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.
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.
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.
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.
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.