K1HEJ packet info
The ICRC hosts a single packet node in Burlington, Ct. ICRC KA stand alone node operational on 145.07.
NTS packet infoUpdated 8/1/09
I am combining sending and receiving packet messages into this one document. Just to try and make it a bit simpler on receiving messages, once I have read the message at the BBS I usually Highlight the whole message including the preamble on my screen, click on edit and select copy. Then I open a new word file, and paste the message into the file. Then I save the new file. ALWAYS remember to kill (k space and the message number) a message you have taken from the Board for relay or delivery.
Lets use the message as an example. This how it looks if you have received it via voice.
NR 1200 R HXG WB5NKD 21 OKLAHOMA CITY OK JAN 27
RICHARD CLAING W1RGC
20 JOAN CIRCLE
MANCHESTER CT 06040
860 649 3291
BT
TO HELP IN PUBLIC SERVICE
HELP TRAIN OTHERS HOW TO
RELAY MESSAGES X TRAIN FOR
DISASTERS X GAIN LIFETIME FRIENDS
73
BT
PAT WB5NKD
Now to send it on packet you add two lines. At the FBB BBS alphabet soup line (that list of letters when you connect to the BBS) your first line to send is:
ST 06040@NTSCTThe ST stands for send traffic, a space then the 5 number zip code, the at sign ( @ ) (NO Space after zip code) then NTS (No space after the ( @ ) sign here either) followed by the two letter state abbreviation followed by an enter (carriage return for us old teletype folks.)
The BBS usually responds “Subject”.
You type “QTC a space, Town name used in the postal address in the message, a space, Telephone Area code, a space, three digit telephone exchange number, a space. Iif the message is going to a ham – his or her call followed by a return. That information for this messages would be “QTC Manchester 860 649 W1RGC”.Now the BBS will usually respond with “Message” or something similar.
At this point you send the entire message starting at the beginning of the preamble.
NR 1200 R HXG WB5NKD 21 OKLAHOMA CITY OK JAN 27
RICHARD CLAING W1RGC
20 JOAN CIRCLE
MANCHESTER CT 06040
860 649 3291
BT
TO HELP IN PUBLIC SERVICE
HELP TRAIN OTHERS HOW TO
RELAY MESSAGES X TRAIN FOR
DISASTERS X GAIN LIFETIME FRIENDS
73
BT
PAT WB5NKD
Note: between the two BT’s there are 5 words per line followed by a return – standard NTS Message text format. After the end of the signature you do a Return.
On the New line you type “/ex followed by another return.
This tells the BBS to close the file and send the message. The FBB BBS will now send you the number the message was assigned by the BBS and where the message will be routed to. Record on your paper message the BBS’s assigned number – just incase you have to track the message in the future.
There are 4 FBB BBS’s you can connect to . W1EDH-4, W1WCG-4, KD1RY-4 or W1HAD-4. To start with use W1EDH as it will be a faster path. All CT Section FBB BBS’s are programmed to forward all NTS Messages. In state will be held at W1HAD-4 all through get auto forwarded out of state
Now a trick or two that will make the whole process a bit easier.
1. IF your using the program Winpack for your com program this works. It will also work with all other com programs BUT the process of doing it may be slightly different. You can create the whole file ahead of time using word and save the file as a “text only” file. I usually save it to the desktop. You open the Winpack edit window (most left hand button on the top row of the Winpack screen). Then I minimize the Winpack screen and open the message text message file on the desk top. I click edit and select all from the drop down menu. I then click edit again and this time select copy. I now maximize the Winpack window, click on the left hand “button” in the winpack screen and paste the file into the edit window which has opened. To send the file, you now click the third button in from the left on the Winpack top line – the button that has the rocket on it. What is in the edit window cue now gets sent. Once the text has cleared from the Edit window you right click on the edit window and select “hide” from the drop down menu. By sending traffic in this method you can take as long as you need to type in the message and it gets send as fast as the channel will support it, minimizing the time the channel is tied up for sending.
2. I usually – if time permits – do a LL 3 (list last three) after the board acknowledges receipt of the message. This lets me see the size of the message in bites and I can further verify the board got the complete message. DO NOT Read the message you sent! If you need to, you should kill it and resend it again as reading it will mark it as read and it will not forward out marked read.
3. ALL incoming CT NTS messages are held at W1HAD-4. To connect to W1HAD-4 you first connect to W1EDH and then tell that to connect to W1HAD-4. Once connected and the connect billboard has finished coming back to you, type
LT and a return.
You will get a list of all NTS traffic on the board.
(1) W1HAD BBS (H for help) >
lt
Msg# TSLD Dim To @ BBS From Date/Time Title (LC-choice: *)
98446 T$ 311 06259 @NTSCT KW1U 0311/1633 POMFRET CENTER 860
98372 T$ 547 06812 @NTSCT KW1U 0309/2003 Fwd: NEW FAIRFIELD CT
98371 T$ 539 06897 @NTSCT KW1U 0309/2003 Fwd: WILTON CT
98354 T$ 378 06082 @NTSCT WB6OTS 0309/1433 ENFIELD
98348 T$ 336 06450 @NTSCT VE3GNA 0309/0903 MERIDEN 203 630
98320 T$ 215 06052 @NTSCT K1HEJ 0308/1413 Qtc new britain 860 223 k1hej
98317 T$ 229 06052 @NTSCT K1HEJ 0308/1225 Qtc new britain 860 223 k1hej
98307 T$ 222 06052 @NTSCT K1HEJ 0308/0823 Qtc new britain 860 223 k1hej
98304 T$ 217 06052 @NTSCT K1HEJ 0308/0800 Qtc new britain 860 223 k1hej
98302 TN 233 06052 @NTSCT K1HEJ 0308/0759 Qtc new britain 860 223 k1hej
98280 T$ 221 06052 @NTSCT K1HEJ 0307/2030 Qtc new britain 860 223 k1hej
98279 T$L 96 06052 @NTSCT K1HEJ 0307/2006 Qtc new britain 860 223 k1hej
98276 T$ 211 06052 @NTSCT K1HEJ 0307/1958 Qtc new britain 860 223 k1hej
98274 TF 375 74012 @NTSOK K1HEJ 0307/1858 QTC BROKEN ARROW 918 252 WA5YN
98273 TF 365 98683 @NTSWA K1HEJ 0307/1858 qtc vancover 360 944 w7qu
(1) W1HAD BBS (H for help )>
the left hand column is the message number ON W1HAD-4. The column marked TSLD indicates the message is NTS traffic by the T$. The number in the DIM column indicates how many bites long the message is. The remainder of the columns are pretty self explanatory until you get to the column labeled (LC-Choice:*) That’s the column that displays what the sending station put in the “subject line”. Now look at message number 98279. Notice that has T$L in the TSLD column. The L indicates the message was put on at W1HAD-4 direct. All the others have forwarded in to W1HAD-4 through the system.
Now from the LC – choice column you can see that everyone doesn’t use the full subject line info but you also see how much more you can tell about the message doing it this way.
NOW VERY IMPORTANT! Notice number 09274 and 98273 are marked TF in the TSLD column. DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING down from a Board Marked TF. TF indicates that the message has been auto forwarded to another BBS closer to the message’s destination.
Larry K1HEJ