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Attention EPA Amateurs,

The traffic nets in our Section have been operating for decades as
an integral part of the ARRL National Traffic System. On a daily basis
the dedicated traffic handlers in EPA have manned the HF nets, acting
as net control stations and/or passing formal message traffic into and
out of eastern Pennsylvania, and liaising with nets in the higher
levels of the NTS hierarchy to facilitate traffic flow across the
country. These operators also bring traffic into the local VHF traffic
nets within the Section, and put traffic from the local areas into the
NTS. This entire system has worked like a well-oiled machine for many
years thanks to the hard work of these amateurs.

In the recent past several key operators have become Silent Keys,
and the impact of their loss is being felt on the nets. Participation
is down across the board, and this results in more of a burden on those
who continue to handle traffic in EPA. The purpose of this message is
to remind all of the amateurs in EPA that these nets exist and to
encourage anyone with an interest in the NTS to give the nets a try.

If you have never checked into a traffic net, don't fear, you
will be welcomed. The best way to learn traffic handling skills is to
learn by doing. I recommend that you listen to a net for a few days,
then start checking in once you understand the basic net routine. When
you are ready to try handling messages for your area, you will find
that
the operators on the nets are willing and able to guide you. The ARRL
Operating Manual contains an excellent chapter on Traffic Handling,
which is highly recommended background reading.

The Section traffic nets meet as follows:

Eastern Pennsylvania Emergency Phone and Traffic Net (EPAEPTN)
meets daily at 6:00pm Eastern Time on 3.917 MHz LSB.

Eastern Pennsylvania (EPA) meets daily at 7:00pm AND 10:00pm on
3.537 MHz CW.

Please consider giving these nets a try. I predict that you will
enjoy this facet of ham radio and the opportunity to work with the
first-class operators who man the Section NTS nets.

If you have any questions, my contact information is:

Section Traffic Manager
Richard Scott Walker, N3SW
610 Park Ave
New Cumberlnd, PA 17070-1724
(717) 774-2567, (717) 770-5974
n3sw@arrl.net