National Traffic System

[1] During normal times, these messages are routine greetings ("Happy birthday Aunt Mary") and keep the system well oiled and the operators trained so that everything works when needed.

The most common type of disaster-related messages are "health and welfare" inquiries and notifications into and out of the area affected by the disaster.

[2] In April 2022, the ARRL chartered a project, NTS 2.0, to refresh procedures and standards to remain relevant to contemporary Emergency Communications services.

A net is nothing more than a time of day and a radio frequency where the appropriate group of amateur operators can meet to send the messages on their way.

ARRL Radiogram traffic typically begins and ends its journey at local nets, often through nearby repeaters.