Contents
Introduction
You can earn up to 100 extra points by sending traffic from your Field Day site via NTS. Messages can be sent via voice, CW or digital. The folks in NTS welcome these messages, but a few notes here will help move this traffic along more smoothly.
Proper message format
Preamble including 1)message number, 2) precedence = Routine, 3) callsign of station of origin, 4) check count = number word groups in text, 5) place of origin including city and state code, and 6) date = month and date (year not required).
Name and address as complete as possible including 1) first and last name; 2) street address or post office box; 3) city, state and zipcode; and 4) telephone number with area code. Remember the more information provided gives better chance of delivery.
Text should preferably be 25 words or less. No punctuation unless necessary for clarity; then use “x” (read “xray” on voice) for period and “query” for question mark. Text is separated from the address and signature by “BT” or on voice read “break”.
Signature: Is not counted in check count and does not include 73 etc, which belongs in text.
Message Format Example
NR 1 R KW1U 11 CONCORD MA JUN 23
CAROL KIRBY
1234 MAIN ST
PITTSBURG PA 15111
412 555 4321
BT
GREETINGS ON FIELD DAY FROM
BOSTON HAVING A GREAT TIME
LOVE
BT
MARCIA
NTS Nets
2:45 p.m. 1RN (First Region Net) 7240 KHz LSB Voice
4:30 p.m. 1RN (First Region Net) 3950 KHz LSB Voice
5:00 p.m. MARIPN (MA RI Phone Net) 3978 KHz LSB Voice
7:00 p.m. MARICW (MA RI CW Net) 3565 KHz CW
7:30 p.m. CITN (Cape and Islands Traffic Net) Falmouth Repeater 147.375 PL 110.9
8:00 p.m. EM2MTN (Eastern MA 2 Meter Traffic Net) Boston BARC Repeater 145.230 PL 88.5
9:00 p.m. CM2MTN (Central MA 2 Meter Traffic Net) Paxton Repeater 146.970 PL 114.8
Heavy Hitters Traffic Net HHTN now meets Sunday through Friday at 9:45 PM and Saturday at 10:00 PM. It can be accessed via the MMRA linked repeater network, also via Fitchburg and Gardner repeaters as well as Mt Greylock. It can also be accessed via Echolink New-Eng2 conference node 9127.
NTS Digital Traffic
NTSD (DTN) Traffic can be sent on 145.090 MHz (simplex) via Packet. You would connect directly to station KW1U or you can go through the BROCK digipeater.
Traffic can also be sent via HF Pactor or VARA on KW1U MBO. I scan 3.5904, 3.5924, 7.0989 and 7.1009 USB dial frequencies.
NTSD Traffic (DTN) requires the addition of a routing header and end-of-message syntax to the normal message. The format:
ST zipcode@NTSXX where XX = state code; Subject line = city of destination and three digit telephone area code. After message add /EX on separate line immediately following plus a carriage return.
NTSD/DTN Message Format Example for Packet and Pactor
ST 15111@NTSPA
PITTSBURG 412 555
NR 1 R KW1U 11 CONCORD MA JUN 23
CAROL KIRBY
1234 MAIN ST
PITTSBURG PA 15111
412 555 4321
BT
GREETINGS ON FIELD DAY FROM
BOSTON HAVING A GREAT TIME
LOVE
BT
MARCIA
AR
/EX
Winlink Express can also be used via VHF packet by connecting to a WL2K station such as N1XTB-10. Address traffic to KW1U@winlink.org and I will move it into the NTS or NTSD system.
Field Day Tip
Using Notepad you can create all your messages and print out the file ahead of Field Day. It is much easier than trying to compose them during the event!
Good luck in Field Day.
Marcia KW1U, STM EMA and WMA