National Traffic System Survey

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* 1. In the first survey, a significant number of respondents indicated a desire for stronger national leadership for NTS but “national leadership” was not well defined. Do you agree that stronger national guidance (from NTS Management, ARRL staff, ARRL Board of Directors, or some future entity or position) is needed in these areas?

	Strongly disagree		Agree		Strongly agree
Training standards	Training standards Strongly disagree	Training standards	Training standards Agree	Training standards	Training standards Strongly agree
Training programs	Training programs Strongly disagree	Training programs	Training programs Agree	Training programs	Training programs Strongly agree
Operational procedures	Operational procedures Strongly disagree	Operational procedures	Operational procedures Agree	Operational procedures	Operational procedures Strongly agree
Performance standards	Performance standards Strongly disagree	Performance standards	Performance standards Agree	Performance standards	Performance standards Strongly agree
Membership requirements	Membership requirements Strongly disagree	Membership requirements	Membership requirements Agree	Membership requirements	Membership requirements Strongly agree
Participation requirements	Participation requirements Strongly disagree	Participation requirements	Participation requirements Agree	Participation requirements	Participation requirements Strongly agree
Recognition and encouragement	Recognition and encouragement Strongly disagree	Recognition and encouragement	Recognition and encouragement Agree	Recognition and encouragement	Recognition and encouragement Strongly agree
Recruiting	Recruiting Strongly disagree	Recruiting	Recruiting Agree	Recruiting	Recruiting Strongly agree
Defining the mission	Defining the mission Strongly disagree	Defining the mission	Defining the mission Agree	Defining the mission	Defining the mission Strongly agree
Organizational oversight	Organizational oversight Strongly disagree	Organizational oversight	Organizational oversight Agree	Organizational oversight	Organizational oversight Strongly agree
Network management	Network management Strongly disagree	Network management	Network management Agree	Network management	Network management Strongly agree
Promoting greater use of digital modes	Promoting greater use of digital modes Strongly disagree	Promoting greater use of digital modes	Promoting greater use of digital modes Agree	Promoting greater use of digital modes	Promoting greater use of digital modes Strongly agree
Structural modernization	Structural modernization Strongly disagree	Structural modernization	Structural modernization Agree	Structural modernization	Structural modernization Strongly agree
Area Staff/NTS traffic handler relations	Area Staff/NTS traffic handler relations Strongly disagree	Area Staff/NTS traffic handler relations	Area Staff/NTS traffic handler relations Agree	Area Staff/NTS traffic handler relations	Area Staff/NTS traffic handler relations Strongly agree

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* 2. Who do you feel is the most important “customer” to NTS?

Local served agency

National served agency

General public

Amateur Radio community

ARES^®

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* 3. Do you feel that current NTS methods and participation meet the needs of the “customers” in the foreseeable future?

Yes

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* 4. Do you feel that current NTS methods and participation meet disaster welfare message needs of the public?

Yes

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* 5. Please rank the following issues facing NTS from 1-7, with 1 as the most important.
Please note: as you number the answers, they will change order

Lack of standardized training

Slowness of delivery

Low message accuracy

Too few members

Too few members active when really needed

Lack of national leadership

Lack of Section-level leadership

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* 6. If ARES and NTS were to be brought together in some fashion, how do you see this helping? Select all that apply

Greater message carrying capacity during disasters

Enabling handling of day to day Routine traffic

Greater likelihood of message delivery during disasters

Operational effectiveness

Greater resource (operators, etc) sharing

I don’t see this helping at all

Other (please specify)

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* 7. With manual NTS, to what extent do you believe the following to be a problem?

	Not significant	Somewhat significant	Very significant
Message accuracy	Message accuracy Not significant	Message accuracy Somewhat significant	Message accuracy Very significant
Delivery speed	Delivery speed Not significant	Delivery speed Somewhat significant	Delivery speed Very significant
Message delivery failure	Message delivery failure Not significant	Message delivery failure Somewhat significant	Message delivery failure Very significant

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* 8. With digital NTS, to what extent do you believe the following to be a problem?

	Not significant	Somewhat significant	Very significant
Message accuracy	Message accuracy Not significant	Message accuracy Somewhat significant	Message accuracy Very significant
Delivery speed	Delivery speed Not significant	Delivery speed Somewhat significant	Delivery speed Very significant
Message delivery failure	Message delivery failure Not significant	Message delivery failure Somewhat significant	Message delivery failure Very significant

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* 9. Are you seeing enough incoming participants in NTS nets to offset participants leaving?

Yes

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* 10. Are Official Relay Station appointments made to regular traffic handlers in your ARRL Section?

Yes

Don't know

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* 11. Would you like to see routine traffic supplemented by simulated disaster test messages?

Yes

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* 12. Do you feel that cooperative exercises including ARES and NTS are important?

Not important

Somewhat important

Very important

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* 13. Please indicate your approximate age:

Under 18

18 - 30

31 - 60

Over 60

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* 14. The Public Service Communications Manual (PSCM) is posted on the ARRL website

I have read it completely

I use it as a reference guide

I am not aware of the PSCM

I am aware of it but have not been able to find it on the ARRL website

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* 15. Do you feel that the PSCM provides an easy to understand explanation of NTS structure and operations?

Yes

Have not read it

Have not heard of the PSCM

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* 16. Is there a need for more guidance on how to organize and structure local or Section nets?

Yes

Have not read it

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* 17. Do you feel that NTS messaging layers needs to be simpler and easier to understand?

Yes

No opinion

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* 18. The ARRL PSCM, App. B, MPG, Chapter 6 (NTS Digital) has been revised but not published by ARRL:

I am aware of that and have read it

I am aware of that and have not read it

I am not aware of the revision

I do not know anything about Chapter 6

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* 19. In the last three years has your local NTS net participated in the annual ARRL® Simulated Emergency Test?

Never participated

Participated one year

Participated two years

Participated three years

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* 20.
Please share any additional comments you may have regarding the NTS or ARES® program at this time...

Rumor Control Note: This is not an idea or suggestion list. Although we are asking a wide range of questions here, it does not mean that any particular idea is under active consideration. Our goal is to permit a broad range of opinions and ideas to be gathered. The results will be used in discussions by the Emergency Communications Advisory Committee during development of guidance to the ARRL Board of Directors.

Your thoughtful answers will help us establish a baseline from which we can begin thinking about recommendations to strengthen NTS and ARES®.

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* 2. Who do you feel is the most important “customer” to NTS?

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* 3. Do you feel that current NTS methods and participation meet the needs of the “customers” in the foreseeable future?

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* 4. Do you feel that current NTS methods and participation meet disaster welfare message needs of the public?

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* 5. Please rank the following issues facing NTS from 1-7, with 1 as the most important. Please note: as you number the answers, they will change order

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* 6. If ARES and NTS were to be brought together in some fashion, how do you see this helping? Select all that apply

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* 7. With manual NTS, to what extent do you believe the following to be a problem?

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* 8. With digital NTS, to what extent do you believe the following to be a problem?

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* 9. Are you seeing enough incoming participants in NTS nets to offset participants leaving?

Question Title

* 10. Are Official Relay Station appointments made to regular traffic handlers in your ARRL Section?

Question Title

* 11. Would you like to see routine traffic supplemented by simulated disaster test messages?

Question Title

* 12. Do you feel that cooperative exercises including ARES and NTS are important?

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* 13. Please indicate your approximate age:

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* 14. The Public Service Communications Manual (PSCM) is posted on the ARRL website

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* 15. Do you feel that the PSCM provides an easy to understand explanation of NTS structure and operations?

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* 16. Is there a need for more guidance on how to organize and structure local or Section nets?

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* 17. Do you feel that NTS messaging layers needs to be simpler and easier to understand?

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* 18. The ARRL PSCM, App. B, MPG, Chapter 6 (NTS Digital) has been revised but not published by ARRL:

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* 19. In the last three years has your local NTS net participated in the annual ARRL® Simulated Emergency Test?

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* 20. Please share any additional comments you may have regarding the NTS or ARES® program at this time...

* 5. Please rank the following issues facing NTS from 1-7, with 1 as the most important.
Please note: as you number the answers, they will change order

* 20.
Please share any additional comments you may have regarding the NTS or ARES® program at this time...