying more than one repeater, thus causing unnecessary QRM.  In addition, 
the use of high power precludes operating for very long on battery power.
     2. Use simplex (direct) operation when possible.  ARRL recommends 
52/52 on 2 meters, but it's a good idea to have at least one other simplex 
channel available.  When you are within a very few miles of your contact, 
switch to a mutually available simplex channel to free the repeater for 
those who need it.  The simplex channels can accommodate more simultaneous 
contacts than repeater channels because of shorter range.  A gain or beam 
antenna at stationary locations can enhance simplex operation.
     3. Observe the "pause" procedure between exchanges.  When it is your 
turn to transmit, after the transmitting station stands by, count to two or 
three before pressing your "transmit" switch.  This leaves time for a 
"breaker" if one is on frequency.
     4. Be alert for emergency and public-service opportunities.  A huge 
percentage of amateurs have 2-meter FM rigs in their cars, and highway 
assistance opportunities are commonplace.  This is especially important 
during and after accidents which have just happened.  In such a case, feel 
free to "break into" any conversation then taking place on any repeater.
     5. Listen much, transmit little.  It is always a good procedure to 
announce your presence on a repeater when you are certain of being able to 
assist in a given situation, and always a bad one to tie it up with idle or 
inane chatter.
     6. Keep your mobile FM rig on standby (squelched) on a repeater or 
simplex channel when you are on the road.  The League recommends monitoring 
your local emergency-powered repeater, if in range, and/or a known locally 
used simplex frequency.
     7. Think before you talk, especially in an emergency situation.  
Anyone with an inexpensive public-service-band receiver can monitor.  Stick 
to facts, control your emotions and watch your language.  Remember, during 
an emergency is the time when you are most apt to act and speak rashly. 
     8. Articulate, don't slur.  Speak close to your mike but talk across 
it, not into it.  Keep your voice down.  In an emergency situation one 
often gets excited and tends to shout.  Control the impulse, for it will 
greatly decrease your intelligibility.  Talk slowly, calmly--this is the 
mark of an experienced communicator.
     Emergency communications and 2-meter FM repeaters are now synonymous.  
Use of repeaters for emergency operations and training has revolutionized 
the ability of amateurs to provide local public-service communications.
     But other bands are now being used.  Already, the 220-MHz band is 
receiving widespread use; 440 is used extensively for control links and 
offers many of the advantages of 2 meters.  The future will surely produce 
extensive use of satellite repeaters and HF-linked repeaters and crossband 
machines for long-distance coverage in practical communication.  For 
practical emergency-preparedness work and tactical communications during 
emergencies, we need channels that can be depended on, day and night, all 
seasons of the year, regardless of sunspot cycle.  Repeaters supply many of 
the answers to this need, and we amateurs can lead the way in providing it.
     Liaison with the National Traffic System is practically a must for 
emergency traffic being handled on repeaters.  A call for an NTS station in 
an emergency may produce results, but even better results can be obtained 
if liaison with one or more NTS stations can be planned in advance.  NTS is 
valuable for handling any traffic that cannot be handled within the local 
repeater coverage area.
     
SPECIAL-EVENTS COMMUNICATIONS

     "Special event" is a term coined by radio amateurs; it refers to 
public activities such as marathons, bike-a-thons, walkathons, fairs, mall 
displays, boat races, parades and so forth--all affairs of a non-emergency 
nature.  Hams, are, of course, well-known for their communications in 
disaster and post-disaster situations, but they also provide a plethora of 
communications services on a "preventive medicine" basis to the public 
during special events.
     Special events are normally held for the enjoyment of the public and 
often draw large crowds.  They provide golden public-relations 
opportunities for radio amateurs who provide organizational communications 
at no charge.  These activities make ham radio visible to non-amateurs.  
Special events sharpen our operating skills, and help justify our 
existence.  And besides, operating special events is just plain fun!

WORKING WITH EVENT SPONSORS AND PUBLIC-SAFETY OFFICIALS

     Public-service communications performed by amateurs are based on a 
number of requirements.  Specifically, we must be accepted by event 
sponsors and public-safety officials; once accepted, our continued ability 
to contribute in times of disaster is based on the efficiency and 
effectiveness of our performance.  While acceptance, image, efficiency and 
effectiveness are all important to the ongoing working relationships 
between amateurs and officials, it is the initial acceptance that is often 
difficult to achieve.
     Event sponsors and police and fire officials tend to be very cautious 
and skeptical concerning those who are not members of the public-safety 
professions.  This posture is based primarily on experiences in which well-
intended but somewhat over-zealous volunteers have complicated, and in some 
cases jeopardized, efforts in emergencies.  The amateur operator or other 
volunteer who wishes to be of assistance must be aware of this perception.
     The police have generally had their fill of "groupies" or "hangers 
on."  They can ill afford to tolerate frustrated individuals who have 
always wanted to be police officers or firefighters, but for one reason or 
another have never reached that objective.  There seems to be an abundance 
of people, especially during a crisis, who will quickly overstep the limits 
of their authority and responsibility if they are given any opportunity to 
assist in an official capacity.  In their zeal, such persons often inhibit 
the actions of trained personnel.  Worse yet, they can make an already 
dangerous situation even more so by their reckless abandon.  With rare 
exception, Amateur Radio operators do not fall into this category.  The 
problem is, however, that police officers in the midst of stressful 
operations may have extreme difficulty in distinguishing between those 
volunteers who are problem solvers and those who are problem makers.
     Those very few hams who behave emotionally, are overzealous in 
offering their services or in describing their abilities or who abuse the 
established limits of their authority are doing the amateur fraternity a 
real disservice.  The typical police officer or firefighter, like the 
typical civilian, does not understand the vast differences among various 
radio services, the types of licensing involved or the high level or 
expertise and discipline that is characteristic of the Amateur Radio 
Service.
     Moreover, keep in mind that state-of-the-art technology, and the 
capabilities that technology affords us amateurs, are foreign to most 
police officers or firefighters.  When an amateur arrives at a scene and 
jumps out of a vehicle with a hand-held in each fist and two more clipped 
to the belt, all squawking at once, officials simply don't know how to 
respond.  They are either overwhelmed by equipment they don't understand, 
or so awe-struck that they try to avoid what they perceive as threatening.
     How Amateur Radio volunteers are accepted depends on their 
establishing a track record of competent performance in important 
activities.  This begins with convincing officials that amateurs offer a 
cost-effective (otherwise known as free) substitute for functions 
previously paid for by the taxpayer.  Local radio amateurs also must 
demonstrate that they are organized, disciplined and reliable, and have a 
sincere interest in public-event service.
     The most effective way to accomplish this is for you, as head of your 
communications group, to initiate the contact with public-safety agencies 
and event sponsors in an official capacity.  This is better than having 
individual amateurs, particularly outside an organized structure, making 
uncoordinated and poorly prepared contacts that often result in an 
impression that your group is disorganized.
     Approach that first meeting with event sponsors and public-safety 
officials well-prepared, and give a concise presentation of Amateur Radio's 
capabilities.  Illustrate accomplishments with newspaper clippings, QST 
articles, etc, highlighting Amateur Radio public service.  Discuss the 
existing Amateur Radio structure, emphasizing that a certain number of 
qualified operators will be able to respond to public-events needs.
     Demonstrate the reliability and clarity of amateur gear.  Nothing is 
more impressive than asking for a roll call on a 2-meter repeater using a 
hand-held radio in the police or fire chief's office and having amateurs 
respond with full-quieting signals from locations where municipal radios 
are normally ineffective.  Such a demonstration several years ago convinced 
officials in Laguna Beach, California to ask for the assistance of the 
South Orange County ARES.  The wisdom of this decision became evident a 
short time later when that seaside resort community was hit by a series of 
local emergencies.
     Suggest specific ways in which amateurs can be of assistance.  
Indicate you are aware that police and fire radio frequencies are usually 
saturated with tactical or operational traffic in emergencies, and offer to 
provide an administrative frequency for use in overall management and 
coordination of the public-event effort.  More important, offer to 
demonstrate what you are capable of doing by supplying a demonstration of 
your communications capabilities.  It is of tremendous importance that you 
emphasize that the services supplied by your group will free public-safety 
officers for other duties.
     Demonstrate how easily amateurs and their equipment can interface with 
public-safety efforts.  A perfect way to do this is to demonstrate 
equipment that can be made operational quickly inside the headquarters 
building, in a mobile command post or in field units.
     Express your group's willingness to meet the needs of the sponsor or 
agency you are dealing with.  Show a readiness to provide training to your 
membership.  Offer event sponsors and public-safety officials the 
opportunity to have their own representatives appear before your group and 
provide orientation and training they feel is essential. 
     Finally, be realistic and objective in terms of what your group 
promises to provide to event sponsors and public-service agencies.  Be 
fully prepared to keep all promises you make.  Remember to be organized and 
competent.  Once you have implemented these suggestions, be patient.  The 
requests for your services will be forthcoming, perhaps in a volume you had 
not anticipated!
     Grass-roots action is the name of the game when it comes to achieving 
effective liaison.  With the proper ground work accomplished in advance, 
recognition among those sponsors and agencies having communications needs 
can be dramatically increased.  It's symbiotic; these people need us, and 
we want to help.  Now that all the necessary introductions have been made, 
the rest is easy, for we are indeed the experts in meeting communications 
requirements of every sort.

PACKET RADIO

     Packet radio is around the country in public-service communications.  
This is a relatively new communications technique, so there is still much 
to be learned, but the effectiveness of packet is clearly being 
demonstrated.
     In a nutshell, here's why everyone's raving about packet radio's 
potential in emergency communications:
     Speed: Typical packet transmission speeds on the 2-meter band are 
upwards of 1200 words per minute.
     Accuracy: As long as your system is in the connected mode, it simply 
will not accept a packet that has acquired errors in transmission.  If you 
get it, you get it perfectly.
     Simplicity: Once a radio amateur has established the packet link, 
anyone who can type can send messages, freeing hams for tactical work.  And 
since many packet systems include full-fledged computers, software can be 
written to make traffic entry even easier (for instance, by automatically 
inserting repetitive information such as date and place of origin).
     Suitability in noisy environments: Emergency operations centers, 
hospitals and the like are not always known for having calm, quiet 
environments.  Noise doesn't interfere with your reception of packet 
traffic.

Picture with the caption: The modern day emergency communicator is prepared 
for and well equipped to handle the high speed, error-free communications 
capabilities of packet radio.

     Written transcripts of all traffic: Unless you're using a system 
without a printer, packet automatically puts your traffic in the form that 
emergency personnel need it--on paper.
     Reduces tedious writing and typing: Once information is entered into a 
computer at the originating station, it may never have to be typed or 
written down again.  This makes packet especially useful for long lists of 
people, supplies, etc.
     Utilizes frequencies efficiently: Unlike a phone or CW net, many 
packet stations can transmit and receive on one channel at the same time 
with minimal interference.  Also, by including storage capability in the 
system (such as a microcomputer), massive amounts of data can be entered 
off line, then quickly sent to another station without wasting valuable air 
time.
     Provides automatic digipeating: Any packet station can become a 
repeater station, a link in a crucial post-disaster network.  You don't 
need to rely on obtaining and placing bulky repeater systems.
     Portability: An entire packet system can fit easily into one or two 
small cases, ready to go immediately where needed.
     Bulletin board capability: Messages can be sent to computers with 
automatic storage capability for later pickup; you don't have to rely on 
the recipient being around when you call.
     "Radio independence": A packet system can be hooked up to radios from 
many services; amateur, police, fire, forest, etc.

Packet Radio Guidelines

     Following are some guidelines for using packet radio in an emergency 
or public-service situation:
     - Find out in advance (whenever possible) what paths you'll need and 
what digipeaters are needed to support them.  Keep the links to as few hops 
as possible.  Have portable repeaters available for placement on 
mountaintops.  Test your paths with long files beforehand, since long files 
tend to crash more than do short ones.
     - Make up a thorough packet setup checklist, including the necessary 
TNC command settings.  For a planned event, have everyone up and running at 
least one hour before start time.  Also, do a dry run one to two weeks 
beforehand, making it as realistic as possible.
     - Have a packet net control station as well as one for voice.  If the 
two stations are near each other, they'll be able to coordinate the nets 
more effectively.  The packet NCS should establish the format, content and 
size of packet messages, as well as how stations should set their monitor 
commands.  If everyone can't hear everyone else, the NCS should quickly 
establish and announce a routing list showing what digipeater paths 
everyone should use.
     - Make sure the voice and packet NCSs agree beforehand (or as quickly 
as possible) which mode will handle what traffic.  Packet is good for large 
amounts of data, anything you need hard copy on, messages with lots of 
hard-to-spell data and anything that you want to keep a little more 
private.  Voice is better for tactical, uncomplicated, summary traffic.
     - Use a packet system that has storage capability for data entry--
preferably on disk, not just in the computer's volatile memory.  In an 
emergency, power sources may be unreliable, and if the data isn't on disk, 
it will disappear if the power fails.  If possible, have two computers, 
using one for data entry and the other for actual packet transmission.
     - Have backup software and hardware on hand (both computer hardware 
and radio hardware.)
     - Make sure you have a printer on at least one packet station in the 
network to provide a written transcript of all traffic.  Consider using 
multiform paper in the printer.
     - Do everything you can to speed data entry.  Have extra computers.  
Create fill-in-the-blank forms that eliminate the need to type repetitive 
information.  Instruct all originating stations to use a standard format 
for their messages so the receiving station can quickly collate the 
information.
     - Limit the size of files to reduce the chance of being disconnected 
on retries.  On the other hand, don't make each line of text into a new 
packet; packet is most efficient if it's allowed to put the text into its 
full 128-character allotment each time.  When you send short (60- or 80-
character) packets, you're wasting a lot of "overhead" with the header and 
trailer.
     - Set up a bulletin board system in your area, and link it to more 
distant ones.  This way, if intended recipients aren't on line when you 
need them, you can store their messages in the bulletin board for later 
pickup.
     - Provide standard connectors (such as power cords) and other 
interfaces to allow flexibility and emergency replacements.  For instance, 
with a cord with a standard connector coming from the radio and a set of 
other cables with the complementary connector, one radio can be plugged 
into an ac power supply, inverter, automobile cigarette lighter, etc.  The 
same goes for connecting packet systems to different radios.

The National Traffic System___________________________________________

NTS AND FORMAL TRAFFIC HANDLING

     The National Traffic System plan is a means for systematizing amateur 
traffic-handling facilities by making a structure available for an 
integrated traffic facility designed to achieve the utmost in two principal 
objectives: rapid movement of traffic from origin to destination, and 
training amateur operators to handle written traffic and participate in 
directed nets.  These two objectives, which sometimes conflict with each 
other, are the underlying considerations in the National Traffic System.
     NTS operates daily.  The personnel consists mainly of those operators 
who, while interested in traffic handling, are unable, either through 
necessity or inclination, to spend more than one or two periods a week in 
this pursuit.  Thus, NTS is a step away from the traditional "iron man" 
type of traffic handling which characterized our trunk lines of yesteryear.  
If you can spend one regular period a week handling traffic and are 
interested in doing so, NTS can use you.
     The National Traffic System is an organized effort to handle traffic 
in accordance with a plan which is easily understood, is basically sound, 
and which utilizes modern methods of network traffic handling in general 
acceptance today.
     NTS is not intended as a deterrent or competition for the many 
independently-organized traffic networks.  When necessitated by overload or 
lack of outlet for traffic, the facilities of such networks can function as 
alternate traffic routings where this is indicated in the best interest of 
efficient message relay and/or delivery.
     One of the most important features of NTS is the "system concept."  No 
NTS net is an independent entity which can conduct its activities without 
concern for or consideration of other NTS nets.  Each net performs its 
function and only its function in the overall organization.  To whatever 
extent nets fail to perform their functions or perform functions intended 
for other nets, to this extent is the overall system adversely affected.
     Nets may sometimes find it necessary to adopt temporary expedients to 
ensure the movement of traffic, and this is considered improper operation 
only when no attempt is made to return to the normal schedule.  
Nevertheless, improper operation of any NTS net is the concern of all NTS 
nets, and every effort should be made to assist in returning any non-
functioning or improperly functioning net to its normal operation.

Membership

     Individual station participation in NTS is recognized by issuance of 
certificates.  Organizationally speaking, the "members" of NTS are the nets 
which participate therein.  Most such nets were created and organized for 
NTS purposes only and operate at specific times for specific purposes to be 
described later.  Procedures are somewhat specialized, particularly at 
Region, Area and TCC levels.
     Frequently ARRL Headquarters is asked how a net may become a part of 
NTS.  This usually isn't easy, because NTS is not a "club for nets" which 
any existing net may join at will.  In addition, making nets a part of NTS 
is less a matter of official action than a "state of mind" of the net 
itself.  In this connection, the following points deserve mention:
     1. Nets operating with ARRL section boundaries, or otherwise at local 
or section level, may become a part of NTS by performing the functions of 
such (see paragraphs on section nets, page 00).
     2. Nets whose coverage extends beyond section boundaries but within 
region (roughly, call area) boundaries may become a part of NTS only by 
foregoing their general membership and setting up to operate as a session 
of the region net (see paragraph on region nets, page 00).  Such nets would 
act as one of that region's net sessions and would be under the 
jurisdiction of the region net manager appointed by ARRL.  All present NTS 
region nets were organized specifically at the outset for NTS region 
coverage.
     3. Since operation at the area level is so specialized, it is not 
possible for nets whose coverage extends beyond region boundaries to be a 
part of NTS at any level.
     4. Any net which becomes a part of NTS is expected to observe the 
general principles of NTS procedures as outlined in Appendix I herewith.
     5. Generally speaking, participation in NTS is best performed by 
individual-station participation in an already-existing NTS net, at any 
level.
     6. Lack of recognition as an NTS net does not imply that such a net is 
without ARRL recognition or support.  Many public-service nets on which 
information is received are included in the League's Net Directory, and 
activities are often summarized in the appropriate part of QST.  Although 
NTS is the League-sponsored organization for systematic traffic handling, 
it is far from being the League's only interest in public-service 
communication.

Mode

     The National Traffic System is not dedicated specifically to any mode 
or to any type of emission, nor to the exclusion of any of them, but to the 
use of the best mode for whatever purpose is involved.  The aim is to 
handle formal written traffic systematically, by whatever mode best suits 
the purpose at hand.  Whether phone, CW, RTTY, AMTOR packet or (amateur) 
carrier pigeon is used for any specific purpose is up to the Net Manager or 
Managers concerned and the dictates of logic.  There is only one National 
Traffic System, not separate systems for each mode.  Modes used should be 
in accordance with their respective merits, personnel availabilities and 
liaison practicalities.  Whatever mode or modes are used, we all work 
together in a single and thoroughly integrated National Traffic System.

PRINCIPLES OF NTS OPERATION

     The National Traffic System consists of four different net levels 
which operate in an orderly time sequence to effect a definite flow pattern 
for traffic from origin to destination.  A message flows through the 
National Traffic System in a manner similar to an airline passenger who 
starts out in a small residential town with a destination across the 
continent in another small town.  He has to change carriers many times in 
the process, starting with a local ground conveyance to a feeder airline, 
to a transcontinental airline, to another feeder airline, then local 
transportation to deliver him to his destination.  In a very similar 
manner, the transcontinental message starts with the originating station in 
a local net, is carried to the section net, the region net, the area net, 
via Transcontinental Corps (TCC) to a distant area net and then back down 
the line to delivery.
     Of course the message, like the passenger, can "get on" or "get off" 
at any point if that's the origin or destination.  Thus, a message from, 
say, New York to Detroit would never get on TCC, but would "get off" at 
area level.  A message from San Francisco to Los Angeles would not go 
beyond region level, and one from San Antonio to Houston would remain 
inside the section net.

Fig 3--A diagrammatical portrayal of the evening (or cycle four) NTS setup 
in the Central Area, showing times of net meetings at the various levels in 
NTS.  Note that many of the early and late functions of local nets are 
combined at 2400/0000. Some of the other net echelons have alternatives not 
shown above.

Local Nets

     Local nets are those which cover small areas such as a community, 
city, county or metropolitan area, not a complete ARRL section.  They 
usually operate by VHF (typically 2-meter FM) at times and on days most 
convenient to their members; some are designated as "emergency" (ARES) nets 
that do not specialize in traffic handling.  The time slot designated for 
them in Fig 4 is thus nominal and will vary considerably.  Local nets are 
intended mainly for local delivery of traffic, inasmuch as such delivery 
could ordinarily be effected conveniently by non-toll telephone.  Some NTS 
local nets operate on a daily basis, just as do other nets of the system, 
to provide outlets for locally-originated traffic and to route the incoming 
traffic as closely as possible to its actual destination before delivery--a 
matter of practice in a procedure that might be required in an emergency.
     Most local nets and even some section nets in smaller sections are 
using repeaters to excellent effect.  Average coverage on VHF can be 
extended tenfold or more using a strategically located repeater, and this 
can achieve a local coverage area wide enough to encompass many of the 
smaller sections.  Since propagation conditions on the high frequencies are 
erratic, more use of VHF and repeaters is recommended at local levels.

Fig 4--How cycle four TCC works.  Small blocks denote daily station 
functions, station A being the only one that reports into an Area Net other 
than its own.  Note that traffic from east to west goes into area nets 
while traffic from west to east may go into section or region nets to save 
time.

Section Nets

     Organizational and procedural lines begin to tighten at the section 
net level.  Coverage of the section may be accomplished either by 
individual stations reporting in, by representatives of NTS local nets or 
both.  Ordinarily, all section amateurs are invited to take part; however, 
in a high-population section with several metropolitan areas covered by 
local nets, representation may be by such liaison stations plus individual 
stations in cities or towns not covered by local nets.
     The section may have more than one net (a CW net, a VHF net and an SSB 
net for example), or two or more sections may combine to form a single net 
operating at section level, if low population or activity seem to make this 
desirable.  Section nets are administered through the office of the Section 
Manager, with authority for this function often delegated to an appointed 
Section Traffic Manager or designated Net Managers.  In the case of 
combined-section nets, officials of the sections concerned should 
collaborate on the designation of a qualified amateur to manage the net.  
The purpose of the section net is to handle intra-section traffic, 
distribute traffic coming down from higher NTS echelons, and put inter-
section traffic in the hands of the amateur designated to report into the 
next-higher NTS (region) echelon.  Therefore, the maximum obtainable 
participation from section amateurs is desirable.

Region Nets

     Region nets cover a wider area, such as a call area.  At this level 
the object is no longer mass coverage, but representation of each ARRL 
section within the region.  Participants normally include:
     1. A net control station, designated by the region net manager.
     2. Representatives from each of the various sections in the region, 
designated by their section net managers.
     3. One or more stations designated by the region Net Manager to handle 
traffic going to points outside the region.
     4. One or more stations bringing traffic down from higher NTS 
echelons.
     5. Any other station with traffic for some point within that region, 
but not within his own section.
     There may be more than one representative from each section in the 
region net, but more than two are usually superfluous and will only clutter 
the net; however, all section representatives are required to represent the 
entire section, not just their own net.
     The purpose of the region net is to exchange traffic among the 
sections in the region, put out-of-region traffic in the hands of stations 
designated to handle it, and distribute traffic coming to the region from 
outside among the section representatives.  Region nets are administered by 
net managers appointed by the Field Services Department at ARRL 
Headquarters.

Area Nets

     At the top level of NTS nets is the area net.  In general, the area 
net is to the region net what the region net is to the section net; that 
is, participation at area level includes:
     1. A net control station, designated by the area net manager.
     2. One or more representatives from each region net in the area, 
designated by the region net managers.
     3. Stations designated to handle traffic going to other areas.
     4. Stations designated to bring traffic from other areas.
     5. Any station with traffic for points in the area, but not in his own 
region.
     Points (3) and (4) are functions of the Transcontinental Corps, to be 
described later.  There are three areas, designated Eastern, Central and 
Pacific, the names roughly indicating their coverage of the US and Canada 
except that the Pacific Area includes the Mountain as well as the Pacific 
time zones.  Area nets are administered by managers appointed by the ARRL 
Field Services Manager.

                                

Transcontinental Corps

     The handling of inter-area traffic is accomplished through the 
facilities of the TCC.  This is not a net, but a group of designated 
stations who have the responsibility for seeing that inter-area traffic 
reaches its destination area.  TCC is administered by TCC directors in each 
area who assign stations to report into area nets for the purpose of 
"clearing" inter-area traffic, and to keep out-of-net schedules with each 
other for the purpose of transferring traffic from one area to another.  
Further details of TCC operations are contained in the appendices.

Sequence of Net Meetings

     The order in which the various nets meet is essential to the proper 
operation of the system.  The effectiveness of the National Traffic System 
depends on a delicate balance of voluntary cooperation and adherence to 
established procedures.  Accordingly, in 1979, the NTS Area Staffs jointly 
recommended a symmetrical, four-cycle NTS net sequence which is now the 
formal system definition.  The schedule (in local time) is shown in Table 
2.
     Cycles Two and Four are, at this time, implemented in all three areas.  
In addition, Cycle One is implemented in the Pacific Area, and Cycle Three 
is implemented in the Eastern Area to facilitate intra-area and west-to-
east traffic flow.  Although Cycles One and Three were initially designed 
for high-volume situations to improve and enhance the response of NTS to 
emergency and overload situations, NTS long-range planning calls for all 
four cycles to be implemented on a daily basis.  However, the entire system 
can, if need be, activated in three-hour shifts at this time.
     A few features of this NTS structure may need some elaborating.  In 
essence, the structure paves the way for NTS to truly be one, unified 
system, not separate-but-equal daytime and evening communities.  The 
primary function of TCC is to link, rather than isolate, the two cycles.  
For example, prior to the four-cycle plan, evening TCC bypassed the daytime 
cycle, thereby causing unnecessary delays in traffic delivery.

Table 2--NTS Net Schedule

Fig 5--NTS alerting plan.

     The schedule calls for each area net (PAN, CAN, EAN) to hold a session 
per day at 2:30 pm local time, the same concept as in the evening cycle, 
where each net meets at 8:30 pm local time.  Area nets then have a minimum 
of 60 minutes allotted to them, daytime or evening, and all 60 minutes are 
available for the clearing of inter-area (TCC) traffic.  The system is 
symmetrical, regular and repeatable.  This means, first, that the structure 
of the net sequencing is consistent from area to area, and second, that a 
net session occurring at a given local time in the Eastern area should 
subsequently occur at the corresponding local times in the Central and 
Pacific areas.
     Modifications to the system schedule for emergencies and emergency-
preparedness exercises, such as SET, augment the basic cycles and are 
replications of the basic cycles.  More importantly, normal daily sessions 
of nets at all levels of the system (ideally) remain intact during 
emergency operations.  Expansion of the system during overloads is simple, 
involving a duplicate of the existing schedule, slid over three hours.  
Therefore, in addition to the normal area net sessions at 2:30 pm (Cycle 
Two) and 8:30 pm (Cycle Four), potential new area net sessions at 11:30 am 
(Cycle One) and 5:30 pm (Cycle Three) can be held, along with their 
associated region and section nets.  Minimum implementation, of course, 
consists of Cycles Two and Four.
     Traffic from EAN to CAN in either the daytime or evening cycle is 
handled by direct QNI into CAN by the TCC operator.  Most other TCC 
functions are out-of-net schedules, allowing optimum choice of bands and 
mode to fit varying propagation conditions.  The time between the end of 
the daytime PAN session and the start of the evening EAN session allows for 
an out-of-net TCC sked followed by direct section net QNI on the East 
Coast, to speed up the same-day delivery service.  TCC skeds are from one 
cycle to the same cycle for westbound traffic, or from one cycle to the 
next immediate cycle for eastbound traffic.  That is to say, TCC functions 
which bring traffic from the West Coast to the East Coast, for example, 
connect the daytime PAN session with evening nets in the east, or the 
evening PAN session with the next daytime EAN sequence.  The significance 
of this concept is that it combines the discipline and training of a 
predetermined schedule, with the spontaneous determination of the level of 
activity required for any specific emergency exercise.
     The original goals of the four-cycle plan are as follows:

     1. Make daytime and evening NTS actually part of a single, unified 
system.
     2. Resolve net time conflicts between areas.
     3. Enhance daytime/evening participation.  TCC functions provide 
daytime/evening crossovers, so that traffic is delivered in the next 
available cycle of NTS, regardless of time of day or mode.
     4. The system will be consistent from area to area, from cycle to 
cycle.
     5. Evening participants will understand (and support) the daytime 
cycle and vice versa, with no additional trainig.
     6. No traffic will be compromised for any other traffic by irregular 
net sequencing.

Options

     NTS is a volunteer traffic system, and it is not always practical to 
find traffic stations able to participate in nets at various levels at 
particular times.  While in principle NTS nets find the personnel who can 
participate at the time designated, rather than change the time to suit the 
personnel, there is occasionally a necessity for a certain amount of non-
uniformity in net meeting time, and options may be used at the discretion 
of the net mamager.  However, any such options are to be cosidered 
temporary and a return to normal NTS-recommended operating times should be 
made as soon as possible.
     Whenever changes from normal routings and sequences are made, 
Headquarters should be notified so that accurate net information will be 
available at a centralized point.  In NTS, the right hand should always 
know what the left hand is doing.  No NTS net should consider itself 
independent of or unconcerned with the functioning of other parts of the 
system.

                                 

Deviation from Normal Routing

     Failure to use the normal routings described above, if carried to the 
extreme, will result in "strangulation" of one or more NTS nets at region 
or area level.  That is, if section nets send representatives to other 
section nets to clear traffic direct instead of through the region net, the 
region net will "starve" for traffic.  Similarly, if region nets maintain 
liaison with each other direct instead of through the common medium of the 
area net, the latter will have little traffic and will not prosper.  It is 
in the interest of efficiency, organization, system, training and 
conservation of skilled personnel to use the NTS structure as it is 
intended to be used.  Let's not be ridiculous, however.  Those who would 
follow the system to the letter are occasionally guilty only of 
unnecessarily delaying delivery.
     Any station in NTS, regardless of the function the operator performs, 
who receives a message destined to a point in his local calling area, 
should deliver that message rather than filter it further through the 
system.  There are many metropolitan areas which straddle NTS net coverage 
boundaries but have common toll-free telephone coverage.

Adherence to Schedules

     Since NTS depends for its efficiency on chronology of net meetings, it 
naturally follows that adherence to NTS schedules is of the greatest 
importance.  In particular, TCC and liaison stations should not be held on 
any NTS net beyond the time they are scheduled to meet another net, even 
if all their traffic has not yet been cleared.  Leftover traffic should be 
held, put on alternate routes, or handled by special schedule later.
     Along the same line, NTS nets should not operate beyond the time 
allotted to them.  The time sequence in Table 2 shows the normal length on 
nets at various levels.

Alternate Routings

     Deviations are made from normal routings only when normal channels are 
for some reason not available.  A return to the use of normal NTS channels 
should be made as soon as possible.  The net manager shall be the judge as 
to whether normal facilities are available, satisfactory or adequate in 
making any deviations.  Alternate routings, if and when necessary, can 
include regular or specially arranged schedules, direct liaison to the NTS 
destination net, or use of the facilities of independent networks.
     QNI Policy--National Traffic System nets at local and section level 
are open to all amateurs in the coverage area of the net.  At region and 
area level, participation is normally restricted to representatives of 
sections, and designated liaison stations.  However, stations from outside 
the coverage area of the net concerned, or other not-regularly designated 
participants who report in with traffic will be cleared provided they can 
maintain the pace of the net as to procedure, speed and general net 
"savvy."  Such stations reporting in without traffic will immediately be 
excused by the NCS unless they can supply outlets unavailable through 
normal NTS channels.  Visitors to NTS nets should bear in mind that NTS 
nets operate on a time schedule and that no offense is intended in 
observance of the above QNI policy.
     Boundaries--NTS net coverage areas are strictly defined and strictly 
observed in daily operation of the system, at section level, by ARRL 
section boundaries, at region level in accordance with the grouping of the 
sections into NTS regions based originally on call areas.  Some of the 
regions are on call area basis (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 8th), but others cover 
parts of two or more call areas.  At area level the original basis was 
standard time zones, and the boundaries still roughly follow these lines 
without dividing any sections.  The NTS routing guide (Appendix B) gives 
details of boundaries of the various NTS echelons of operation.
     Sections can be changed from one region to another at the request of 
the section leadership provided no disruption of the system's operation is 
involved.  Normally, such requests will be considered only for sections 
located on boundary lines between regions.  The time zone in which a 
section or region is located or mostly located exerts a strong influence in 
its assignment to a region and area.
     Nomenclature--NTS nets at region and area level officially carry the 
name of the region or area they cover (Sixth Region Net, Pacific Area Net, 
etc).  Net "designations" at these levels vary somewhat (First Region Net 
is 1RN, Fifth Region Net is RN5, Twelfth Region Net is TWN and Eleventh 
Region Net, the only Canadian region net, calls itself Eastern Canada Net 
and uses the designation ECN).  Section nets customarily carry the name of 
the section or sections they cover, but the actual name used is optional 
with the net.  Some examples are Pine Tree Net (Maine), Buckeye Net (Ohio) 
and Northern California Net (five California Sections).
     Combined Section Nets--Some ARRL sections which have little or no 
traffic interest have not organized section nets, while in some cases two 
or more sections have combined their facilities into a single net operating 
at section level.  This latter practice is considered a desirable one where 
circumstances make it necessary and feasible, and such a combined-section 
net can participate in NTS in the same way as any other section net, with 
each representative representing both (or all) sections covered.
     It is recommended that traffic handlers in sections which do not at 
present boast a section traffic net take steps to organize one for NTS 
representation.  Lacking this, it might be possible to participate, 
temporarily at least, in the NTS net of an adjoining section, and be 
considered members of that section's net until such time as it is feasible 
to establish one.  Such an arrangement, of course, requires the 
acquiescence of the SM, STM and net manager of the section net concerned.
     Limited Load Capability--Because the system operates on a time 
schedule with a definite flow pattern, NTS has difficulties under heavy 
load just as do all communications systems.  Thus, in normal times, the 
system observes the "limited load" policy.  It is the general policy on NTS 
to strive for handling the greatest quantity of traffic through efficiency 
rather than through long hours of operation.  NTS nets must begin and 
terminate within certain time limits in order that liaisons can be 
maintained without delay.  If traffic is not all cleared within the time 
limit, it is considered "overflow" traffic and must use alternative 
routings or be held over.
     Load capacity can be increased by providing additional stations to 
carry on liaison functions and TCC operations; by providing separate 
receive and transmit stations; and by pre-net sorting of traffic by region 
(outside the area of origination) and area, and concentrating the traffic 
in the hands of separate operators.  This allows more expeditious operation 
in the area net.
     Observation of Time--In order to avoid confusion and effect 
standardization, NTS nets should endeavor to meet at the times officially 
designated for them in this booklet.  Where temporary departures are 
necessary, care should be taken that this will not adversely affect the 
traffic flow or cause interference to other NTS nets because of time 
differences.
     Frequencies--There is no specific NTS frequency plan at the present 
time.  Each NTS net selects its own operating frequency in consideration of 
its requirements, with the advice and assistance of ARRL HQ if desired.  
Because in an emergency it may be necessary to operate many NTS nets 
simultaneously which ordinarily operate at different times, it is desirable 
for nets within normal interference range of each other to use different 
center frequencies if possible.  Within this consideration, it is also 
desirable to concentrate NTS operation on as few spot frequencies as 
possible to conserve frequency space, and to make full utilization of those 
spot frequencies used in order to help establish occupancy.  ARRL's Net 
Directory records net frequencies and times and is useful to study in 
planning new nets.
     Manager Appointments--NTS net managers at local and section level are 
appointed or designated by the STM.  All other NTS managers are appointed 
by the Field Services Manager after recommendation from the area staff 
concerned and coordination with the STM or SM of the section in which the 
candidate resides.  Net managers are appointed for no specific term of 
office.
     Certification--NTS certificates are available at local section, 
region, and area levels as well as for fulfilling TCC assignments.  A 
participating station is eligible for an NTS net certificate when it has 
completed three months of performance (at least once per week), on an 
assigned basis, of one or more of three essential duties:
     1. Regular participation as a net station.  In the case of region and 
area nets, this means official representation of a section or region within 
its respective region or area.  No credit is given in region or area nets 
for random participation.
     2. Liaison with other nets of the National Traffic System.  This 
applies only to regular liaison in accordance with the NTS flow pattern as 
assigned by the appropriate net manager.  In the case of section nets, 
liaison with their proper region nets; in the case of region nets, liaison 
with their proper area nets; in the case of area nets, liaison with other 
area nets through regularly-assigned functions in the Transcontinental 
Corps.
     3. Net Control Station.
     Certification in the Transcontinental Corps is available through the 
TCC area director on completion of at least three months of regular 
performance of an assigned function.
     Net Managers (or TCC directors) may use their discretion in "excusing" 
any station working for a certificate if that station is unable to perform 
its regular duty in any specific instance.  Net managers (or TCC directors) 
shall be the sole judges as to whether a duty, even though performed 
regularly, is performed adequately to merit certification.
     Special Liaison Methods--Often managers at region and area levels will 
find that while one section or region can send few or no liaison stations, 
others have sufficient personnel to send several.  In such cases, it is 
possible and perfectly permissible for the higher-level manager to propose 
to the lower-level manager to arrange that any excess personnel be used to 
effect liaison not being properly performed through lack of available 
stations.  Example: The manager of the Umpth Region Net finds that many 
stations are available to represent Section A in his region, but Section B 
is seldom represented.  He contacts the manager of the Section B Net and 
proposes that a Section A station be sent to the early meeting of Section B 
to take its "thru" (out-of-section) traffic.  This station then brings such 
traffic to the Umpth Region Net to be distributed among net stations as 
required.  In addition, a Section A station in URN may be designated to 
receive all Section B traffic; this station then reports into the Section B 
Net to clear this traffic.  Both receiving and sending functions must be 
completed for full representation.  The above technique is an alternative 
method of getting the traffic through and is under no circumstances to be 
used in preference to having a station from the section itself report to 
the region net.  Normally, liaison of a lower-echelon net to a higher-
echelon net is the responsibility of the manager of the lower-echelon net.

OPERATION DURING DISASTERS

     The National Traffic System is dedicated to communications during 
disasters on behalf of ARES, as well as the daily handling of third-party 
traffic.  When a disaster situation arises, NTS is capable of expanding its 
cyclic operation into complete or partial disaster operation depending 
entirely on the extent of the disaster situation and the extent of its 
effect.  The normal cycles may be expanded as required by the situation, so 
that more traffic can be handled and so that it can be handled more 
rapidly.  In the extreme case, the cycles can operate continuously, with 
required representation present in all nets continuously, with stations 
designed for this function replacing each other as others are dispatched to 
the higher or lower nets with which they make liaison.
     In a situation like this, who alerts or activates NTS nets in a 
disaster and who determines which net or nets should be activated?  ARRL 
Emergency Coordinators in disaster areas determine the communications needs 
and make decisions regarding the disposition of local communications 
facilities, in accordance with the need and in complete coordination with 
agencies to be served.  The Section Emergency Coordinator, after conferring 
with the affected DECs and ECs, makes his recommendations to the Section 
Traffic Manager and/or NTS managers at section and/or region levels.  The 
decision and resulting action to alert the NTS region management may be 
performed by any combination of these officials, depending upon the urgency 
of the situation.
     While the EC is, in effect, the manager of ARES nets operating at 
local levels, and therefore makes decisions regarding their activation, 
managers of NTS nets at local, section, region and area levels are directly 
responsible for activation of their nets in a disaster situation, at the 
behest of and on the recommendation of ARES or NTS officials at lower 
levels.  The following "check lists" apply to officials at the levels 
indicated:
     Section Traffic Managers, Section Net Managers
     1. You may be contacted during a disaster situation by the SEC, to 
activate your section nets, whether NTS or not, either to provide section-
wide contact or, in the case of NTS nets, to provide liaison with the 
"outside."  Have some means of activating your net(s) at any time.  We 
suggest that you make it understood in your net that in the event of a 
disaster, net stations should monitor the net frequency.  Some net 
stations, at locations badly needed, can be activated by telephone if phone 
lines are available.
     2. Make contact with your NTS region net managers in the event that 
communications connected with the disaster transcend section boundaries, 
recommending extraordinary activation of the region net.  You should have 
some prearranged method of contact for this purpose.
     3. Designate net stations to conduct liaison with the NTS region net, 
either through another section net or direct.  This is your responsibility, 
not that of the region net manager.
     
     NTS Region Net Managers
     1. Any one of the section officials in your region or another NTS 
region may contact you should a disaster situation develop.  Try to predict 
such contact on the basis of circumstances and be available to receive 
their recommendation.
     2. Make contact with your NTS area net manager in the event that 
communications connected with the disaster transcend region boundaries, 
recommending extraordinary activation of the area NTS net.  Have some 
prearranged method of contact for this purpose.
     3. It is your responsibility to see that the region is represented in 
any extraordinary session of the area net, in addition, of course, to all 
regular sessions.
     NTS Area Net Managers--There are only two area net manager appointees 
for each area, but their function during and after disasters is of 
paramount importance.
     1. Maintain a high sensitivity to disasters in your area which extend 
or may extend beyond region boundaries.  When one does, take the initiative 
to alert the region net manager involved to determine if extraordinary NTS 
operation is indicated.
     2. In the event high precedence inter-area traffic is involved, 
contact the two TCC directors in your area to assist in making arrangements 
to clear the traffic to other areas.
     3. Contact other NTS area net managers to confer on possibilities of 
their having extra net sessions if deemed required to handle the traffic 
reaching them through NTS inter-area handling.  Under some circumstances, 
direct representation or "hot lines" may be indicated.
     4. Maintain close contact with all region net managers in your area 
and make decisions regarding overall NTS operation in consultation with 
them.
     Transcontinental Corps Directors--These NTS officials will be involved 
only where traffic of a precedence higher than routine (as defined on form 
FSD-218) is to be handled between NTS areas, or when extreme overloads are 
anticipated.
     1. Be ready to alert your TCC crew and set up special out-of-net 
schedules as required.
     2. You may be called upon by the area net manager to set up "hot line" 
circuits between key cities involved in heavy traffic flow.  Bear in mind 
which of your TCC stations are located in or near enough to large cities to 
man such circuits.
     General Policy--NTS operators should be self-alerting to disaster 
conditions that might require their services, and should report into an 
appropriately assigned net or other function without being specifically 
called upon.  That is, the assignment should have been worked out with your 
net manager in advance.  Each NTS operator should ask himself: "What is my 
disaster assignment?  If I hear of a disaster condition, what should I do?"  
If he cannot answer the question, he should seek an answer to it through 
his Net Manager.  It may be as simple as "report into the X Net on X 
frequency;" If the operator concerned is highly specialized, it might be 
"report to your TCC director in the X net on X frequency for a special 
assignment."  Such an assignment might be an extra TCC function, or it 
might be as a functionary in a "hot line" point-to-point circuit needing 
special abilities or equipment.
     Flexibility is needed, but a definite assignment pertaining to 
disaster operation is something that all NTS operators should have.  If you 
don't have a specific assignment, push the matter with your net manager.  
NTS should be the front line of available Amateur Radio disaster 
communication.
     Health and Welfare Traffic--One of the biggest problems in a disaster 
is the handling of so-called "health and welfare" traffic or "disaster 
welfare inquiries."  The ARRL-recommended precedence for this type of 
traffic is W or "Welfare," and refers to either an inquiry as to the health 
and welfare of an individual in the disaster area or an advisory from the 
disaster area that indicates all is well.  Inevitably, the influx of W 
traffic into the disaster area will be large, and NTS will be called upon 
to assist with this overload.  The NTS policy with respect to the handling 
of W traffic is to handle as much of it as possible, but to adhere to its 
precedence.  Higher-precedence traffic must be handled first, W traffic 
only when the circuit is free.  Routine (R) traffic is not normally handled 
by an NTS net operating under disaster conditions, because usually they 
more than have their hands full with higher precedences, but should a 
disaster circuit be temporarily available, there is no reason why it cannot 
be handled until the circuit again becomes occupied with higher-precedence 
traffic.
     In a widespread disaster situation, it is seldom possible to handle 
all the Welfare traffic with efficiency and dispatch.  Sometimes, in fact, 
such traffic piles up alarmingly, to the extent that much of it is never 
delivered.  There are a number of ways in which this can be controlled, but 
few of them are consistent with public-relations objectives.  The best way 
to handle such situations is to maintain close contact with the Red Cross 
or the Salvation Army as appropriate, since most inquiries are handled 
through these organizations.  Civil preparedness organizations also can 
often set up procedures for handling such traffic.  In the past, special 
RTTY, ASCII, AMTOR and packet circuits have been established with great 
success.  Until or unless means for handling such traffic are established, 
it is usually wisest not to accept it from the general public, or to do so 
only with an explicit understanding that chances of delivery are not 
guaranteed.

NTS NET PROCEDURES

     The following procedures are recommended as an NTS standard.  
Deviations from these procedures are made at the discretion of the net 
manager in cognizance of either necessity or desirability arising out of 
extraordinary circumstances, but always as a temporary expedient until 
standard procedure can be resumed.  The following procedures apply to all 
NTS nets:
     1. The net control station (NCS) transmits a net callup promptly at 
the pre-established net meeting time.
     2. Stations reporting in indicate their function or the destination(s) 
for which they can take traffic, followed by the list of traffic on their 
hook, if any.
     3. Time-consuming pleasantries and other superfluous matters are not 
to be a part of the procedure while the net is in session.
     4. Net stations follow the direction of the NCS without question or 
comment if such directions are understood.
     5. Explanations of any kind are not transmitted unless they are 
absolutely essential to the net's conduct.
     6. Stations reporting into a net are held for 15 minutes, after which 
they are excused if there is no further traffic for them at that time.  
Stations in the net do not leave the net without being excused and do not 
ask to be excused unless absolutely necessary.
     7. All nets follow the general precepts of the net operation outlined 
in the ARRL Operating Manual.
     Section Nets--The random call-up method should be used in most cases.  
The clearing of traffic should commence as soon as stations reporting in 
the net have traffic for each other, rather than waiting until all stations 
have reported in.  The use of side frequencies (QNY) should be used 
extensively.  The QNA procedure (stations answering in prearranged order) 
should only be used in times of traffic overload, or for acknowledging the 
region net representatives at the beginning of the net.
     The following additional procedures are used in Section Nets:
     1. Stations reporting in to the net with traffic, list the destination 
city first, then the number of messages for that city.  Example--"W2RQ DE 
AA2Z QTC Paterson 1 AR" Traffic destined outside the section is designated 
"through" (or "thru") followed by the number of "thru" messages.  "Thru" 
traffic can also be listed for the appropriate region net.
     2. The region net representative is selected beforehand by the section 
Net Manager, but nevertheless indicates his purpose in reporting in.
     3. Stations do not list their traffic until first recognized by the 
NCS.
     4. If a particular city for which there is traffic is not represented 
on the net, the NCS may inquire who will handle such traffic, direct that 
it be sent to the station who can take it to a local net or bulletin board 
for delivery, or who is nearest to the destination, or that it be mailed.  
In any case, there should be a minimum of discussion. 
     Region Nets
     1. Stations reporting in indicate the section they came from if they 
are officially reporting for the purpose of handling traffic to or from 
that section.  If their function is limited to sending or receiving, they 
should so indicate; otherwise the NCS will assume the station will do both.
     2. Traffic for destinations within the region is reported by section.  
If the destination is outside the region, the traffic should be designated 
"thru" or for the area net.  For example, "DE W9QLW QIN QTC WIS 3 ILL 2 CAN 
2 AR" tells the NCS that W9QLW represents the Indiana section (QIN), and 
has traffic.
     3. The area net liaison station (designated beforehand by the region 
net manager) receives all traffic designated for the area net.
     4. Stations reporting in who are not authorized section 
representatives or liaisons simply indicate the traffic they have to send.  
If they do not have any traffic, they are immediately excused by the NCS, 
unless they can provide an outlet not available on the net through regular 
NTS channels.
     5. In the event that a particular section is not represented in the 
region net, the NCS will use special liaison methods or any alternatives 
that are available for clearing traffic to that section.
     Area Nets
     1. Stations reporting in indicate traffic by region if it is destined 
for a region within that area or by area if it is destined to a point 
outside that area.  All stations reporting in with assigned receive 
functions indicate for which region in the area or for which other area 
they are authorized to receive traffic.
     2. The TCC representative designated to take traffic for another area 
so indicates in his QNI (check-in).  For example, "DE KY1T PAN QRU AR" 
tells the NCS that KY1T has been assigned to take any traffic destined to 
the Pacific area and that he himself has no traffic.
     Send and Receive Stations--Many NTS nets have adopted the procedure of 
sending more than one representative to the next-higher NTS echelon--one to 
take the traffic up and report it in, another to receive traffic from the 
upper echelon and bring it back.  More than one transmit or receive liaison 
may be provided if traffic load is heavy and the personnel available is 
sufficient.  It is perfectly permissible, and has many advantages in 
overload conditions, to the NCS and the net, for traffic both going and 
coming to be divided among two or more liaison stations.
     Representatives who do not indicate which function they are performing 
will be assumed to be ready to perform both transmit and receive functions, 
at the discretion of the NCS.  To indicate which you are performing, on CW 
send RX or TX after your QNI; on phone, say "receive only" or "transmit 
only," or "both."
     The above procedure is not mandatory but is an example of what we are 
trying to accomplish in NTS.  All net managers are urged to abide by it as 
closely as possible so that NTS procedure will be standard throughout the 
system.
     Miscellaneous
     1. When "QNY procedure" (dispatching stations to clear traffic on an 
adjacent or different frequency) is used, the station designated to receive 
traffic should call first, after zeroing on a spot near the QNY point 
comparatively free of QRM.  When a two-way exchange is to be made on the 
net frequency, the station named first by the NCS is to call first.
     2. In QNY procedure, (which should be used whenever traffic is heavy, 
if possible), the frequency designated by the NCS is not intended to be 
exact.  NTS stations using this procedure will be careful not to disrupt 
other traffic nets or ongoing QSOs by carelessly plopping down and starting 
to call on the frequency.  If QRM is heavy on the spot designated by the 
NCS, it is expected stations will attempt to find a spot nearby on which to 
clear their traffic rather than returning to net frequency without having 
cleared it.
     3. It is not the policy for NTS nets to insist on a clear channel.  
Other stations operating on the frequency of an NTS net have a perfect 
right to be there.  Net control stations should not request such stations 
to move.  If the net frequency is occupied at net starting time, the NCS 
should call the net on a nearby clear frequency.

ARRL PRECEDENCES AND HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS

     All messages handled by Amateur Radio should contain precedences--that 
is, an evaluation of each message's importance, made by the originating 
station.  A precedence is an "order of handling."  There are four 
precedences in the ARRL message form: Emergency, Priority (P), Welfare (W) 
and Routine (R), in that order of handling.  When and as they appear on a 
net or any other kind of circuit, messages will be handled in this order.
     EMERGENCY--Any message having life and death urgency to any person or 
group of persons, which is transmitted by Amateur Radio in the absence of 
regular commercial facilities.  This includes official messages of welfare 
agencies during emergencies requesting supplies, materials or instructions 
vital to relief to stricken populace in emergency areas.  During normal 
times, it will be very rare.  On CW, RTTY, AMTOR and packet this 
designation will always be spelled out.  When in doubt, do not use this 
designation.
     PRIORITY--Use abbreviation P on CW, RTTY, AMTOR and packet.  This 
classification is for important messages having a specific time limit, 
official messages not covered in the emergency category, press dispatches 
and emergency-related traffic not of the utmost urgency and a notice of 
death or injury in a disaster area, personal or official.
     WELFARE--This classification, abbreviated as W on CW, RTTY, AMTOR and 
packet, refers to either an inquiry as to the health and welfare of an 
individual in the disaster area or an advisory from the disaster area that 
indicates all is well.  Welfare traffic is handled only after all emergency 
and priority traffic is cleared.  The Red Cross equivalent to an incoming 
Welfare message is DWI (Disaster Welfare Inquiry).
     ROUTINE--Most traffic in normal times will bear this designation.  In 
disaster situations, traffic labeled Routine (R on CW, RTTY, AMTOR and 
packet) should be handled last, or not at all when circuits are busy with 
higher-precedence traffic.
     The precedence will follow, but is not a part of the message number.  
For example, a message may begin with NR 207 R on CW, "Number Two Zero 
Seven, Routine" on phone.
     Handling instructions (HX) are less used but quite useful in handling 
messages.  They serve to convey any special instructions to handling and 
delivering operators.  This "prosign," when used, is inserted in the 
message preamble between the precedence and the station of origin.  Its use 
is optional with the originating stations, but once inserted is mandatory 
with all relaying stations.  The following definitions apply:
     HXA--(Followed by number) Collect landline delivery authorized by 
addressee within...miles.  (If no number, authorization is unlimited.)
     HXB--(Followed by number) Cancel message if not delivered 
within...hours of filing time; service originating station.
     HXC--Report date and time of delivery (TOD) to originating station.
     HXD--Report to originating station the identity of station from which 
received, plus date and time.  Report identity of station to which relayed, 
plus date and time, or if delivered report date, time and method of 
delivery.
     HXE--Delivering station get reply from addressee, originate message 
back.
     HXF--(Followed by number.) Hold delivery until...(date).
     HXG--Delivery by mail or landline toll call not required.  If toll or 
other expense involved, cancel message and service originating station.

     Example: NR 207 R HXA50 W4MLE 12...(etc).
     
     If more than one HX prosign is used, they can be combined if no 
numbers are to be inserted, otherwise the HX should be repeated thus: NR 
207 R HXAC W4MLE...(etc).  On phone, use phonetics for the letter or 
letters following the HX, to ensure accuracy.

OPERATION OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL CORPS

     The purpose of the Transcontinental Corps (TCC) is to relay traffic 
from one NTS area to another, conducting liaison with NTS nets to do so.  
Each NTS cycle has specific functionaries under the supervision of a TCC 
director.
     The function of the TCC director is to assign functions, centralize, 
coordinate and supervise these activities and file status reports each 
month to ARRL Headquarters.  There are six TCC directors, two for each 
area.
     TCC functions are performed in several ways, according to 
circumstances.  In many cases, the method used is an out-of-net schedule 
between TCC counterparts of different areas to effect the exchange of 
traffic from one area to another.
     Times and frequencies of the schedules are worked out by the TCC 
directors working together and are arranged in accordance with time 
available, propagation conditions, stations available and other factors, 
always with the objective of the best service possible on an organized, 
systematic basis.
     TCC stations must have the following qualifications:
     1. Adequate signal power to perform the job to be done; normally more 
than 100 watts will be required unless a very efficient antenna system is 
used.
     2. The highest caliber of operating ability and NTS net savvy.
     3. Capability (both operator and equipment) to keep the required 
schedules.
     A TCC station might perform only one TCC function per week.  On other 
days of the week, other stations perform the same function.  TCC operates 
on a seven-day-per-week basis.  Each function consists of two steps, as 
follows (all times in UTC):
     Station Function
     A 1. Normally located in the Eastern Area, this station reports into 
Eastern Area Net at 0130, receives all traffic for the Central Area.
       2. Reports into Central Area Net (CAN) the same night at 0230, 
distributes the traffic upon direction of the CAN control station.
     B 1. Normally located in the Eastern Area, this station reports into 
Eastern Area Net (EAN) at 0130, receives all traffic for the Pacific Area.
       2. Keeps a schedule with Station H some time between 0230 and 0430 
and sends this traffic to him.
     C 1. Normally located in the Central Area, reports into Central Area 
Net (CAN) at 0230, takes all traffic for the Eastern Area.
       2. Keeps a schedule with Station K some time after 0330 and sends 
this traffic to him.
     D 1. Normally located in the Eastern Area, this station keeps a 
schedule with Station J some time between 0530 and 1930 to receive traffic 
for the Eastern Area.
       2. Sends this traffic into destination Local, Section, Region or 
Eastern Area Nets at first opportunity.
     E 1. Normally located in the Central Area, this station reports into 
Central Area Net (CAN) at 0230, receives all traffic for the Pacific Area.
       2. Keeps a schedule with Station G between 0330 and 0430 and sends 
this traffic to him.
     F 1. Normally located in the Central Area, this station keeps a 
schedule with Station I between 0530 and 2030 to receive traffic for the 
Central Area.
       2. Sends this traffic into destination Local, Section, Region or 
Central Area Nets as soon as possible after received.
     G 1. Normally located in the Pacific Area, this station keeps a 
schedule with Station E between 0330 and 0430 to receive traffic for the 
Pacific Area.
       2. Reports into the Pacific Area Net (PAN) at 0430 to distribute 
this traffic under direction of the PAN control station.
     H 1. Normally located in the Pacific Area, this station keeps a 
schedule with Station B between 0230 and 0430 to receive traffic for the 
Pacific Area.
       2. Reports into the Pacific Area Net at 0430 to distribute this 
traffic under direction of the PAN control station.
     I 1. Normally located in the Pacific Area, this station reports into 
the Pacific Area Net (PAN) at 0430 to receive traffic for the Central Area.
       2. Keeps a schedule with Station F between 0530 and 2030 to send 
this traffic.
     J 1. Normally located in the Pacific Area, this station reports into 
the Pacific Area Net (PAN) at 0430 to receive traffic for the Eastern Area.
       2. Keeps a schedule with Station D between 0530 and 1930 to send 
this traffic.
     K 1. Normally located in the Eastern Area, this station keeps a 
schedule with Station C between 0330 and 1930 to receive traffic for the 
Eastern Area.
       2. Sends this traffic into destination Local, Section, Region or 
Eastern Area Nets as soon as possible after received.
     L 1. Normally located in the Eastern Area, this station reports into 
Eastern Area Met (EAN) at 1930, receives all traffic for the Central Area.
       2. Reports into Central Area Net (CAN) at 2030, distributes the 
traffic upon direction of the CAN control station.
     M 1. Normally located in the Eastern Area, this station reports into 
Eastern Area Net (EAN) at 1930, receives all traffic for the Pacific Area.
       2. Keeps a schedule with Station S some time between 2030 and 2230 
and sends this traffic to him.
     N 1. Normally located in the Central Area, reports into Central Area 
Net (CAN) at 2030, takes all traffic for the Eastern Area.
       2. Keeps a schedule with Station V some time after 2130 and sends 
this traffic to him.
     O 1. Normally located in the Eastern Area, this station keeps a 
schedule with Station U sometime between 2330 and 0130 to receive traffic 
for the Eastern Area.
       2. Sends this traffic into destination Local, Section, Region or 
Eastern Area Nets at first opportunity.
     P 1. Normally located in the Central Area, this station reports into 
Central Area Net (CAN) at 2030, receives all traffic for the Pacific Area.
       2. Keeps a schedule with Station R between 2130 and 2230 and sends 
this traffic to him.
     Q 1. Normally located in the Central Area, this station keeps a 
schedule with Station T between 2330 and 0230 to receive traffic for the 
Central Area.
       2. Sends this traffic into destination Local, Section, Region or 
Central Area Nets as soon as possible after received.
     R 1. Normally located in the Pacific Area, this station keeps a 
schedule with Station P between 2130 and 2230.
       2. Reports into the Pacific Area Net (PAN) at 2230 to distribute 
this traffic under the direction of the PAN control station.
     S 1. Normally located in the Pacific Area, this station keeps a 
schedule with Station M between 2030 and 2230 to receive traffic for the 
Pacific Area.
       2. Reports into the Pacific Area Net at 2230 to distribute this 
traffic under the direction of the PAN control station.
     T 1. Normally located in the Pacific Area, this station reports into 
the Pacific Area Net (PAN) at 2230 to receive traffic for the Central Area.
       2. Keeps a schedule with Station Q between 2330 and 0230 to send 
this traffic.
     U 1. Normally located in the Pacific Area, this station reports into 
the Pacific Area Net (PAN) at 2230 to receive traffic for the Eastern Area.
       2. Keeps a schedule with Station O between 2330 and 0130 to send 
this traffic.
     V 1. Normally located in the Eastern Area, this station keeps a 
schedule with Station N between 2130 and 0130 to receive traffic for the 
Eastern Area.
       2. Sends this traffic into destination Local, Section, Region or 
Eastern Area Nets as soon as possible after received.
     In addition, functions equivalent to the Q/T and O/T schedules are 
implemented in accordance with Cycle One in the Pacific Area.  Further, the 
Atlantic Region Net (ARN) maintains liaison with EAN for the movement of 
international message traffic into and out of the NTS.

NTS TRAFFIC ROUTING

     The following example shows how traffic is or can be routed through 
the National Traffic System.  In each case, perfect (ideal) operating 
conditions and 100% adherence to system as previously outlined are assumed.
     A. This example demonstrates how a message originating in South 
Carolina finds its way to Los Angeles in the evening cycle.  W4ABC is an 
amateur in South Carolina who has been asked to originate a message to Los 
Angeles.  All times are UTC, assuming local standard time is being observed 
throughout.
     1. W4ABC reports the message into the South Carolina Section Net at 
0000 and transmits it to W4ANK, the station designated to take traffic to 
4RN.
     2. W4ANK takes the message to 4RN at 0045, gives it to N4GHI, the 
station designated to take traffic to EAN.
     3. N4GHI reports the message into EAN at 0130, gives it to W3PQ, who 
is TCC Station B.
     4. W3PQ keeps a TCC out-of-net schedule with N6WP (TCC Station H) and 
sends him the message.  This is a transcontinental hop, but the two 
stations involved may pick any frequency or mode in any band.  The exchange 
must have been completed by 0430, when PAN meets.
     5. N6WP reports the message into PAN at 0430, gives it to W6JXK, the 
RN6 (receive) representative.
     6. W6JXK reports the message into RN6 at 0530, gives it to W6INH, the 
Los Angeles Section representative.
     7. W6INH reports it into Southern California Net at 0600, gives it to 
K6INK, the Los Angeles station nearest the destination.
     8. K6INK can telephone or otherwise deliver the message to the 
addressee upon receipt.  The message originated in South Carolina at 0000, 
was delivered in LA at about 0630.
     In addition to the NTS routing system, wide-coverage independent nets 
and direct connections to key cities in foreign countries are also 
available.  These key cities, usually accessed through the independent 
nets, have been especially valuable in assisting with disaster 
communications in Central and South America.  The independent nets take on 
a wide variety of types and forms with many of the most active heard daily 
on 40 and 20 meters.  The 20-meter nets, particularly the International 
Assistance and Traffic Net, are especially important in covering the areas 
of the Caribbean, Central, North and South America.

COUNTING NET TRAFFIC

     The basic count for traffic handled in nets is one point for each time 
a message in standard ARRL form is transmitted and received during a net 
session, at the direction of the net control station.  This has nothing to 
do with the individual station traffic count.  In a net count there is no 
breakdown of originated, received, sent and delivered traffic as there is 
for individual stations.  The count is the number of message handlings 
accomplished during the net's directed sessions.
     This is simple enough, yet there seems to be considerable confusion 
about it.  A few examples may be helpful:
     1. Upon conclusion of his directed net, an NCS operator finds that 
there were 23 messages reported into the net and that 20 of these were 
"cleared"--that is, at his direction the messages were transmitted by the 
station holding them and receipted for by the station receiving them.  The 
total traffic count for this net session was therefore 20.  It makes no 
difference to the total count whether the messages were originals with the 
transmitting station, whether he is relaying them, whether they are 
addressed to the receiving station, delivered by the latter or relayed by 
him.  All the net is concerned with is handling them, from one station to 
the other.  Note that the net does not get credit for traffic reported, 
only for traffic cleared.
     2. The net control must base his count on the figures reported to him 
by net stations.  Thus, if a station reporting into the net says he has 
five messages and later succeeds in clearing them at net control's 
direction, the net gets credit for handling five messages.  However, if the 
net control dispatches this station and the station to receive the messages 
to a side frequency to clear them, then closes the net five minutes later, 
the NCS won't know whether the traffic was successfully cleared, or how 
many were cleared.  If he checks with the operators later, he can enter the 
exact count.  Otherwise, knowing the ability of the two operators 
concerned, he can estimate what proportion of the traffic was cleared.  It 
is not considered ethical to QNY large amounts of traffic just prior to 
closing a net and then count all such traffic as having been cleared during 
QND.
     3. "Book" messages should be reported into the net not as books, but 
in accordance with the count they will earn when handled.  Thus a book of 
four messages is reported in not as "QTC book of 4," but as "QTC 2," 
followed by the destination.  This assumes that they are all to be sent to 
the same station.  If they are to be sent to different stations, the "book" 
should be broken down and the resulting separate messages reported in as 
such rather than as books.
     Don't waste valuable net time fussing about the count.  The important 
thing is to get the traffic handled!

INDIVIDUAL TRAFFIC COUNT

     As already mentioned, the individual's traffic count does not have any 
correlation to the net's traffic count; it is a separate count that each 
traffic handler should report to his/her STM or SM (see page 8, any QST) 
each month.  Traffic totals may be included in the SMs monthly report to 
ARRL HQ; this information is then published in "Section News" in QST.  Here 
are the definitions of each message category:
     Originated--One point for each message from a third party for sending 
via your station.  This "extra" credit is given for an off-the-air function 
because of the value of contact with the general public.
     Sent--Every message sent over the air from your station to another 
amateur receives a point in this category.  Thus, a message that is 
eligible for an Originated point as above receives another point when it is 
sent on the air.  Likewise, a message that is received on the air gets a 
Sent point when it is relayed to another station.  A message that you 
initiate yourself, while it gets no Originated point, gets a Sent point 
when cleared.  All Sent points require on-the-air sending.
     Received--A message received over the air gets a Received point, 
whether received for relaying (sending) or for delivery to the addressee.  
Any message received which is not eligible for a Delivery point (such as 
one addressed to yourself) is nevertheless eligible for a Received point.
     Delivered--The act of delivery of a message to a third party receives 
a point in this category, in addition to a Received point.  This is 
strictly an off-the-air function and must be coupled with receipt of the 
message at your station.  Thus you can't get a Delivered point unless you 
first get a Received point.

PACKET RADIO AND THE NTS

     Traffic handling using packet radio has grown rapidly over the past 
few years.  The National Traffic System is incorporating the evolving 
system of Packet Bulletin Board Systems (PBBSs) and both HF and VHF links 
into the system.
     In many cases, formal third-party-message traffic entered into a PBBS 
at the city of origin is relayed automatically under computer control all 
the way to another PBBS at the destination city.  Sometimes PBBSs are used 
to provide outlets for traffic from the traditional NTS at the delivery 
end.  Sometimes traffic originated on packet is directed to an area where 
there are no packet outlets, and the traffic is forwarded and delivered 
using traditional NTS procedures.  In all cases, flexibility is the key.  
The transfer from packet to traditional NTS and vice versa can occur at any 
level (Local, Section, Region and Area).
     Presently, packet traffic handling and its interconnection with the 
traditional National Traffic System are developing rapidly.  A conscious 
decision has been made not to slow development by prematurely imposing a 
rigid structure.  Standards will be established when appropriate.  In the 
meantime, packet traffic handling will surely continue to develop while 
simultaneously broadening the NTS base and increasing NTS capabilities.