Welcome to the Tropical FAST Net home on the web.
The Tropical FAST Net (TFN) is a National Traffic System Traffic Net in Florida. The name “Tropical FAST Net” came about when the Florida Amateur Sideband Traffic Net and the Tropical Phone Traffic Net combined. The Tropical FAST Net and the Florida Phone Traffic Net are the primary state NTS traffic nets.
The National Traffic System (NTS) is an organized network of amateur radio operators sponsored by the American Radio Relay League for the purpose of relaying messages throughout the U.S. and Canada.[1]
During normal times, these messages are routine greetings (“Happy birthday Aunt Mary”) and keep the system well oiled and the operators trained so that everything works when needed. When there is an emergency or disaster, the NTS works closely with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service to provide emergency communications. The most common type of disaster-related messages are “health and welfare” inquiries and notifications into and out of the area affected by the disaster.
In a disaster, the system can be expanded easily by creating additional meeting times for the high-volume nets or by setting up a specific “trunk line” between two points.
The TFN has liaisons with other NTS nets and moves traffic in and out of the State of Florida. Inbound traffic comes to the net from liaisons with other regional and national nets, including NTS-Digital traffic stations, CW Stations, and Voice stations. The radiograms are transmitted to representatives of local nets, who then take them to hams, who deliver the messages to the intended recipients.
Out-bound traffic is brought to the Tropical Fast Net from Local nets and given to liaisons who transmit the radiograms to regional and national nets. The radiogram traffic is then delivered to other nets, eventually making into the local area for delivery.