|
In some areas the National Traffic System has slowly declined in activity. Section Managers and Section Traffic Managers are encouraged to promote and oversee the NTS in each Section. Not all of the nets listed on this page are part of the NTS although they may pass formal traffic from time to time.
National Traffic System -- A Multi-tiered Communications Network
The National Traffic System (NTS) is the principal facility for medium to long range traffic. It is organized on the basis of daily operation, in consonance with the operating habits of the average radio amateur. In emergencies, NTS is geared to go into continuous operation in accordance with the needs and the extent of the particular emergency.
The National Traffic System consists of four levels of traffic nets which operate in an orderly time sequence to effect a definite traffic flow pattern from point of origin to point of destination. A message flows through the National Traffic System in a manner similar to an air line passenger who starts out in a small town with a destination across the continent in another small town. He has to change carriers several times in the process, starting with a small feeder air line, changing to a regional carrier, to a transcontinental carrier, back to a regional, and then to the feeder which lands at the destination town.
In a similar manner, the trans-continental message starts with the originating station, often right at the disaster site, is picked up on a local net, which transfers it to the regional and then trans-continental net and then back down to the destination for delivery by a local net. Throughout the process, the message is handled only by radio amateurs who are trained and practiced to professional standards in traffic-handling. The routing from end to end is a controlled process so that the message accuracy and integrity is maintained.
This is in distinct contrast to the potentially haphazard handling a message may receive if it is sent through uncontrolled amateur radio net routing, where it may be handled by well-meaning but untrained operators. The average radio amateur is simply not familiar enough with proper traffic net and traffic handling procedures to ensure accurate and consistent transmission.
Local nets are those which cover small areas such as a community, city, county or metropolitan area, smaller than a RAC Section. Many operate by VHF FM at times or on days most convenient to their members. Often these are designated as ARES nets, but they do not specialize in traffic handling. Local nets are intended mainly for local delivery of traffic when delivery can ordinarily be effected by non-toll telephone.
Some NTS local nets operate on a daily basis, just as do other nets in the NTS system. These put the traffic as close as possible to its actual destination before delivery. This provides regular practices for a procedure which might be essential in a real emergency, where other forms of telephone and cellular communication may not be available, due to damage or overload.
Listeners and check-ins are welcome on the Local traffic nets. You should listen sufficiently so that you know the net procedures before checking in. There are also Learning Nets in some locations.
National Traffic System activities in each RAC Section are under the direction of the Section Traffic Manager (STM), who is appointed by the Section Manager (SM). Each NTS net operates under a Net Manager (NM) who is appointed by the STM. Being officers of RAC, these appointments must be RAC members.
For more detailed information, visit our ARES/NTS Frequently Asked Questions page.
Please contact your Section Manager or the Section Traffic Manager (listed below) if you want to know more about how you can participate. (STMs may order Official Field Organization ID Badges using this order form.)
NEW! The RAC Field Organization now has a National Traffic System Coordinator (NTSC) in the person of Hew Lines, VA7HU. Hew is a traffic handler of long and extensive experience. As an Assistant to the VPFS, his function is to offer advice and support for existing NTS nets or to assist in creating new ones, as well as to advise the VPFS in NTS matters. He will also assist in an advisory capacity with non-NTS nets. Contact Hew by email at hewlines @ shaw.ca (remove the space on either side of the @ sign).
Below are the names and addresses of some of the volunteers across the country who contribute their time and effort to making the RAC National Traffic System organization a success. You, too, can be part of this useful and "fun" resource.
Complete listings of NTS digital nets may be seen at NTS Digital.
For further information about the NTS please see Section II of the Public Service Communications Manual. The PSCM is used by both the ARRL and RAC. Wherever "ARRL" or "the league" appear in the text, please read "RAC".
If you have questions concerning a specific net that is listed below, please contact that net's Net Manager.
Those nets which are not formal traffic nets interoperating with the NTS, such as ARES nets, are local service or specialty nets and many are located across Canada. RAC has no input as to how those nets operate or who the Net Manager will be.
Other nets listed may not be formal traffic nets, but may have the ability to pass such traffic. They are listed here as a courtesy. For information on other non-NTS Canadian nets of which RAC is aware, please see Canadian Nets.
National Traffic System Coordinator (Advisory Position)
VA7HU Hew Lines
9494 Maryland Drive
Sidney BC V8L 2R6
Tel: (250) 656-6471
E-mail: hewlines @ shaw.ca
Alberta Section
Section Traffic Manager
VE6JRH Jack Humphries
4810-56 Street
Olds AB T4H 1G5
Tel: (403) 556-3839
E-mail: ve6jrh @ telus.net
Net Manager
Alberta Public Service Net
VE6AKY
Gus Bakker
R.R. # 1
Waskatenau AB T0A 3P0
Tel: (780) 398-2761
E-mail: gus_bakker 
yahoo.com
Net Manager
Alberta Traffic Net
VE6JAZ Robert Young
2631 - 36 St S.W.
Calgary
AB T3E 2Z7
Tel: (403) 249 3662
British Columbia Section
Section Traffic Manager
VE7CYY Allan Ross
790 West Queens Rd. N
Vancouver BC
Tel: (604) 988-1030
E-mail: ve7cyy @ telus.net
Net Manager BCEN
VE7XLH Len C Hooper
5101 Island Highway W
Qualicum
Beach BC V9K 1Z1
Tel: (250) 752-9278
Fax: (250) 752-9038
Pkt:
VE7XLH@winlink.org
E-mail: bahari.bb @ shaw.ca
Net Manager BCPSN
VA7DR Drew Watson
131 Cedar Lane
Salt Spring Island BC
V8R 1R1
Tel: (250) 537-9159
E-mail: drwatson
uniserve.com
Net Manager BCYTN (BC-Yukon Traffic Net)
VE7CYY Allan Ross
790 West Queens Rd. N
Vancouver BC
Tel: (604) 988-1030
E-mail: ve7cyy @ telus.net
Manitoba Section
Section Traffic Manager
(Vacant. Please contact the Section Manager if you are interested in filling this important position.)
Net Managers MMWX
VE4KGB K. G. (Garry) Barbour
PO Box 53
Matlock MB R0C 2B0
Tel: ??
E-mail: ??
Net
Managers MEPN
VE4LB Charles Allen Bailey
205 - 2340 Ottawa Ave
Brandon MB
R7B 2T4
Tel: ??
E-mail: ??
Maritime Section
(New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island)
Section Traffic Manager
(Vacant. Please contact the Section Manager if you are interested in filling this important position.)
Net Manager APN
(Vacant. Please contact the
Section Manager if you are interested in filling this important position.)
Newfoundland & Labrador Section
Section Traffic Manager
VO1BQ Joe Earles
162 Carrick Dr.
St. John's NL A1A 4P8
Tel: (709) 738-2437
E-mail: vo1bq @ rac.ca
Ontario Section
Section Traffic Manager
VE3GNA/VA3OPN
Glenn Killam
1233 Pinegrove Road
RR# 1
Roblin ON K0K 2W0
E-mail: ve3gna @ exlpornet.ca
Net Manager OPN
VA3QV Bob Sharpe
1787G Russell Road
Ottawa ON K1G 0N1
E-mail: va3qv @ rac.ca
Net Manager OLN
VE3SHM Edward Francis Grocott
# 45 - 713 Burnhamthorpe Road
Etobicoke ON M9C 2Z6
Tel: (416) 626-0351
E-mail: ve3shm @ sprint.ca
Net Manager Section ARES Net
VE3AJB
Alan Boyd
27 Redmill Road
P.O.Box
208
Little Current ON P0P 1K0
Tel: (705) 368-2779 Bus: (705) 368-2200
E-mail:
ve3ajb @ vianet.net
NTS Digital (See list here)
VE3GT Larry Thivierge
160 Bruce Street
Renfrew ON K7V 3W1
Tel: (613) 432-5967
E-mail: larryt @ sympatico.ca
VA3PM Pierre Mainville
23 Chatsworth Dr.
Brampton ON L6X 2L8
Tel: ((905) 453-6644
E-mail: VA3PM @ sympatico.ca
Québec Section
Section Traffic Manager
(Vacant. Please contact the Section Manager if you are interested in filling this important position. Le poste est vacant. Si vous êtes intéressé à le combler, veuillez contacter votre gérant de section.)
Saskatchewan Section
Section Traffic Manager
(Vacant. Please contact the Section Manager if you are interested in filling this important position.)
PLEASE READ !
In order to protect you from spam, we have processed all e-mail addresses on
this page using JavaScript coding. Though your browser can read the e-mail
addresses and you click on them to send e-mail, they appear as gibberish to a
spambot attempting to harvest e-mail addresses for the purpose of generating
more spam. In other cases, the email address is spaced out (e.g. va3rac @
rac.ca) to thwart spambots. The space on either side of the @ sign
must be removed for actual use. It will take us a while to change all the addresses on this web
site, so please be patient.
Thanks. The Webmaster E-mail:
This page was last updated 2009-12-15