Sample Radiogram NR 351 R HXC K3RXK 20 WALKER MD FEB 21  AL BAROLET KJ3E  108 ELLIOTT CT  CALIFORNIA MD 20619  301 862 3201  EMAIL KJ3E ATSIGN ARRL DOT NET BT  CAN YOU ATTEND THE JUNE MEETING OF THE FREDERICK AMATEUR RADIO CLUB QUERY YOUR TRAFFIC HANDLING EXPERIENCES ARE INTERESTING 73  BT  TONY K3RXK  FREDERICK AMATEUR RADIO CLUB PROGRAM COORDINATOR Below is the same radiogram with elements explained. The phrases in the square brackets are the explanations. Radiograms are always written in upper case with no punctuation. [the preamble] NR 351 R HXC K3RXK 20 WALKER MD FEB 21  [In the above, 351 is the message number as set by the sending station; R is the precedence for the message, in this case "routine" (as opposed to welfare, emergency, or priority); HXC is the "handling instruction" which is optional. handling instruction "C" requests that the delivering station report back to the originating station the date and time the message was delivered; K3RXK is the station that originated the message; 21 is the "check", the number of letter groups in the message body between the two "BT" prosigns; WALKER MD is the place of origin; and FEB 21 is the date the message was originated. the year is never included. Optionally a 4-digit time of origination can be included before the date. Zulu is assumed and time zone should not be specified unless it's not Zulu.]  [the addressee (full address and phone number or email are preferred when possible)] AL BAROLET KJ3E  108 ELLIOTT CT  CALIFORNIA MD 20619  301 862 3201  EMAIL KJ3E ATSIGN ARRL DOT NET [Note the atsign and dot are spelled out for compatibility with CW nets] BT  [this pro sign, read as "break" indicates the end of the preamble and the beginning of the actual message body] [message text is usually written in lines of five or ten words to make it easier for the receiving station to confirm the "check"] CAN YOU ATTEND THE JUNE MEETING OF THE FREDERICK AMATEUR RADIO CLUB QUERY YOUR TRAFFIC HANDLING EXPERIENCES ARE INTERESTING 73  [Note the question mark was spelled out and "X" (read as X-RAY) would have been used had there been a period. Note also, that there is no X-RAY before the 73. Putting a period on the last sentence is considered poor form and adds an unneeded extra word in the count for the check.] BT  [This "break" indicates end of the message body] [signature]  TONY K3RXK  FREDERICK AMATEUR RADIO CLUB PROGRAM COORDINATOR Additional Resources: http://radiorelay.org http://www.arrl.org/nts-manual http://www.ws1sm.com/Message-Handling.html