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How to send packet radiograms (ham)
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Message-ID: <2091@WA8YVR>
From: WB9MDS@WA8YVR
To: ALL@KA9LQM
Subject: HOW TO SEND A RADIOGRAM
Path: KD9QB!WA9IVB!N9BAC
From: WB9MDS@N9BAC
SYSOP NOTE: Several months ago, I asked that Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and
Wisconsin SYSOPS who support BID's add "$9RN" to their forwarding files. If
you have not done so, please add "$9RN" to the list of BID's you offer to
every PBBS within those four states. This will allow bulletins such as this
to automatically move around the region, with a minimum of channel congestion.
Thanks for your help.
73,
Jay
SENDING THE RADIOGRAM TO A PBBS
By Jay Farlow, WB9MDS @ N9BAC
NTS Ninth Region Packet Manager
This document describes a suggested way to send an American Radio Relay
League (ARRL) National Traffic System (NTS) radiogram via the packet radio
bulletin board system (PBBS) network. It assumes you are already familiar
with the form of a NTS radiogram. If you aren't, write the ARRL at 225 Main
Street, Newington, CT, 06111, and ask for a copy of FSD-218, "Amateur Message
Form." It's free. You can also find information on radiogram form in other
ARRL publications, such as the "Net Directory," and "The ARRL Operating
Manual."
First, prepare the radiogram itself, in standard NTS form. If you have a
word processor you can probably use it to type the message ahead of time.
Find out from your software manual how to create a standard "ASCII" file.
That's what your packet system will need.
Start with a carriage return, to create a blank line at the top. Then,
type the Preamble, and leave another blank line. Then, type the address and
phone number. Leave another blank line. Type the text. Some operators like
to type 10 words to a line. Leave another blank line, and type the signature.
Hit a carriage return, and, starting on the first space in the next line, type
"/EX" (without the quotes). Then, hit another carriage return. Look over
the message carefully and correct all spelling and typographic errors. Save
the message as an ASCII file, and you're ready to transmit. If you cannot
type the message ahead of time, make sure you have written it out in the
proper format.
Start your packet software and tell your terminal node controller (TNC)
to connect to your nearest PBBS. If possible, do this on a Local Area Net
(LAN) frequency, to reduce channel congestion on Wide Area Net (WAN)
frequencies. When your TNC has connected to the PBBS, you'll probably get a
welcome message of some sort. The message varies from system-to-system, but
almost always ends with a "greater than" sign (>). Here's an example:
N9BAC PBBS>
If the radiogram's addressee is in your state, type the letters "st" (w/o
quotes), a space, the ZIP code of the addressee, and hit the carriage return
(or "enter") key. Here's an example:
st 46234 <cr>
If the addressee is in another state, type the letters "st" (w/o quotes),
a space, the ZIP code of the addressee, another space, the "at" sign (@),
another space, the letters, "NTS" (w/o quotes), the official two-letter
abbreviation for the addressee's state, and hit the carriage return (or
"enter") key. Here's an example for a message going to Connecticut:
st 06111 @ NTSCT <cr>
If the ZIP code is not in the radiogram's address, you can probably get
the ZIP code by telephoning your local post office. If you can't get the ZIP,
just type "st" (w/o quotes), a space, "NTS" (w/o quotes), the official
two-letter state abbreviation, and hit the carriage return (or "enter") key.
For example:
st NTSCT <cr>
After you type one of the three "st" lines above, the PBBS will probably
send something like this:
Enter Subject for Msg # 1893:
Type the letters, "NR" (w/o quotes), the message number from the
radiogram preamble, the precedence from the radiogram preamble, the station of
origination from the radiogram preamble, the word, "To:" (w/o quotes), and the
addressee's town or city. Then hit the carriage return (or "enter") key. For
example:
NR 10 R W9JUJ To: Indy <cr>
The PBBS will send a prompt which will look something like this:
Send message. Use CTRL-Z or /EX to end:
Now is the time to send the radiogram itself. If you prepared it ahead
of time with a word processor or text editor program, just tell your packet
software to send the file. If you did not prepare the radiogram ahead of
time, type it into your packet software now...but be careful to check EACH
LINE for typographical errors BEFORE you press return. Either way, here's how
the message should look going out:
<cr>
NR 10 R W9JUJ 23 FORT WAYNE IN 0139Z JULY 5 <cr>
<cr>
DAVE AND LORI KLEIMAN <cr>
651 FENSTER COURT <cr>
INDIANAPOLIS IN 46234 <cr>
(317) 271-9217 <cr>
<cr>
IAN MCNEAL LAUE WAS BORN BY CESARIAN SECTION JULY FOURTH <cr>
X PAM AND CHILD ARE FINE X HE WEIGHED FOUR <cr>
POUNDS 14 OUNCES <cr>
<cr>
JAY AND PEGGY FARLOW <cr>
<ctrl-z or /ex> <cr>
When the PBBS responds with a new ">" prompt, it is "QSL'ing" your
message. It is a good idea to have the PBBS send the message back to you...to
make sure it looks right. This is especially important if you typed it in
manually, while you were "on-line." Upon seeing a prompt like this:
N9BAC PBBS>
Type this:
R 1893 <cr>
Note that "1893" is the number our PBBS assigned our example message (see
above). You will substitute whatever number YOUR PBBS assigned. If you did
not make note of it, you can type;
LT <cr>
to get a list of NTS messages on the board (hopefully, including yours).
If, when you read back your radiogram, anything looks wrong, kill it, and
start over. To kill any piece of traffic, type:
KT 1893 <cr>
replacing "1893" with the appropriate PBBS-assigned number.
It is a good idea to keep a written record of all traffic you send to
PBBS's. Write the radiogram's number and station of origin, the call sign of
the PBBS to which you sent it, the number that PBBS assigned the message, and
the time and date you sent the message. This will make tracing the message
easier, should that ever be necessary.
There is a specific reason for each of these recommendations. The
reasons were left out of this document, to save space.
Following these procedures will assure that your NTS radiogram flows
through the Packet Bulletin Board System network with a minimum of manual
intervention...and, therefore, a maximum speed. Bear in mind, however, that
the PBBS net is no more reliable than other modes...that is, it's just as
likely that a PBBS will have no takers for your traffic as it is likely on a
section CW of phone net.
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