TEN COMMANDMENTS OF NTS TRAFFIC OPS
1) THOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER DUTIES BEFORE YOU THAN TO DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER AS A LICENSED AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR TO SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE NATIONAL TRAFFIC SYSTEM. (I know that this may seem extreme; after all, we have jobs and families. Right? But, we’re having fun here, so… What are jobs for, except to buy more radios and build bigger and taller antennas with which we serve the public good?)
2) ONCE YOU HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO TAKE A PIECE OF RADIOGRAM TRAFFIC, YOU BECOME RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS ACCURATE AND SAFE HANDLING UNTIL IT IS EITHER RELAYED OR DELIVERED. THOU SHALT KEEP A RECORD OF ALL TRAFFIC THAT HAS BEEN INTRUSTED TO YOUR CARE. THOU SHALT NOT KILL A RADIOGRAM.
3) THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE (UNTRUE TO THE ORIGINAL) RADIOGRAMS. THOU SHALL DO EVERYTHING TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE CONTENT OF THE ORIGINAL RADIOGRAM. YOU MUST SEE TO IT THAT THE RADIOGRAM TEXT IS DELIVERED EXACTLY AS IT WAS ORIGINATED TO ITS INTENDED RECIPIENT AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
4) THOU SHALT NOT CONCERN THYSELF WITH ANYTHING BUT THE LEGALITY OF THE CONTENT OF A RADIOGRAM. WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE MESSAGE IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED. THOU SHALL NOT COVET “REAL” RADIOGRAMS.
5) THOU SHALT NOT MISUSE THE NAME OF THE NTS. THOU SHALL ALWAYS BE AS POSITIVE AND OPTIMISTIC AS POSSIBLE IN ALL YOUR COMMUNICATIONS CONCERNING THE NTS.
6) THOU SHALT BE COURTEOUS AND COMPASSIONATELY OFFICIAL IN ALL YOUR COMMUNICATION WITH THE RECIPIENTS OF RADIOGRAMS.
7) THOU SHALL DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO UTILIZE YOUR RADIO SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND EQUIPMENT TO GET A RADIOGRAM FROM ITS PLACE OF ORIGIN TO AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO ITS FINAL DESTINATION. ONCE THE RADIOGRAM HAS ARRIVED AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE, THEN USE WHATEVER MEANS SEEMS BEST TO MAKE A FINAL DELIVERY. THOU SHALL BE CAREFUL NOT TO COMMIT ADULTERY WITH OTHER MODES OF COMMUNICATION.
8) THOU SHALL BE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE ARRL NTS MPG (METHODS, PROCEDURES, AND GUIDELINES). THOU SHALL FREQUENTLY REVIEW THE MPG.
9) THOU SHALL BE A “NET REGULAR”; ROUTINELY CHECKING-IN TO TRAFFIC NETS IN ORDER RELAY RADIOGRAMS OR TO RECEIVE RADIOGRAMS FOR LOCAL DELIVERY.
10) THOU SHALL NOT ONLY BE A TRAFFIC HANDLER, BUT THOU SHALL ROUTINELY ORIGINATE RADIOGRAMS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE NTS. ALSO, YOU SHALL DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO IMPROVE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO “STEP-UP” AND TAKE ON MORE RESPONSIBILITIES SUCH AS SERVING AS A NET CONTROL STATION OR NET LIAISON.