306 lines
12 KiB
Plaintext
306 lines
12 KiB
Plaintext
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THE STANDARD 16-LINE MESSAGE FORMAT
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by G. O. Ellis, AAT6VF
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The Standard 16-Line Message Format is described in detail in
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Table 10-3 of FM 11-490-7. There is a great deal of information
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in this table which may be unfamiliar to many MARS operators.
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The discussion to follow is intended to point out some of the
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subtle points in the Manual concerning message format and to help
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members in understanding the use of the format. The Auto-Refiler
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software was written initially to assist in the handling of high
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volumes of traffic, which is usually transmitted by digital means
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(RATT, AMTOR, PACKET, etc), and following discussion of the
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Standard 16-Line Format will be based on the RATT procedures
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applicable to these modes.
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Let us begin by first explaining the difference between a
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Multiple-Address message and a Book message.
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(a) A Multiple-Address message is one addressed to two or
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more addressees, one or more of which are "Action Addressees".
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Such a message may also contain "Information Addressee(s)". Use
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of this type of message is necessary when each addressee needs to
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be informed of the identity of all other addressees involved.
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(b) A Book message is a message sent to several
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addressees and containing the same text information, but is sent
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to each addressee as a single-address message, with no requirement
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for each addressee to be informed of the identity of other
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recipients of the message.
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Operators are NOT AUTHORIZED to convert Multiple-Address
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messages to Book message format, by changing the "TO", "INFO", and
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"XMT" lines unless specifically directed to do so in Format Line 5
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by use of the operating signal "ZEX". This operating signal is a
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message handling instruction placed in Format Line 5 by the
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originator. Message handling instructions are NOT to be changed by
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stations in the relay chain. (see FM 11-490-7, para. 10-9d(3)).
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Figure 1 shows an example of a multiple-address message. All
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format lines do not appear in every message; however, when used
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they are to be in the order indicated. In the example, the number
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of the applicable format line is shown to the left of the page.
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This column of numbers is not a part of the message itself.
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FORMAT LINE 1 is not normally used in MARS messages. When used,
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it may include such items as security warning prosigns, operating
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signals and address designations as required.
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FORMAT LINE 2 contains the callsigns of the called stations, or a
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collective call such as a net call. When appropriate, this line
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may contain the callsigns of exempt stations.
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In the example, the transmitting station has called an
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entire net and has indicated that AAA6TN is exempt.
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1
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FORMAT LINE 3 contains the prosign "DE", the callsign of the
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sending station, the prosign "NR", and the Station Serial Number
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(SSN) of the message. Additional information, such as the
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operator's identification, where more than one operator uses the
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same station callsign, may appear on this line. Each operator in
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the relay chain must receipt for the message and assign his own
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SSN to the message before retransmitting (see paragraph 12-6b of
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the Field Manual FM 11-490-7).
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In the example, the operator's initials are shown
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following the message number, or SSN. Operator's
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initials should not be included where the transmitting
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station has only one operator using that callsign.
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Such use has no significance and takes up additional
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transmission time on the air.
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FORMAT LINE 4 contains transmission instructions, when
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appropriate. These transmission instructions may include the
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prosigns "G" or "F", the prosign "T" alone or in conjunction with
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callsigns as necessary, operating signals, etc. Where more than
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one instruction is used in a message, each must appear on a
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SEPARATE LINE.
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In the example, AAR6AC is instructed to relay the
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message to AAR6XZ.
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FORMAT LINE 5 contains the precedence and Date-Time Group. In the
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case of dual-precedence messages, both prosigns are shown
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separated by a space. Message handling instructions, when used,
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are included following the Date-Time Group and are in the form of
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operating signals. Message handling instructions should be used,
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when possible, rather than "operator's notes". Operator's notes
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are not authorized by FM 11-490-7.
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In the example, the operating signal "ZFD", meaning
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"this message is a suspected duplicate", is used.
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FORMAT LINE 6 is the "FROM" line, and contains the prosign "FM"
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followed by the designation of the message originator, either
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plain text or callsign. It may also include an "office symbol" in
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the case of official traffic. The office symbol is usually
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enclosed between double-slants (//). The callsign of the
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originating station follows the last slant (/) in the line, and
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may be followed by an abbreviation of the country or state where
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the originating station is located.
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In the example, the originator is the Central Area MARS
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Director, the office symbol is "ASQN-OP-RC-SHN", and
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the station of origin is AAA6USA, located in Texas.
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FORMAT LINE 7 is the "TO" line of the message. It contains the
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prosign "TO" followed by the designation of the Action addressee
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or addressees. Routing indicators and operating signals may be
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included. Address designators are indicated by plain language,
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routing Address Indicator Groups, or call signs. In the case of
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multiple-address messages, when addressees are listed individually
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each address designation will be on a separate line and may be
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2
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preceded by either the operating signal "ZEN" (meaning delivered
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by other means) or by the routing indicator (callsign) of the
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station responsible for delivery. Routing indicator callsigns are
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separated from the Action Addressee by a slant bar (/). Such use
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is mandatory on all joint and combined addresses.
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In the example, callsign of the station responsible for
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delivery to each addressee is shown preceding the
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addressee designation, for example:
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TO AAA3USA/AAA3E MD indicates AAA3USA is
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responsible for delivery of the message to
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the Eastern Area Director, AAA3E.
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The operating signal "ZEN" precedes the appropriate
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address designations. The collective address
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designation "AIG 4170" indicates a "standard" list of
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addressees, similar in use to a standard "mailing
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list". This type of addressee designator will not
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normally be found in messages ORIGINATED by affiliate
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members, but could perhaps be found in official traffic
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RELAYED by affiliate members.
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FORMAT LINE 8 is the "INFO" line. The above discussion concerning
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Format line 7 applies to Format line 8, except the addressees are
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Information Addressees. A collective address designation (such as
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"ALL SMD CENTRAL AREA") or an AIG in Format line 7 may include
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information addressees.
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FORMAT LINE 9 is the "EXEMPT" line. It is used only when a
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collective address designation is used in line 7 or 8, or an AIG
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is used in line 7 and an indication of the addressee(s) exempted
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from the collective address or AIG is required.
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FORMAT LINE 10 is the "GROUP COUNT" line. It is used when
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required, and consists of the prosign "GR" followed by the number
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of countable groups in the text of the message. The group count
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prosign and group count will be used only when the text consists
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of countable encrypted groups. (See ACP 121 series).
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FORMAT LINE 11 consists of the prosign "BT" and is used to
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separate the heading from the text of the message.
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FORMAT LINE 12 is the text of the message. It may consist of more
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than one line and may include Classification, internal instruc-
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tions, and the thought or idea expressed by the originator, in
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that order.
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FORMAT LINE 13 is the prosign "BT". It separates the message text
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from the ending.
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FORMAT LINE 14 is the Confirmation line. It is used in RATT
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operations to repeat preceding portions which may be easily
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misunderstood or otherwise received incorrectly. Usual practice
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in the handling of third-party traffic is to repeat the entire
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"TO" line of the message.
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3
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FORMAT LINE 15 is the "Correction" line. It is used to correct
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errors not previously noted. This line should not be used when
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transmitting messages or message files previously prepared. The
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proper procedure in these cases is to "edit" the message files
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prior to transmission and correct any errors. The correction line
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may be used in the RARE event that direct keyboard transmission of
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the message is involved.
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FORMAT LINE 16 is the "End-of-Message" line. It consists of the
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end-of-message indicator "NNNN", preceded by the appropriate
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number of blank lines (see FM 11-490-7).
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4
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STANDARD-FORMAT MESSAGE
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FORMAT LINE MESSAGE
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=========== ====================================================
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1 (Not used in MARS)
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2 AAA6USA/H XMT AAA6TN
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3 DE AAT6USE NR 0158 LXY
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4 AAR6AC T AAR6XZ
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5 PP 211546Z OCT 90 ZFD
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6 FM DIRCENTRAL AREA MARS//ASQN-OP-RC-SHN//AAA6USA TX
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7 TO AAA3USA/AAA3E MD
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AAA3USA/AAA3B MD
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ZEN AAA0USA/AAA0W WA
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AIG 4170
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8 INFO ZEN AAA6TN TX
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ZEN AAA6TS TX
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AAA6OK OK
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AAA6AR AR
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AAA6LA LA
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AAA6NM NM
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9 XMT AAT6USF TX
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10 GR 23
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11 BT
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12 TEXT
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"
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"
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13 BT
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14 CFN ...
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15 C ...
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16 NNNN
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Figure 1. Standard 16-Line Message Format.
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