ARES District 10 Test: An Introduction to Formal Traffic Handling
This test is an open book test. It is intended to insure that the taker
(you) have been through the material. A minimum score of 100% should be
expected, but certainly no less than 85%.
Please highlight this whole page and copy it to your email,
Edit in your answers, and then email it all to:
Randy Long W0AVV
w0avv@qsl.net
Fill in the blank or choose the best answer in the multiple choice and
True/False sections. Refer to the text to find all of the answers.
They are all there!
Thanks and good luck!
(Test revision: 990929a)
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Your First and Last Name: ______________________
Your Callsign: ______________________
1. Formal traffic is used as
Answer: ____
A. a punishment for traffic handlers.
B. a means of accountability giving us a written record of the message and
how it was handled.
C. busy-work to give amateurs something to do.
D. a means for those who think they know to pick on newcomers.
2. An agreed upon standard format for a message is used because
Answer: ____
A. it eases the handling of the message because all know what to expect.
B. all information to handle and trace the message is included.
C. it allows the transfer of information with minimum errors.
D. all the above.
E. none of the above.
3. The message number is
Answer: ____
A. the order in which the message is handled on the net.
B. always at least 3 digits so others think you handle a lot of traffic.
C. always started a 1 at the beginning of each year.
D. assigned as an index by the originating station.
4. The priority of the message
Answer: ____
A. determines the order in which the traffic is handled.
B. should always be EMERGENCY to indicate how important you are.
C. if routine, can be ignored.
D. is usually ignored because it is all urgent anyway.
5. Handling instructions are mandatory. (True or False)
Answer: ____
6. The originating station's call sign
Answer: ____
A. is always the call sign of the person who fills out the message form.
B. just lets us know who wants credit for the message.
C. together with the message number makes the message unique.
D. is just a formality.
7. The message check
Answer: ____
A. indicates the number of items in the text of the message and whether a
numbered system of radiograms is being used.
B. is not important because everyone counts the text differently.
C. can not be corrected.
D. is just a number.
8. The time the message was originated
Answer: ____
A. is always in Universal Coordinated Time.
B. must always be used.
C. should only be used if the priority of the message or the handling
instructions indicate it is necessary.
D. is a waste of time since the message will get there when it can.
9. The date of the message
Answer: ____
A. should agree with the time, i.e. if in UTC, it should be advanced by one
over the local date if it is after midnight in UTC.
B. should always be given.
C. all the above.
D. none of the above.
10. The addressee of the message
Answer: ____
A. indicates who the message is for.
B. should be as complete as possible and include phone number with area
code.
C. should not contain punctuation.
D. all the above.
E. none of the above.
11. The text of the message should
Answer: ____
A. be short and to the point, using Radiograms if possible.
B. be full of unusual words and phrases to test the receiving station.
C. use stop instead of a period.
D. be less than two pages.
12. The signature should
Answer: ____
A. contain endearments such as love and sincerely yours.
B. contain a return address and phone number if an answer is expected.
C. use a nickname known only to the addressee.
D. be omitted as it is not important.
13. Routing information is
Answer: ____
A. not important as it will never be used anyway.
B. important as a record of who the message was received from (if received)
and who it was sent to (if sent).
C. necessary and the to and from must always be filled out.
D. necessary FCC information and must be logged.
14. The sending station should
Answer: ____
A. always just barge into a net because traffic is important.
B. list number and priority of traffic when invited to do so by net control.
C. wait until net is almost over and then list traffic.
D. keep telling net control that he has routine traffic that net control is
ignoring.
15. Receiving station should
Answer: ____
A. let net control know he is available when asked.
B. call the sending station on the frequency assigned by net control.
C. read received message, ask for needed fills, check for possible unusual
spelling, verify numbers and text check before telling sending station
that the message is received.
D. all the above.
E. none of the above.
16. Sending station should
Answer: ____
A. pass the traffic at reading speed.
B. spell all words phonetically.
C. read slowly and distinctly at a speed the receiving station can write.
D. break every three words and ask for fills.
17. Should the sending and receiving stations be sent to a side frequency and
are unable to make contact, they should
Answer: ____
A. return to net frequency and inform net control.
B. remain on the side frequency until rescued.
C. call CQ and hope someone will answer and act as a relay.
D. call it quits and try again tomorrow.
18. Delivering station should
Answer: ____
A. attempt to phone the addressee for delivery.
B. service the message according to handling instructions if unable to
affect a delivery.
C. make a reasonable attempt to locate addressee before giving up.
D. all of the above.
E. none of the above.
19. Delivering station should
Answer: ____
A. read the message as received including the heading and any radiogram
numbers.
B. leave message on answering machine and assume delivery.
C. plead and beg for a return message.
D. all the above.
E. none of the above.
20. A copy of the ARRL Numbered Radiograms should be included in your go-bag.
(True or False)
Answer: ____
This is just an introduction, and as you handle traffic, you will
learn much, much more as well as how traffic is passed in other modes. Good
luck and have fun.
(end of test)