[Charlie Rocheleau, W1CPR, is a FEMA Communications Specialist in the MAssachusetts Task Force 1 (MA-TF1.]
Thanks so much for the follow up with our [radiogram] traffic. The dedication and skill of the NTS members is without parallel. I believe it to be a national treasure that must be maintained and strengthened during these very uncertain world events. ALL of our traffic is sent HF using PACTOR and no infrastructure.
We appreciate your hard work.
During a lengthy meeting with Washington a few months ago, HQ asked us to investigate any and all methods of contacting team members during a catastrophic communications failure. MATF ran tests with NTS a few months ago. We put almost 250 radiograms through the system and they were extremely successful. We learned some lessons and everyone got great practice.
The Alerts I sent out today were real world alerts as the task force MA-TF1 (FEMA US&R) is on stand-by for a deployment to Kentucky. Steve Hanson, KB1TCE, runs a digital hub in Owls Head, Maine and has been my go-to person for injecting these messages quickly into the NTS system.
Best to you and your team, and thanks for passing the traffic!
-Charlie Rocheleau, W1CPR
Postscript:
Winlink messages received at KB1TCE for insertion into DTN are forwarded to KW1U MBO for distribution through the DTN network. Having received an alert from W1CPR that 40 Priority messages would be coming this way, I alerted key MA traffic handlers to be ready and these folks did a fantastic job of getting them out. KC1MSN took a total of 11 off the board for EM2MN, W1RVY took and delivered one and I delivered one to Maynard and distributed most of the rest via First Region Net to K1UAF, WX1T and KC1KVY who either delivered or distributed further. W1LEM also took Cape Cod traffic off the board. Kudos to all the folks who helped get all 40 out in one day.Marcia KW1U