ARRL Nevada Section
  • Home
  • ARES/RACES
    • Statewide SET
    • Nevada Districts >
      • Nevada Districts
      • Northwest District >
        • Northwest District >
          • Churchill County
          • Humboldt County
          • Lyon County
          • Washoe County
          • Douglas County
        • EC Report (Northwest)
        • EC Annual Report Form C
      • Northeast District >
        • Northeast District
        • EC Report (Northeast)
      • Southern District >
        • Southern District >
          • Southern Nye County
          • Clark County
        • EC Report (Southern)
      • Eastern Sierra District >
        • EC Report (Eastern Sierra)
    • ARES Training Materials
    • DEC Report
    • SEC Report
    • Monthly ARES E-Letter
  • Clubs
    • ARRL Affiliated
    • Non-Affiliated
    • Councils
  • Southgate Amateur News Feed
  • NTS
  • Networks
Chapter Six: ARRL Precedencies
and Handling Instructions

All messages handled by Amateur Radio should contain precedencies -- that is, an evaluation of each message's importance, made by the originating station. A precedence is an "order of handling." There are four precedencies in the ARRL message form: Emergency, Priority (P), Welfare (W) and Routine (R), in that order of handling. When and as they appear on a net or any other kind of circuit, messages will be handled in this order.

 
6.1 Emergency 
Any message having life and death urgency to any person or group of persons,  which is transmitted by Amateur Radio in the absence of regular commercial facilities. This includes official messages of welfare agencies during emergencies requesting supplies, materials or instructions vital to relief to stricken populace in emergency areas. During normal times, it will be very rare.  On CW, RTTY, AMTOR and packet this designation will always be spelled out. When  in doubt, do not use this designation.

 
6.2 Priority 
Use abbreviation P on CW, RTTY, AMTOR and packet. This classification is for important messages having a specific time limit, official messages not covered in the emergency category, press dispatches and emergency-related traffic not of  the utmost urgency.

 
6.3 Welfare 
This classification, abbreviated as W on CW, RTTY, AMTOR and packet, refers to either an inquiry as to the health and welfare of an individual in the   disaster area or an advisory from the disaster area that indicates all is well.  Welfare traffic is handled only after all emergency and priority traffic is   cleared. The Red Cross equivalent to an incoming Welfare message is DWI (Disaster Welfare Inquiry).

 
6.4 Routine
 
Most traffic in normal times will bear this designation. In disaster situations, traffic labeled Routine (R on CW, RTTY, AMTOR and packet) should be   handled last, or not at all when circuits are busy with higher-precedence traffic.

The precedence will follow, but is not a part of the message number. For example, a message may begin with NR 207 R on CW, "Number Two Zero Seven, Routine" on phone.

 
6.5 Handling Instructions
 
Handling instructions (HX) are less used but quite useful in handling messages. They serve to convey any special instructions to handling and   delivering operators. This "pro-sign," when used, is inserted in the message preamble between the precedence and the station of origin. Its use is optional with the originating stations, but once inserted is mandatory with all relaying  stations.

The following definitions apply:
  • HXA--(Followed by number) Collect landline delivery unauthorized by addressee within X miles. (If no number, authorization is  unlimited.)     
    HXB
    --(Followed by number) Cancel message if not delivered within X hours of filing time; service originating station.
  • HXC--Report date and time of delivery (TOD) to originating station.
  • HXD--Report to originating station the identity of station from which received, plus date and time. Report identity of station to which relayed, plus date and time, or if delivered report date, time and method of delivery.
  • HXE--Delivering station get reply from addressee, originate message back.
  • HXF--(Followed by number.) Hold delivery until...(specific date).
  • HXG--Delivery by mail or landline toll call not required. If toll or other expense involved, cancel message and service originating station. Example: NR 207 R HXA50 W4MLE 12...(etc.).
If more than one HX prosign is used, they can be combined if no numbers are to be inserted, otherwise the HX should be repeated thus: NR 207 R HXAC W4MLE...(etc.). On phone, use phonetics for the letter or letters following the HX, to ensure accuracy.

All Rights Reserved   2013-2016    ARRL Nevada Section