The National Traffic System Digital (NTSD) consists of a group of fully automated store and forward bulletin board systems known as Mail Box Operations (MBO) or hubs operating on HF using high speed Pactor 3 protocols on a 24/7 basis moving formal message traffic. The goal of NTSD is to move that traffic via digital means to the closest point of delivery at which point it is then removed from the automated system by operators known as Digital Relay Stations (DRS). The DRS then take this traffic to the manual NTS system via the nets at region, section, and local levels for any additional necessary relay and ultimate delivery.

There were a total of 12,425 pieces of message traffic handled by Eastern (eastern portion of the United States) Area NTSD during May. This was accomplished by 8 automated MBO stations representing NTS regions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 and a total of 39 individual Digital Relay Stations reporting at regional, section, or local NTS levels. A similar level of activity for May also existed in both the Central and Pacific Areas of NTSD.

This data for May 2013 is notable for two reasons. First it is the first time the report includes activity data from Peter Dintelmann, DL4FN/DF0NTS, operating in the role of German Digital Relay Station (DEU DRS). Peter's participation along with that of Greg Mossop, G0DUB, in his position as the Emergency Coordinator for the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) , Region 1, represents a new initiative towards the future development of a fully global automated digital amateur to amateur emergency communication messaging system. The second is that this report is the last one from Jerry Galloway, KD8CYK, Michigan Digital Relay Station. I would like to thank Jerry for his many years of dedicated service to NTSD and Michigan NTS.

- Dave Struebel, WB2FTX, Eastern Area Digital Coordinator, National Traffic System Digital