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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.

  1. 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.

  2. W4ANK takes the message to 4RN at 0045, gives it to N4GHI, the station designated to take traffic to EAN.

  3. N4GHI reports the message into EAN at 0130, gives it to W3PQ, who is TCC Station B.

  4. 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.

  5. N6GIW reports the message into PAN at 0430, gives it to W6JXK, the RN6 (receive) representative.

  6. W6JXK reports the message into RN6 at 0530, gives it to W6INH, the Los  Angeles Section representative.

  7. W6INH reports it into Southern California Net at 0600, gives it to K6INK,  the Los Angeles station nearest the destination.

  8. 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.
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