Agreed. All of my traffic handling has been verbally on phone or on CW nets
so I've never had to worry about the correct print format. Thanks.



-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of John Miller
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2014 6:53 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: simple message format?

I just wanted to show how it needs to be if sent digitally or if handing off
a written or typed message to someone else. If sent wrong you'll find out
pretty fast but as long as you know the right way, how you do it for your
own needs doesn't really matter. I get a ton of messages on packet and send
many that way so doing it right is important.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Kutsch, KY2D" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2014 6:37 PM
Subject: Re: simple message format?


> John,
> You may be correct for printing a radiogram to physically deliver to 
> someone. But for reading them on the air from either Braille or my PC, 
> I find the formatting I used in my email to be helpful. It's easier 
> for me to find various elements if the receiving station wants a fill 
> on a missed word.
>
> You might also have noticed that I put the message body 5 words per line.
> Again, I do that intentionally because it's much easier to verify the 
> group count that way. It's just another trick I developed when 
> handling lots of traffic in Braille back in the 1970s.
>
> your mileage may vary.
>
> 73, Jim
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of John Miller
> Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2014 5:41 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: simple message format?
>
> The formatting came out wrong to me, the message number through the 
> date should be on one line, then recipient info and message, on mine 
> almost everything was on it's own line.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jim Kutsch, KY2D" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2014 3:57 PM
> Subject: Re: simple message format?
>
>
>> Curtis,
>> There's lots of info on the web but for a very basic answer, the 
>> basic format for a radiogram in the NTS (National Traffic System) is
below.
>> The parts in square brackets are the part you fill in. I'll define 
>> them after the message and also show you one filled in.
>>
>> Number [message number] [precedence]
>> From [originating station]
>> Check [group count]
>> [originating city/state]
>> [origination date]
>> To [addressee]
>> [address, city, state, phone number]
>> Break
>> [message body]
>> Break
>> [signature]
>>
>> The bracketed terms mean:
>> [message number]: a serial number for this message as defined by the 
>> originating station.
>> [precedence]: the importance, either "routine" or "priority" or 
>> "emergency".
>> [originating station]: call sign of the amateur station initiating 
>> the radiogram. Note, not necessarily the same as the person who signs 
>> the message as a radiogram can be sent on behalf of someone else, 
>> even a non-ham.
>> [group count]: the  number of text groups (essentially words) in the 
>> message body (between the two times the word "break" was shown above).
>> [originating city/state]: city and state where the message was 
>> initiated the message [origination date]: the date the message was 
>> created
>> [addressee]: the person to whom the message is addressed. If a ham, 
>> include callsign and name.
>> [address, city, state, phone number]: The full address and phone 
>> number of the message recipient. This can be abbreviated if the 
>> message is being sent on a local traffic net and the recipient is 
>> known. Anything going a fairly long distance should have full address 
>> and phone.
>> [message body]: The text of the message itself. Use the letter X 
>> standing alone  as a period and count that as one of the words in the 
>> group count for the check.
>> [signature]: The name and optionally callsign of the person signing 
>> the message.
>>
>> So, here's one completely filled out.
>> Number 123 Routine
>> Check 12
>> Morristown, NJ
>> 23 March, 2014
>>
>> To Curtis Delzer K6VFO
>> San Bernardino, CA.
>>
>> Break
>>
>> This is a sample NTS
>> radiogram X Please ask any
>> questions 73
>> Break
>>
>> Jim, KY2D
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: For blind ham radio operators
>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>> On Behalf Of Curtis Delzer
>> Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2014 11:59 AM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: simple message format?
>>
>> Hi!  Would someone just give to me a simple formal message layout?
>> I mean in order such as:
>> origination, destination, etc?
>> THANKS!
>>
>>
>> Curtis Delzer.
>> K 6 V F O
>> San Bernardino, CA.
>>
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>> skype: curtis1014