


               Ŀ
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                           
                                                        
                      BRASS POUNDERS' QUARTERLY         
               


     An Electronic NEwsletter of the ARRL National Traffic System

                       Richard WEbb, nf5b, editor


           PUBLISHED BY TRAFFIC HANDLERS FOR TRAFIC HANDLERS



Volume i Issue 2 
 
COpyright 2007 by THe ARRL  National Traffic SYstem 
 



                                Contents


Editor's corner
NTS news briefs

General articles:  An interesting ares exercise
NTS Training:  Creative error signals
Handling instructions:  Misused and misunderstood
NTS outreach:  National Traffic system let's use it!
HOw to submit an article 
Where to get BPQ 
 
THIs electronic newsletter is free to all who may wish to
receive it.  YOu may upload it to bulletin board systems; ftp sites etc. so
long as no fees are charged for access to it.  INdividual articles
retain the copyright of the author.




                       They still do that?

I'm always looking for an opportunity to tell other hams not
involved about opportunities to be of service to one's fellow human
via ham radio.  THe same goes for the general public.  I tell them
about  the phone patch I ran for the missionary in central America;
my work at University hospital in NEw Orleans during Katrina;
handling a medical emergency on a sailing vessel off the coast of
Panama.  Many stand there with mouth agape listening, and pose the
question that is the title of this article.  The next sentence goes
something like this:

"I thought in these days of satellite and internet communications
there wouldn't be a need for guys like you anymore."  I smile and
list a few common problems that might be encountered by such
"modern" systems, then the incredulity turns to the bobbing head
and then a statement of "It's sure good there are folks like you
hams out there still practicing the old techniques."

MOst folks who aren't really clued in when it comes to the workings
behind the technology they use think that the satellite terminal
and the cellular device are everywheree.  THey grow accustomed to
pulling out their little pocket cell phone and getting a connection
to a nearby cell site.  They think in terms of just point the dish
at the bird and presto, instant comms.  They don't think about the
clouds that might hinder the radio waves from traveling to and from
their little dish to the satellite.  They don't think about what
the snow will do to that satellite connection.  
They're not even used to thinking in terms of uhf propagation
characteristics while using their cell phones.  After all, when
their phone loses one cell site another will pick up their call.  

Last year a proposal was on the table to discontinue all U.S. coast
guard high seas weather broadcasts on hf.  THis includes ssb;
teletype and facsimile.  I've talked to a couple of skippers who
run commercial fishing rigs and they tell me that though the cost
of such systems is coming down hf radio is still more reliable,
especially when the weather gets rough.  IT's difficult to keep
that little dish pointed at the bird when your craft is fighting
wind and waves.  WIth the hf broadcast one can pick a
frequency where propagation favors one's part of the world and
still receive the weather information that must be acquired to make
intelligent decisions.  

NOw consider the missionary who might deploy to a place where
infrastructure isn't available.  YEs the group he deploys with
might have a sat phone (for official communications with
headquarters only) but it isn't available for him to talk to mom or
his brother.  even if it is our missionary's camp might not afford
his little satellite communications system a good line of sight to
the needed bird.  

To make matters even worse many out there aren't conversant with
proper care and feeding of rechargeable batteries.  I hammered and
hammered on the folks at University hospital NEw ORleans about
improper care of battery packs for security radio system portables. 
When needed most the security officers couldn't depend on their
handheld portables.  even if they could get through on the
overloaded trunked system often they couldn't keep batteries going
reliably.  MOre than one brought me a radio to put on a charger. 
when the little light turned green four hours later I issued it
again, and two hours later the same officer was back asking for
another radio.  Having spare packs available for these radios and
a different protocol for handling them would have saved these folks
a lot of grief during Katrina.

On the other hand, we hams are well versed in the care and feeding
of all sorts of alternate power systems.  we learn to manage gas
diesel and propane generators effectively and safely.  We
understand the difference between a deep cycle battery and the
regular automotive type available at the corner autoparts store. 
We even understand that in the world of emergency communications
the old throw away alkaline battery has merit and include it in our
jump kits.  

I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know here, so let's
cut to the chase.  I put fingers to keyboard with this editorial
piece to give you some more ammunition when you're told that the
folks handling radiograms and running the phone patches are
rendered obsolete and irrelevant.  Far from it!  when the rest of
the infrastructure isn't available we can bring comfort to the
person stationed at that lonely outpost.  we can help aunt Susie 
to help herself and her neighbors by getting a message to her loved
ones across the continent advising them that she's quite safe
though displaced from her home.  

So why should you care?  LEt me tell you folks, what we do is
already seen as superfluous and unnecessary by many.  For an
example let's take a close look at the last California wild fire
season.  For the most part, infrastructure for public safety comms
was robust enough to keep on going.  The mountaintop repeaters are
battery and generator backed up.  AT some of the big shelters
cellular providers brought in quick deploy cell sites.  AS the old
adage goes, these folks planned their work, and worked their plan
successfully.  

It can still happen, and JOe average guy is going to be the fellow
left out without comms.  Quick deploy temporary cell sites won't be
deployed for a period of days possibly.  The regular landline
system is out for even longer.  IF your neighbors know about your
activities they're going to be very glad you're there for them.  

IN a not too distant future Joe AVerage citizen is going to be the
guy we serve directly.  The agencies are going to grow accustomed
to quick deploy emergency backup comms that actually work 99% of
the time.  There's that other one percent  though, and they won't
know about us when that one percent reaches out to bite them, unless
we keep doing what we do and educate them..

In this space next issue I'll be talking about ways to show what we
do to better advantage at the annual field day.  I strongly believe
that public education has to be a much larger part of what we do in
NTS.  No other facet of amateur radio can do it better.  Also, no
other facet of amateur radio activity depends on it so much if it
is to remain viable.

IN return for our redoubled efforts in public education we'll see
an increase in high quality third party traffic which enables us to
offer better training to newcomers and old hands alike.

73 de nf5b
                            NTS NEWS BRIEFS

received From k6yr via w4zjy:

The primary frequency for Pacific Area Net, Cycle 4
moves back to 3552 with the return to standard time for those zones now =
on Daylight Time (Sunday, November 4). Net control stations retain option
to use the secondary frequency of 7052 due to prevailing conditions.
The above item should remind us all to be aware of the secondary
frequencies for our region and area nets.  Those who mainly
operate cw should know the regular phone frequencies, and vice versa.

---

Another site now has some info on NTS which newcomers and
experienced operators might find useful.  FInd it at

http://www.emergency-radio.org/

---

YOu'll note two articles in the training section this month.
YOur editor hopes you find them useful and informative.
One was written by the C.H.O.P. and we hope the chop will
contribute more good  articles to this fledgling publication.

---

COming next issue:

Traffic handling and field day.
Improve your station's audio, part 1.

---


                  An interesting Ares exercise

                      By Richard Webb, nf5b

If you're like me you're always looking for an opportunity to do
some real training with your ares group that will help leadership
assess the readiness of its members.  Along with this you'd like to
see how well your group's membership handles formal written traffic.

A little over a year ago the shelby County TEnnessee ares group did
such an exercise.  Here's how it worked.

THe participants were divided into three person teams.  One member
of each team would deploy to a prearranged location, one would
remain somewhere near the center of Memphis Tn.  

THe scenario:  For this exercise it was assumed that someone would
need to hike that "last mile" to the emergency operation location. 
tHe location of the operational area was inaccessible by vehicle,
so the operator deploying was limited to fifty pounds which
included radio, antenna and any antenna support.  IT was assumed
for purposes of this game that disabled vehicles nearby would
provide plenty of 12 volt dc power.  

For this exercise no  repeaters could be used.  THis is why the
third person was so important.  Each team was expected to deploy
somebody somewhere to facilitate the relaying of messages back to
the city center.  

each three person team began with 100 points.  AT the arranged
start time the teams should be ready to operate.  THe objective,
transmit three formal radiograms each direction, i.e. three from
the remote location inbound and three return messages.  
for each 15 minutes that the mission was not complete deduct five
points from the team score.  

Then came the fun part.  the written copy of the radiograms as
received would be graded for accuracy in formatting as well as
spelling.  IF I recall correctly ten points were deducted for
misspellings and five points for errors in formatting.  OF course,
the expected format is the standard radiogram format we all know. 

My lady and I got the honor of grading the radiograms.  We had the
boilerplate text of each team's assigned messages available to us. 
THis would allow us to check for proper spellings of names of
places and persons.  

When we finished grading the exercise radiograms one team had a
score of -15, that's right folks, minus fifteen points.  Other
teams were in positive numbers but not by much.  

Needless to say, since then our group ahs stepped up the level of
training in traffic handling.  


Try it with your group.  You'll find it beneficial in many ways,
and a lot of fun.
  

               WHAT I LEARNED ON THE WAY FROM TRAFFIC NETS ...

                             by the "C.H.O.P."


                               Creative Error Signals

"Variety is the spice of life," so the saying  goes.  And  for  many  of  us
working the CW traffic  airwaves,  it  seems  we  have  come  up  with  some
creative ways of  transmitting  an  error  signal.  Some  may  not  be  very
effective.

The CHOP has heard the question-mark (?), and  dits  numbering  four  (ugh!)
and, seemingly, a  couple  of  dozen  --  just  to  vent  apparent  operator
frustration!

The proper prosign is, of course, eight-dits for  an  error.  Certainly  the
question mark should be  suspect.  The  question  mark  is  supposed  to  be
punctuation. But in traffic work it can be used when  the  sender  wants  to
repeat a word, number or callsign for emphasis or clarification, not  as  an
error prosign. Using "..--.." leaves the receiving station guessing  whether
1)  the  sender  means  message  text  punctuation  (Never!  Send  the  word
"query."), 2) a repeat is coming, or 3) an error has been made.

You may have noticed several of the old Navy operators, or  their  protgs,
using a pair of two dits (.. ..), particularly when an error has  been  made
by a NCS or sent in a message text. One would have to go  way  back  in  the
USN Radiotelegraphy Procedures Manual to find even a hint of this  practice,
but its still out there, and  I  frankly  think  it  works  fine.   For  one
practical reason: when sent, it does not break the rhythm  or  flow  of  the
transmission like five (or more) dits, if properly sent.

Right after the error, pause briefly (for a possible QSK Break  signal  from
the receiving station who may have spotted the error), then  send  "..  ..",
and another brief pause, and pick up with the word or number fumbled over.

The CHOP is pretty keen on proper operating practices  and  will  sound  off
over departures from such practices. But its not a science,  and  if  it  is
effective .   73,  the CHOP


        Handling instructions:  Misused and misunderstood

                         By Richard WEbb, nf5b

NOw, before we go any further let me suggest that you have your
reference card with a list of these ready to hand.  Get yours from
its usual resting place, then read on.
                                
Anyone who has handled formal written traffic at all has
encountered these in a message.  THose little three character wide
fields in the message preamble after the precedence.  YET few have
taken the time to understand what they actually mean and either
misuse them or don't bother to comply with said instructions.  Some
are so badly misused and misconstrued as to be rendered
meaningless.  

Let's first address the default handling instruction which often
doesn't require being placed in that field.  THis is hxg which
indicates that the message does not  require mailing or the
incurring of any expense by the op attempting to deliver it.   
I've seen this one filled in even on net reports that were sent
directly to the recipient on the air.  

Most folks don't have any problems with the hxf handling
instruction.  IT is usually followed by the number of the date that
should be considered the start of the window of time for delivery. 
this is often used on birthday greetings, etc.  Old hands usually
explain this adequately to the uninitiated.  

SOme have commented to me about the handling instruction hxe and
related it to the arrl numbered radiogram arl seven.  I've been
asked why two forms of  requesting a reply be sent.  Hxe is a
requirement  that a reply be generated, even if that reply is the 
delivering op saying that the recipient had no reply.  The arl
seven in the text is an option.  THe arl seven  indicates that it
is suggested the delivering operator offer a chance to the
recipient to reply.  Barring any other handling instruction no more
is required if the recipient chooses not to.  

Now folks it's time to turn our attention to the misused and
misunderstood hxc.  its widespread use by bulk originators is one
cause of the misconceptions and ignorance regarding its use and
meaning.  AS we know, or can read on our reference card, hxc
indicates that delivering station should indicate time and date of
delivery to the originating station.  The bulk originators seem to
like to use this one in hopes of generating more traffic for the
system, but results are mixed.  Some operators will only comply if
the recipient wanted to originate a message back or if the message
could not be delivered at all.  Many just don't know what it means
and therefore don't bother.   Others have the same complaints about
the returns as with the bulk message texts themselves.

this folks brings me to the one I like to use when sending holiday
greetings or just a hello to a friend or  relative, hxd.  AS we all
know, hxd asks each station in the relay chain to  send a message
to the originator indicating the following:


the station from whom he received the message;
THe time and date received;
the station to whom he sent the message along with time and date
sent.  IF delivered, time and date of delivery.  

Most operators totally ignore this one it seems.  THere are two
main causes of this.  THe first is lack of understanding of it. 
the second will have to be addressed by developers of software used
by packet and pactor bbs stations.  

Many operators forwarding traffic don't pay attention to the hxd
handling instruction at all.  WHen I've mentioned this digital ops
tell me that they often don't see individual messages passing
through their system, or don't have time to review and process each
one manually to comply with it.  HOwever, it seems to me that this
could easily be implemented to be automatically handled by the
software.  AFter all the work that goes into the look and feel of
the user interface I'd think this one would be just as easily
implemented.  
I've done some database programming over the years and am still a
fan of the ubiquitous batch file that can run under any flavor of
Ms. windows.  Though I'm not fluent in c or pascal and know
nothing of visual basic at all I'm sure it could be implemented
easily enough.    For voice and cw ops however it's a matter of
education.  THe software problem is an entirely different rant and
will not be discussed further in this article.  HOwever, NTS
ops using voice and cw should endeavor to comply with the hxd
instruction when it appears.  IF it cannot be easily complied
with on nTSD then possibly such traffic should not be routed
via NTSD.  Major NTSD hubs and other high volume traffic movers
might wish to put a bug in the ears of software developers regarding this
issue.

ONe never sees handling instructions hxa or hxb anymore.  Hxa
followed by a number that indicates collect landline calls to
deliver are authorized with the mileage indicated by the number. 
IF no number authorization unlimited.  HOwever, these days often a
transcontinental phone call to deliver a message will cost less
than the stamp one would need to mail it.

FInally, in our review of handling instructions we come to hxb. 
THis instruction followed by a number indicates that if a message
is not delivered within that number of hours it should be cancelled
and a service message generated to the originator.  I might use
this one for priority or other traffic, especially during a
disaster.  

FInally in our look at handling instructions we should visit one
which never quite came into common use, though some
attempted to achieve this goal.  THIs was the handling
instruction I for an internet email delivery or send at the first
possible opportunity.  Hxi was usually followed by the email
address of the recipient.  This was under some discussion
nearly five years ago I seem to recall but never quite became
commonplace.  Unlike  arl forty seven which was adopted system-
wide rather rapidly this one never caught on.

those of us responsible for training newcomers should spend a bit
more time  on how these should be utilized and what they mean. 
AGain, the cure is the same for most other ills currently
plaguing the system.  We need more high quality third party
traffic, and originators to utilize these handling instructions
so as to help educate and train the newcomers properly.

THis field of the preamble along with the check field are the two
most misunderstood parts of the standard radiogram preamble.
IT also follows that they are the two that are not given
enough attention when training newcomers in a classroom setting.



National Traffic System  Let's Use It!

         Jerry VerDuft ADD8A, Director TCC Pacific Cycle 4, NTS

NEwsletter editors:  HEre's some content for your next newsletter!


I couldn't help but notice the lack of third party messages during the 
recent holidays and thought what
a shame it is that we are not using our established  National Traffic 
System for sending messages to our
friends and loved ones these days. NTS has an established corps of 
operators who have committed themselves
to weekly (and some daily) schedules for sending and receiving formal 
message traffic. These are some of
the best and most dedicated operators we have in amateur radio and we 
ought to be using their talents.
I know. Some of you maintain that NTS is no longer needed with the 
advent of digital modes, cell phones
and e-mail. Well, I disagree. I personally know how happy one feels when 
I deliver them a holiday greetings
message, or a "happy birthday" greeting. They feel good! And I feel
good about being able to communicate
such a greeting to them. Yes, many of the recipients have e-mail and 
cell phone capability, but they still
enjoy that "personal message" sent via ham radio. And it's a great
opportunity to introduce them to the
wonderful world of amateur radio. NTS is always ready to serve in times 
of disaster and emergency
communications needs. Let's reinforce that readiness by using the 
system for some happy-grams. NTS operators
are dedicated and anxious to serve. Let's use 'em!



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                       Thanks for reading and 73

Richard Webb, nf5b


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                       BRASS POUNDERS' QUARTERLY

           Published by traffic handlers for traffic handlers

      COpyright ARRL National Traffic SYstem, electronic distribution
      encouraged.

*** end of file***

