Welcome to the Traffic Thursday website I invite all amateur radio operators to join in!
Check in to this weekly system-wide “virtual net” that utilizes the traffic system and the radiogram form to help build your traffic handling skills while getting to know your fellow traffic handlers!
Here’s how it works
On Thursdays at 00:00 UTC I will update the weekly check-in question below. Answering the question is optional, and just a way for us to have a little fun and get to know each other.
Any time from that Thursday through the following Wednesday, send your check in, and the answer to the question if you’d like, via the traffic system. As traffic arrives I will update the weekly check-in list and share your responses.
Review the Purpose and how to check in section below for more details.
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is customary on radiogram traffic. In fact, if you don’t specify a time zone, UTC is assumed! I ask that you please use UTC in your traffic to help avoid ambiguity. It’s also how I measure transit time as a way to monitor system performance.
The current date and time:
Optional check-in question
Does your amateur radio station have emergency power? What’s your setup?
Submit your check-ins via the traffic system
Send your radiogram responses via the traffic system to:
AARON HULETT K8AMH
PO BOX 479
LITTLE ELM TX 75068
OP NOTE DELIVER VIA DALLAS TX LOCAL NET
In the text, use “TRAFFIC THURSDAY” for the first two words/groups, and then, if you’d like, tell me your answer for the week’s question.
The OP NOTE is meant to help your traffic arrive via the traffic system. As a passionate traffic handler, I pick up my traffic direct from the system and don’t take delivery by phone or email. Accordingly, no need to include a phone number or email address as I regularly check in on the DFW Metroplex Traffic Net to pick up traffic. If you are a traffic handler and have traffic headed my way, please continue routing it to Dallas for delivery via the local net.
Subscribe to the Traffic Thursday email list
Receive a reminder to check in along with the optional question of the week, direct in your inbox every Thursday!
What is the National Traffic System?
The National Traffic System (NTS) is a network of amateur radio operators who move information during disasters and other emergencies. General messages offering well wishes also move through the NTS to help test the system and to help amateur radio operators build traffic handling skills. While the NTS is primarily set up to serve the United States and Canada, it is possible to move traffic internationally through the NTS.
Additional resources
Purpose and how to check in
Short answer: to have fun while practicing traffic handling skills! But here are some details on what this is about and how to participate.
Purpose
The primary purposes of Traffic Thursday are to:
- Encourage traffic handlers system-wide to send radiogram traffic
- It helps drive more traffic in the system and gives us more variety in the messages we see.
- Measure transit times to better understand system performance
- Having understanding on how things are working helps us know what to expect should emergency, priority, or welfare traffic need to flow over the system.
- Identify ways we can improve the system
- Did your traffic unfortunately disappear into the system? Occurrences like this are opportunities to review what happened and help make the system better. Please let me know and we can look into this together.
Checking in
Starting each Thursday, list and send your check-in traffic using “TRAFFIC THURSDAY’ as your first two words (groups) in the text section, along with your answer for the week’s question if you like.
- While I greatly enjoy originating messages for third parties that do not have amateur radio licenses, to try and help keep this manageable, I will only take submissions from amateur radio operators, and you must be the station of origin as shown in the radiogram preamble. Encourage your fellow hams to participate in traffic handling!
- Check-ins must arrive via the National Traffic System.
- While I can understand some may want to answer by email or direct by Winlink, the goal is to exercise traffic handling skills over the NTS. I promise I regularly check in on the DFW Metroplex Traffic Net, and I will only accept responses coming in this way.
- If you are a station handling this traffic as it’s on its way to Dallas, and you email it to me for delivery, I’ll reply and kindly ask that you keep it moving through the system.
- Yes, you can use the Radiogram form in Winlink to check in, but make sure it enters the traffic system rather than coming direct to my Winlink inbox (a.k.a. do not put my call sign in the To line).
- If you’re selecting a liaison station based on the destination region (I’m in region 5) then you’re on the right track.
- And to cover EchoLink, while the repeaters used for DFW Metroplex Traffic Nets are accessible by EchoLink, traffic is not accepted via EchoLink. When preparing for emergency traffic handling, we assume infrastructure like electricity, internet, phones, and so on are not available. Practice those on-air skills!
- While I can understand some may want to answer by email or direct by Winlink, the goal is to exercise traffic handling skills over the NTS. I promise I regularly check in on the DFW Metroplex Traffic Net, and I will only accept responses coming in this way.
- Only submit one radiogram per week. If you send me more than one, I will be an unhappy camper.
- I am using UTC, so keep this in mind. You should, too, as it is a good NTS practice. You can see the current UTC date and time at the top of this page.
- Check-ins and answers will be provided here on the website. I generally update things as soon as I receive the traffic, so what you see on the website reflects what I’ve received so far.
- I will try my darnedest to have a new question posted each Thursday, but I admit I may not always be on time. Please check in anyway!
- Really, please, just have fun with this!
I really hope you enjoy Traffic Thursday. Please know I am incredibly grateful for your participation in the National Traffic System. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
73,
Aaron | K8AMH
Section Traffic Manager
ARRL North Texas Section