The text
contains the actual message information authorized by the person for whom the
message was originated. Note that the amateur does not originate messages for a
person without permission from that person!
The text is
entered in section 3 of the message form. (When transmitting a message, the
text is separated from the preceding address, and the signature to follow, by
the use of the word "BREAK" on voice, the prosign <BT> on CW,
to allow the receiving operator to know its beginning and end. BREAK and
<BT> are not counted as groups.)
The text
is divided into word "groups", five or ten to a line for easy
counting, and is usually limited to 25 words or less.
|
|
ARL |
FORTY |
SIX |
X |
DO |
|
|
YOU |
WANT |
THE |
304/BA |
EQUIPMENT |
|
|
QUERY |
THE |
SIX |
DASH |
B |
|
|
TYPE |
IS |
NO |
LONGER |
AVAILABLE |
|
|
X |
CU |
ON |
7013R5 |
73 |
Note the
use of "X", "QUERY", "/", "DASH”, “R” and
spelled-out numbers for the ARRL numbered radiogram "ARL FORTY SIX" (See
the following section.). The check is ARL 25.
PUNCTUATION
characters are not used in the text except as follows:
|
/: |
The slash, "/", is used to
separate characters within a group, as in 304/BA. Since the “/” is part of the
group it does not qualify as a separate group for the check. Although usually
not used as a group by itself (a space on the left and on the right), if so
used it would be counted in the check. |
|
X: |
The
letter "X" used to denote a period. The letter "X" is
never used as the last group of the text. The “X” is a separate group and IS
counted for the check. |
|
R: |
The
letter "R" is used in place of a decimal in mixed figure groups, as
in 7013R5 (7013.5), or 146R670 (146.670). Since the “R” is part of the group
it does not qualify as a separate group for the check. (The inclusion of the
“R” makes the group a “mixed group” for transmission on voice.) |
OTHER
PUNCTUATION is
spelled out (in order to avoid confusion with prosigns used in the transmission
of the message) as in "QUERY" for a question, "DASH" to
separate special number or mixed groups, "EXCLAMATION",
"COMMA", etc. (Hyphens are NOT used in telephone number groups or
anywhere else in the text.) Such punctuation words are separate groups and ARE
counted for the check.
"Q"-SIGNALs and other letter groups are
permitted in the text. Ciphers, codes, and encryption, and other groups
intended to obscure the meaning, are not.
SALUTATIONS:Words like "love" and
"regards", often associated with signatures in formal letters, are
put in the text in amateur messages (not in the signature).
Punctuation
is not permitted. Appropriate spelled words are used as substitutes where
required, i.e.:
W3XXX ATSIGN AOL DOT COM ("AT" may be used for "ATSIGN")
W3XXX ATSIGN WB3XXX DOT MD DOT USA DOT NA
HTTP COLON SLASH SLASH WWW DOT HOMEPAGE DOT COM
Notes:
"\" is written as "BACKSLASH", “/” is written as “SLASH”.
"TILDE", "UNDERSCORE", "POUNDSIGN", etc., are
often encountered.
Use "UPPERCASE" or "LOWERCASE" where required to specify
case.
Use "SPACE" and “DASH” where they are an integral part of an address
group.
ARRL
Numbered Radiograms are messages encoded as one or two numbers, some with
option blanks to be filled out in the text, to permit many words to be
condensed to a few. These numbers are always spelled out in the written message
and in transmission, and are always preceded by the letters "ARL", as
in “ARL FORTY SIX” in the example text.
For example, ARL SIXTY TWO reads
"Greetings and best wishes to you for a pleasant [___] holiday
season". In a message text this would be written as "ARL SIXTY TWO
CHRISTMAS", where the word CHRISTMAS fills in the blank. Some blanks may
require multiple words. Some ARRL Numbered Radiograms have multiple blanks. The
text groups completing such multiple blanks may usually flow after the numbers,
but they may be separated with an “X” if required for clarity.
More than one
ARL message may be placed in the text. Each one is preceded by "ARL".
The CHECK must contain "ARL" ahead of the group count if these
radiograms are used in the text. An “X” may be used to prevent ambiguity at the
end of the numbered radiogram, with or without a blank, otherwise it is not
required to separate subsequent text.
The number
value to be entered in the "CHECK" in the preamble of the message is
the total number of groups in the text between the start and end prosigns (but
not counting the prosigns).
An easy
rule to remember about counting word groups: ANY GROUP OF ONE OR MORE
CONSECUTIVE CHARACTERS WITH NO INTERRUPTING SPACES, WITH A SPACE BEFORE IT AND
AFTER IT, IS COUNTED AS ONE GROUP.
Such a
group may be all letters, all numbers, or any mix of numbers, letters, or
slashes (/), so long as there are no spaces within the group. Each word, group
of connected digits, connected mixed characters, spelled punctuation word, “X”,
or ARL constitutes one group for the purpose of calculating the total count to
enter in the check section of the preamble.
The
prosigns "BREAK", or <BT> on CW, at the start and end of the
text are not counted.
|
Examples of word groups: |
|
|
|
ONE GROUP |
TWO GROUPS |
THREE GROUPS |
|
X |
X 73 |
THANKS X 73 |
|
145R67 |
555 5678 |
301 555 3456 |
|
34TH |
34 TH |
55 DASH 56XA |
|
34TH/CMD |
34TH CMD |
34 TH CMD |
|
SIXTY |
ARL SIXTY |
ARL SIXTY SEVEN |
|
FIFTEEN |
FIFTY SIXTH |
THREE ZERO SIX |
|
7035R7KHZ |
7035R7
KHZ |
7035
DECIMAL 7 |
NOTE:
7035R7 means 7035.7, but the period symbol is not permitted. The letter
"R" is used as a substitute for DECIMAL POINT. The number group is
written as 7035R7, or 7035 DECIMAL 7. If “DECIMAL” is used it is a separate
group, making three total in this example.
EXERCISE
messages: It is customary to indicate within the text of such messages the
words “TEST MESSAGE”, or “EXERCISE”. Together, the “TEST” precedence and “TEST
MESSAGE” in the text alert those receiving the message to the exercise nature
of the content. It is suggested that use of the word “EXERCISE” as the first
and last groups of the text help make this clear to any listener even if the
entire message is not copied, thus preventing undue alarm.