Amateur Radio Message Handling Bill Ellis, KF7PB April 19, 2012 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Amateur Radio Message Handling

Bill Ellis, KF7PB April 19, 2012

Formal Messaging

ARRL Radiogram

Radiogram Components

• Preamble
• Address
• Text
• Signature

Preamble

Number

• Assigned by the station that originates the
• message. Any alpha numeric sequence is

acceptable but usually it is a numerical sequence starting with 1.

Precedence

(Relative Urgency of Message)

• Routine (R)—Most day to day messages. Routine messages

are rarely used in a disaster.

• Welfare (W)—Used to inquire or send information about the

health and welfare of an individual in a disaster.

• Priority (P)—Used for messages with a time limit for action.

Generally any emergency-related message not covered by the Emergency Designation.

• Emergency (never Abbreviated)—Messages with life or death

urgency.

HX—Handling Instructions

(Optional field)

• A#—Collect telephone call within # miles.
• B#—Cancel if not delivered within # hours of filing

time.

• C—Report date and time of delivery to originating

station.

HX—Handling Instructions(Continued)

D—Report to originating Station Date and time of delivery Identity of station delivering the message Each station report station to whom they delivered message

HX—Handling Instructions

(continued)

• E—Delivering station to get and send a reply

from the addressee.

• F##—Hold delivery until ## date.
• G—Deliver by mail or telephone (no toll call). If

toll required cancel message and notify sending station.

Station of Origin

• Call sign of first station that put message in into

NTS format. (this is not the messages original author) i.e. If the message was given to you to send then you are the station of origin.

Check

• The number of words in the message including

X-Ray (written as X) used for periods.The preamble, address and signature are NOT

• included. X-Ray is not used after the last word
• f the message.

Place of Origin

• The name of the building or agency where the
• riginator of the message is located. This is

NOT the location of the station that first handled the message (see Station of Origin).

Time Filed

• Optional for routine messages but used for

welfare, priority and emergency messages. In emergencies use local time followed by PST or PDT in our case.

Date

• The date the message was first placed in the

traffic system. Use the same date as the time zone indicated in the Time block.

Reading Preamble on Air

• Do not read the headings of each block. Read
• nly the information in the block. Read above

preamble as follows:

• EOC Zero Zero One, Priority, Echo, Whiskey

Seven Mike India Romeo, One Four, EOC, One Eight Four Five PDT, April One Nine. (Pause between each block to give receiving operator time to write.)

To (Address)

Add call sign if going to a ham. Be sure to include area code in phone number. If you received the message from some other ham fill in the block on the right.

Message (Text)

• 25 words maximum, 5 words per line. Word count this

message is 12.

• Use “xray” for period and “query” for question mark.
• Write signature and call sign below the text. Include phone

number

Received/Sent

• Name, call sign, date and time received.
• Name, call sign, date and time sent (sent block

used when relaying a message.)

ARL Numbered Text

• Numbered text is used to reduce the word count

in a message.

• ARL text numbers are always spelled out. I.e.,

ARL SEVEN.

• Word count, Check, is written ARL#. I.e., ARL12

to alert receiving station that at least one ARL message is included.

ARL Numbered Text

ONE--Everyone safe here. Please don't worry. TWO--Coming home as soon as possible. THREE--Am in ____ hospital. Receiving excellent care and recovering fine. FOUR--Only slight property damage here. Do not be concerned about disaster reports. FIVE--Am moving to new location. Send no further mail or communication. Will inform you of new address when relocated. SIX--Will contact you as soon as possible. SEVEN--Please reply by Amateur Radio through the amateur delivering this

• message. This is a free public service.

EIGHT--Need additional _____ mobile or portable equipment for immediate emergency use. NINE--Additional _____ radio operators needed to assist with emergency at this location.

ARL Numbered Text

(Continued)

• TEN--Please contact ______. Advise to standby and provide further

emergency information, instructions or assistance.

• ELEVEN--Establish Amateur Radio emergency communications with

______ on _____ MHz.

• TWELVE--Anxious to hear from you. No word in some time. Please

contact me as soon as possible.

• THIRTEEN--Medical emergency situation exits here.
• FOURTEEN--Situation here becoming critical. Losses and damage from

____ increasing.

• FIFTEEN--Please advise your condition and what help is needed.
• SIXTEEN--Property damage very severe in this area.
• SEVENTEEN--REACT communications services also available.

Establish REACT communication with ______ on channel

• _____.

ARL Numbered Text

(Continued)

• NINETEEN--Request health and welfare report on______. (State name,

address and telephone number.)

• TWENTY--Temporarily stranded. Will need some assistance. Please

contact me at ______.

• TWENTY ONE--Search and Rescue assistance is needed by local

authorities here.Advise availability.

• TWENTY TWO--Need accurate information on the extent and type of

conditions now existing at your location. Please

• furnish this information and reply without delay.
• TWENTY THREE--Report at once the accessibility and best way to

reach your location.

• TWENTY FOUR--Evacuation of residents from this area urgently
• needed. Advise plans for help.
• TWENTY FIVE--Furnish as soon as possible the weather conditions at

your location.

• TWENTY SIX--Help and care for evacuation of sick and injured from this

Comments

• MIRO has not used ARL numbered text in the
• past. The information was included to show that

they do exist and are used in NTS messages.

Informal Messaging

Word count is not needed. Header is simple. More messages can be passed in a given period of time.

Comments

Volunteer Message Form

Header

Date/Time call was received from the field over the radio.

Incident number assigned by radio operator (keep log) Circle Precedence (See bottom of form for assignment of precedence)

From/To Block

From: Field station sending the message. Message To: Name to whom the message is being sent. If message is forwarded indicate in the noted blocks.

Incident Location

• Identify the location as specifically as possible.

Message

If you are the sending operator, be prepared to edit to message to reduce the word count without changing the meaning of the message. Some message writers don't think of keeping it short.

Transmitting Message

• Speak slowly. Remember someone is writing

the message down as you speak.

• Stop frequently for a few seconds by saying

“Break”

• Make certain that the message is received

before signing off.

Questions?