As temperatures become warmer and trees and flowers begin to bloom, our thoughts turn to summer. One of the earlier summer amateur radio activities is Field Day being held this year on June 22-23. Since the ARRL awards points for handling NTS messages, and since clubs are beginning preparations for Field Day, this would be a good time to work with your respective club leadership to promote and help train where needed, the formatting and transmission of NTS messages. Many do not know about radiograms, and those who do often don’t know where and when nets operate or how to get messages into the network. This is a great opportunity to promote the value of NTS and formal messaging and demonstrate how it is done. Of course, when these messages are sent, we need you to monitor the various traffic nets for FD messages and help get them delivered or on their way.
Bob KC1KVY, manager of HHTN, reports several new stations checking into the net who are also sending and receiving traffic. Great job Dave KC1TLF, Kevin N1ERS, Glenn KC1EIJ and of course Shawn N1CVO, who we reported on previously. Dave is also DTN capable and can help move thru traffic through the digital network. You guys are setting a great example to others. Thanks for your contributions to NTS and its mission. Next month I will be reporting on the Cape and Islands Traffic Net, including the training net conducted by Chris WA1CMR.
You have heard about the NTS Letter, and many of you are currently receiving it in your email box. If you have not been receiving a copy, check your profile on the ARRL website to affirm you are opted in. You can also read each issue on the NTS2 website at https://nts2.arrl.org/nts-letter-issues/. Do you have comments, suggestions, stories of interest regarding NTS and message handling, anything you would like to see in the NTS Letter, write to ntsletter@arrl.org.
Have you been checking the NTS2.arrl.org website for updates on the NTS 2.0 project? The Radiogram Portal which has been reported on in the past has been operational with now approximately 40 registered “radiogrammers” who are waiting to take messages from the site, format them and send them on their way via the NTS. There are two motivations for this project. The first is to provide a platform to explain to the general public what Amateur Radio messaging is all about — to give a basic introduction to this part of our public service capability, and then to provide an easy way for someone who’s not a ham to submit a message for origination. The second is to try to inject more true third-party traffic into our traffic system.” As the system is just getting started there is not a great deal of traffic. We could use some help in spreading the word to friends and family, to clubs and any ham radio gatherings such as NearFest, HamXposition, etc. For more information here is a link to a video, https://nts2.arrl.org/introducing-the-radiogram-web-portal/.
On the NTS2 website mentioned above is a new tab called “Promotional Resources”, where you can find downloadable information including handouts for clubs, license testing sessions and Field Day, and added tips for FD planning. Also the beginning of a series of NTS training videos can be found here. Stay tuned for more to come.
Thanks to all for your participation and support of NTS. Below is the March STM report.
73, Marcia KW1U
MASSACHUSETTS - RHODE ISLAND STM REPORTS FOR MARCH 2024