THE ARRL MESSAGE FORMAT

The standard ARRL message format is used to send written amateur radio messages throughout the National Traffic System (ARRL NTS) and independent nets. The format is standardized in order to provide a uniform means of originating, handling, and tracking messages.

A message is considered a “formal” radiogram when it is completed with a correctly formatted preamble, address, text and signature. Stations in the system are not obligated to handle incomplete or improperly formatted messages.

The ARRL standard message consists of four main parts:

1. PREAMBLE: Information to track the message;

2. ADDRESS: Name and address of the intended recipient;

(with optional delivery “Op Note”);

3. TEXT: The message information; and

4. SIGNATURE: The party for whom the message was originated;

(with optional reply “Op Note”).

All messages must have a preamble. The preamble of the message contains information about the message necessary to keep track of it as it passes through the amateur system.

The parts of the preamble, except for the check as noted later, are NOT changed by any station relaying or delivering the message. They are permanent parts of the message created by the station of origin and must remain with the message all the way to the delivery point.

MESSAGE NUMBER, #

The message number is selected by the station originating the message and it must be on all messages. It stays with the message all the way to the point of delivery. The delivering station may need to reply to the station of origin and refer to this number.

Use number digits only, no letters, leading zeros, or dashes. Numbers are usually begun with 1 at the start of a year or month at the pleasure of the originating station.

MESSAGE PRECEDENCE, PREC.

Letter(s) used to indicate the precedence of the message, and must be on all messages. The latest Precedence full definitions are found on ARRL Form FSD-3. Messages are handled in the order of precedence as much as possible as follows;

EMERGENCY (Spelled out on form.):

Any message having life and death urgency to any person or group of persons, which is transmitted by Amateur Radio in the absence of regular commercial facilities. This includes official messages of welfare agencies during emergencies requesting supplies, materials or instructions vital to relief of stricken populace in emergency areas. DURING NORMAL TIMES, IT WILL BE VERY RARE. When in doubt, do not use it.

Emergency is always spelled out in the preamble. Means other than Amateur Radio should be included in the delivery options. EMERGENCY messages have immediate urgency. They should take priority over any other activity and should be passed by the best means available with the cooperation of all stations.

PRIORITY (P):

This classification is for a) important messages having a specific time limit, b) official messages not covered in the emergency category, c) press dispatches and emergency related traffic not of the utmost urgency, d) notice of death or injury in a disaster area, personal or official.

WELFARE (W):

This classification refers to either an inquiry as to the health and welfare of an individual in the disaster area or an advisory from the disaster area that indicates all is well. Welfare traffic is handled only after all emergency and priority traffic is cleared. The Red Cross equivalent to an incoming Welfare message is DWI (Disaster Welfare Inquiry).

ROUTINE (R):

Most traffic in normal times will bear this designation. In disaster situations, traffic labeled Routine should be handled last, or not at all when circuits are busy with higher precedence traffic.

EXERCISE MESSAGES: Messages in the ARRL format passed for test and exercise may be given a precedence preceded by the word “TEST”, as in “TEST R”, “TEST P”, “TEST W”, or “TEST EMERGENCY”.

HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS, [HX ], OPTIONAL

OPTIONAL. Do not use handling instructions unless a particular need is present. Handling instructions are used to instruct the relaying and/or delivering operator to handle the message according to codes as listed on ARRL CD 218, a pink card.). If used, handling instructions must stay with the message to the point of delivery.

STATION OF ORIGIN

The call sign of the amateur station originating (creating) the message for first introduction into the amateur system is the station of origin and must be on all messages. This call sign must stay with the message to the point of delivery.

CHECK, CK

The check is the number of word "groups" in the text of the message and must be used on all messages. This number is used by operators to verify that the text has been copied with the correct number of groups. :

PLACE OF ORIGIN

The PLACE OF ORIGIN is the location (city and state) of the party for whom the message is created, not necessarily the location of the station of origin. . The PLACE OF ORIGIN relates to the signature and should make sense to the addressee as the place the signing party is located. It must stay with the message to the point of delivery.

TIME FILED, [TIME], OPTIONAL

The OPTIONAL "TIME FILED" is used only when filing time has some importance relative to the precedence, handling instructions, or meaning in the text. TIME FILED is the time when the message is created by the station of origin.

MONTH FILED, MON

Month must be used on all messages. ; This entry is the month in which the message is created and is written in the preamble as the three letter abbreviation: The month/day is assumed to be UTC unless marked otherwise by a time.