Chapter Nine: NTS Traffic Routing
The following example shows how traffic is or can be routed through the National Traffic System. In each case, perfect (ideal) operating conditions and 100% adherence to system as previously outlined are assumed.
9.1 Example of NTS Message Routing
This example demonstrates how a message originating in Florida finds its way to Los Angeles in the evening cycle. W4ABC is an amateur in St. Petersburg, Florida who has been asked to originate a message to Los Angeles. All times are UTC, assuming local standard time is being observed throughout.
- W4ABC reports the message into the West Central Florida Section Net at 0000 and transmits it to W4ANK, the station designated to take traffic to 4RN.
- W4ANK takes the message to 4RN at 0045, gives it to N4GHI, the station designated to take traffic to EAN.
- N4GHI reports the message into EAN at 0130, gives it to W3PQ, who is TCC Station B.
- W3PQ keeps a TCC out-of-net schedule with N6GIW (TCC Station H) and sends him the message. This is a transcontinental hop, but the two stations involved may pick any frequency or mode in any band. The exchange must have been completed by 0430, when PAN meets.
- N6GIW reports the message into PAN at 0430, gives it to W6JXK, the RN6 (receive) representative.
- W6JXK reports the message into RN6 at 0530, gives it to W6INH, the Los Angeles Section representative.
- W6INH reports it into Southern California Net at 0600, gives it to K6INK, the Los Angeles station nearest the destination.
- K6INK can telephone or otherwise deliver the message to the addressee upon receipt. The message originated in South Carolina at 0000, was delivered in LA at about 0630.
In addition to the NTS routing system, wide-coverage independent nets and direct connections to key cities in foreign countries are also available. These key cities, usually accessed through the independent nets, have been especially valuable in assisting with disaster communications in Central and South America. The independent nets take on a wide variety of types and forms with many of the most active heard daily on 40 and 20 meters. The 20-meter nets, particularly the International Assistance and Traffic Net, are especially important in covering the areas of the Caribbean, Central, North and South America.
9.2 NTS Routing Guide
State/Province Abbr. Region Area Alaska AK 7 PAN Alabama AL 5 CAN Alberta AB 7 PAN Arizona AZ 12 PAN Arkansas AR 5 CAN British Columbia BC 7 PAN California CA 6 PAN Colorado CO 12 PAN Connecticut CT 1 EAN Delaware DE 3 EAN District of Columbia DC 3 EAN Florida FL 4 EAN Georgia GA 4 EAN Guam GU 6 PAN Hawaii HI 6 PAN Idaho ID 7 PAN Illinois IL 9 CAN Indiana IN 9 CAN Iowa IA 10 CAN Kansas KS 10 CAN Kentucky KY 9 CAN Labrador LB 11 EAN Louisiana LA 5 CAN Maine ME 1 EAN Manitoba MB 10 CAN Maryland MD 3 EAN Massachusetts MA 1 EAN Michigan MI 8 EAN Minnesota MN 10 CAN Mississippi MS 5 CAN Missouri MO 10 CAN Montana MT 7 PAN Nebraska NE 10 CAN Nevada NV 6 PAN New Brunswick NB 11 EAN New Hampshire NH 1 EAN New Jersey NJ 2 EAN New Mexico NM 12 PAN New York NY 2 EAN Newfoundland NF 11 EAN North Carolina NC 4 EAN North Dakota ND 10 CAN Nova Scotia NS 11 EAN Ohio OH 8 EAN Oklahoma OK 5 CAN Ontario ON 11 EAN Oregon OR 7 PAN Pennsylvania PA 3 EAN Prince Edward Island PE 11 EAN Puerto Rico PR 4 EAN Quebec PQ 11 EAN Rhode Island RI 1 EAN Saskatchewan SK 10 CAN South Carolina SC 4 EAN South Dakota SD 10 CAN Tennessee TN 5 CAN Texas TX 5 CAN Utah UT 12 PAN Vermont VT 1 EAN Virginia VA 4 EAN Virgin Islands VI 4 EAN Washington WA 7 PAN West Virginia WV 8 EAN Wisconsin WI 9 CAN Wyoming WY 12 PAN APO New York APO NY 2 EAN APO San Francisco APO SF 6 PAN
9.3 Message Routing in the Digital Station Network
In the HF system of NTS Digital Relay Stations, routings are more flexible, and are left to the discretion of the individual mailbox operators, under the general direction of the Area Digital Coordinators.
Routings should, of course, be planned with the goal of moving the traffic as close to its destination as quickly as possible, and/or to fill a liaison function that cannot be met in the traditional system. Routing should always be made with stations that can be relied upon to handle the traffic expeditiously and responsibly, under NTS official authority and direction.
The same principles apply to the VHF packet network of NTS nodes at the local and Section levels. It is the responsibility of the Section Traffic Manager and the Net (Node) Managers to ensure that NTS traffic is cleared, or otherwise forwarded or handled expeditiously, on a daily basis.
