ARRL and Radio Relay International (RRI) are encouraging radio amateurs to originate a holiday radiogram to friends and family members this year. “The tradition of sending a Christmas radiogram should have a nostalgic feel that fits the holiday season well,” wrote RRI Chairman James Wades, WB8SIW, in the December edition of The NTS Letter, a monthly newsletter of ARRL’s National Traffic System (NTS). “Furthermore,” added Wades, “the delivery of a radiogram serves as a great public relations opportunity.” RRI works closely with NTS.
“If one hasn’t originated a radiogram before,” Wades continued, “there are some convenient tools, one of which is available from RRI (pdf) and the other of which is an online radiogram portal developed by K1RFD for the ARRL NTS2 Committee. Both methods allow people who have never sent a radiogram in their lives to originate a message to family or friends.”
Wades encourages message originators to “please make sure you have the correct, up-to-date address information for the recipient including both a phone number and email address,” and to limit message texts to 25 words or less. You may also use ARRL Numbered Radiogram Texts “ARL Sixty One” (“Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”) or “ARL Sixty Two” (“Greetings and best wishes to you for a pleasant ______ holiday season”).
A couple of related notes for traffic handlers: ARRL and RRI have developed a Christmas season radiogram form for delivery of messages. In addition, the December NTS Letter reports on updates to “HX” handling instructions, including two new instructions and changes to others. See the issue for details.
The NTS Letter is a monthly online newsletter for participants in ARRL’s National Traffic System, a network of message-handling nets that date to the League’s earliest days. It is available free to all ARRL members .