Originating Radio Traffic: Preparing a Message for Transmission and Relay

Post date: Jul 19, 2020 1:21:02 PM

Effective use of the amateur radio message relay systems such as the National Traffic System (NTS) and independent traffic nets require more than putting a message into a radiogram form. Knowing a few critical pieces of information like how to choose a message number, which precedence to use, which handling instructions to select, and how to format the text of the message can make all the difference between having a message get from one place to another anywhere in the country or beyond and a message that disappears.

Using the recent Astronaut Traffic Project from NTX Section Traffic Manager Aaron Hulett K8AMH, Matthew Curtin KD8TTE shows how to originate a message on behalf of a third party so that it may be properly relayed from station to station until arriving at its destination with perfect fidelity: word-for-word, letter-for-letter.