About two years ago, Radio Relay International released a list of “RRC” numbered radiogram texts. This was the first modernization and enhancement of the numbered radiogram text concept in decades. This new version, which added new welfare message texts and a wide variety of EmComm related texts including several specifically related to the RRI National Response Plan, was ultimately adopted by the ARRL in the interest of interoperability.
With the new Memorandum of Understanding between the ARRL and RRI, a couple of minor changes have been made to harmonize this list. Furthermore, the RRI Board of Directors has voted to eliminate the “RRC” prefix, thereby reverting to the use of the traditional “ARL” nomenclature.
For those unfamiliar with the use of the ARL list, it is designed to minimize demand on circuit capacity and improve net efficiency during both routine and emergency operations. Time is a valuable commodity on busy communications circuits. Therefore, rather than transmitting an entire text, a numbered code is inserted into the radiogram or radiogram-ICS213 message, which is then translated to plain text upon delivery to the addressee. The new, harmonized list for use on all traffic nets is available in the RRI publications section.