pkg_add fails

[Pete Nicol <nicol_(_at_)_vrl_(_dot_)_com_(_dot_)_au>]

I have installed obsd system, finally got it running and am attempting to
install the binary packages misc27.tgz and comp27.tgz.  I have downloaded
these previously from ftp.it.net.au and have them on my ftp server.

Following the instructions in the faq 8.7, I get the following error:

tar command rturns 0 status
pkg_add: unable to open table of contents file '+CONTENTS' - not a
package?
pkg_add: 1 package addtion(s) failed

this is after is grabs them from the server untars them.

Does anyone have an idea of what is going on, or if I have missed
something here?