Lecture

2
Radio Communications
Basic Communications Course

Agenda
• Introduction to Radio
• Radio Procedures
• Radio Equipment
 Voice Procedures
• Correct radio procedures can be
remembered using “SAD”.
Security
Accuracy
Discipline
 Security
• Identification of a station must be kept
as secret as possible.
This is done by using what?
A unique Callsign.
 Security
MRW 51
• M- Denotes that the callsign is Military and
allocated to the United Kingdom.
• R- Indicates the callsign is associated with
the RAF.
• W- Is an indication of geographical location.
• 51- A serial number issued to the station by
HQ Air Cadets.
 Security
• Additionally what does the M at the end
of a callsign indicate?
• E.g. MRW40 M1.
• Mobile unit, M1,M2,M3, and so on.
• When referring to a callsign it must
always be given in Phonetic Alphabet:
 Phonetic Alphabet
• Alpha • November
• Bravo • Oscar
• Charlie • Papa
• Delta • Quebec
• Echo • Romeo
• Foxtrot • Sierra
• Golf • Tango
• Hotel • Uniform
• India • Victor
• Juliet • Whiskey
• Kilo • X-Ray
• Lima • Yankee
• Mike • Zulu
 Security
• The fact that there may be more than one
listener highlights another important point.
• One of the listeners may be unauthorised.
Unauthorised listeners are called
interceptors.
• Therefore you must always assume for every
transmission there are three elements:
The Sender.
The Listeners.
The Interceptors.
 Security
Never
 Use unauthorised codenames.
 Use personal names or nicknames.
 Use slang, jargon or foul language.
 Transmit aircraft types, roles or weapon
loads in clear speech.
 Transmit details of arms or ammunition,
particularly their movements.
 Transmit unit locations in clear speech.
 Security
Always
Use your callsign at the start of the
transmission.
Use only authorised codenames and
codewords.
Ask the station to authenticate if you
think it may not be a genuine Station
calling.
Security Code Names
• Sunray - OC
• Pronto - Signals Rep
• Seagull - Adjutant
• Nutshell – Store Rep
• Shelldrake - Shooting Rep

All can be suffixed by Major or

Minor depending on appointment
 Security Authentication
• There are four methods of challenging
a station that is using your network.
Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Security Authentication ALPHA
• Alpha - to reply to this is to state the
station’s Squadron number.
Security Authentication BRAVO
• Bravo - state the station’s Squadron
number in reverse.
Security Authentication CHARLIE
• Charlie - state the station’s squadron
number added to the date.
Security Authentication DELTA
• Removed for security
 Security Authentication
• Should the reply not be satisfactory all
radio operations are to be stopped
immediately and a report sent to the
Wing Communications Officer.
• DELTA should be normally used in
challenging a mobile unit.
Security Veiled Speech
• This simple method of conveying
information is used when both the
listener and sender are aware of the
subject matter.
 Meet me at the same time and place as
last week.
 Accuracy
• Voice messages should be clear, logical
and brief.
1. Before transmitting listen out on the
frequency to ensure that there will be no
interference with a transmission from
another station.
 Accuracy

• Be familiar with the operation of your

microphone and DO NOT turn your head
away from it whilst talking.
• TRY NOT to vary the distance between the
microphone and your mouth.
 Accuracy
3. DO NOT touch the microphone with
anything whilst transmitting, even your lips
can cause severe distortion.
4. DO NOT talk too close to the microphone.
The microphone should be about 50mm
away from your mouth and you should
speak across it rather than directly into it.
 Accuracy
 DO NOT hold the microphone or boom of a
combined headset/microphone system.
 Accuracy
6. Use a normal conversational tone, speak
clearly and distinctly.
7. A slight pause before and after numbers
will make them easier to understand.
8.DO NOT use hesitation sounds such as
“er” or “um”.
 Accuracy
• Only press the Press To Transmit (PTT)
switch when ready to speak, and ensure
that you press it fully before speaking.
• If you stop speaking during your
message, release the PTT switch until you
are ready to start speaking again - such
breaks in transmission should be avoided.
 Accuracy
10.DO NOT release the switch until you have
finished talking, this will ensure that the
message is complete, and not clipped.
 Accuracy
 Always ensure that the PTT switch has
released correctly and that there is no
likelihood of it being inadvertently switched
on.
This would avoid the potentially dangerous
and irritating situation of a “stuck”
microphone blocking out all other
transmissions.
 Accuracy
R.S.V.P.
Rhythm.
Develop a natural rhythm and divide
the message into sensibly sized
sections.
Speed.
Use an even rate of speaking, slightly
slower than normal.
 Accuracy
Volume.
Maintain your speaking volume at a
constant level. Ensure it is loud
enough to be heard over background
noise.
Pitch.
The voice should be slightly higher
pitched than normal.
 Accuracy
• Prowords.
• By using standardised words and
phrases it is possible to keep voice
transmissions brief and clear. Whole
sentances can be replaced by easily
pronouncable and widely recognisable
prowords.
 Accuracy Prowords

• THIS IS Indicates the callsign of the sender is

about to follow.
• OVER This is the end of my present
transmission to a listener - a reply or
acknowledgement is required.
 Accuracy Prowords

• OUT This is the end of my transmission - no

reply is expected.
• WAIT OUT Your transmission has been
received, a reply will follow later.
 Accuracy Prowords

• WILCO Message received, understood and I will comply

with your instructions.
• ROGER I have received your last transmission
satisfactorily.
• SAY AGAIN Request for repetition of a whole, or part of a
message.
 Accuracy Prowords

• MESSAGE The transmission to follow will require to be

written down.
• FIGURES Used before groups of numbers sent digit by
digit.
• GRID Used before any encoded reference or grid
reference sent in clear speech.
• RADIO CHECK Report how you receive my transmission.
 Accuracy Prowords

• SPEAK SLOWER Transmit at a lower speed.

• BREAK I am separating the text (during a long
transmission) or I have finished
• transmitting to you and want the next identified
station to reply.
 Accuracy Prowords

• TIME The following group is a time group or a date time

group.
• UNKNOWN STATION Used when calling a Station whose
identity is not known.
• WRONG Your last transmission was incorrect. Correct
version is...
 Discipline
ALWAYS:
 Use correct voice procedure.
 Maintain a constant listening radio watch.
 Ensure the correct frequency or channel is
selected and used.
 Answer all your calls promptly.
 Think before transmitting and make sure you
know your message.
 Release the transmit switch as soon as
possible after you have finished speaking.
 Discipline
NEVER:
 Violate radio silence unless an emergency
make it necessary.
 Compromise classified information by
using plain language.
 Make unnecessary, over-long or unofficial
transmissions.
 Identify yourself or your unit by name.
 Swear or lose your temper.
 Disclose Air Cadet Frequencies.
 Give telephone numbers or addresses.
Sending Messages- Establishing
Contact
• When a radio station first switches on it is
necessary to establish if communications are
satisfactory. The operator should carry out a
“Radio check” to achieve this.
Sending Messages- Establishing
Contact
• A radio check is a two-way communication
which reports on two aspects of the
transmission, its strength and readability.
The strength of a signal is divided into 5
levels or degrees, and the readability is
divided into 6 grades or degrees.
 Establishing Contact- Signal
Strength
• Loud (the strongest)
• Good
• Weak
• Very weak
• Fading (the weakest signal)
 Establishing Contact-
Readability
• Clear
• Readable
• Unreadable
• Distorted
• Intermittent
• Interference
 Establishing Contact
• MRW51 This is MRW42 Radio check
over.
• MRW42 This is MRW51 Good Readable
radio check over.
• MRW51 This is MRW42 Loud Clear out.
 Establishing Contact
• Alternatively radio checks can be obtained
by calling generally on the net using the two
phonetic code words ALPHA CHARLIE.
 Establishing Contact
• When a radio check is preceded by Alpha
Charlie, it indicates that any station may give
a reply.
• CHARLIE CHARLIE may be used for a group
of stations. Replies to these collective
callsigns are usually made in order of
callsign number.
 Establishing Contact
• Alpha Charlie Alpha Charlie This is MRW42
Radio check over.
• MRW42 This is MRW51 Good Readable radio
check over.
• MRW42 This is MRW52 Weak Distorted radio
check over.
• MRW51 This is MRW42 Loud Clear out.
• MRW52 This is MRW42 Weak Readable out.
 Messages
• Messages sent on the radio consist of
THREE distinct elements.
1. The Call
2. The Text
3. The Ending
 Messages- The Call
• MRW51 This is MRW42 over.
• MRW42 This is MRW51 send over.
• This makes sure that MRW51 is ready
to receive the message.
 Messages- The Text
• MRW51 This is MRW42 move to this
location and report on arrival over.
• The text is the part of a message which
conveys the meaning or the
instructions. It may take more than one
transmission to pass on the entire
message.
 Messages- The Ending
• MRW42 This is MRW51 WILCO out.
• The ending is used to signify that the
message has been understood and
action will be taken if necessary, and as
the name implies it is the end of that
message.
 Established Communications
• Once reliable communications has been
established it is possible to abbreviate the
callsign to make transmissions shorter.
• VHF/UHF stations may omit the “MR” part of
a callsign after initial contact and on each
station’s last transmission the full call sign
should again be given.
 Established Communications
• MRW51 M1 This is MRW 42 over.
• MRG 42 This is MRW 51 Ml send over.
• MRW54 M1 This is MRW42 what is you location over.
• MRW 42 This is MRW 51 M1 Grid Tango Lima wun
too tree fower fife six over.
 Established Communications
• MRW 51 M1 This is MRW 42 can you see the castle over.
• MRW 42 This is MRW 51 M1 negative over
• MRW 51 M1 This is MRW 42 roger. Move to this location
and report on arrival over.
• MRW 42 This is MRW 51 Ml WILCO out
 Other Radio procedures
• Map References.
• How would Grid reference TQ 123 456
be given?

• GRID Tango Quebec Wun Too Tree

Fower Fife Six.
 Other Radio procedures
• Time.
• How would Time 13 40 Hours be given?

Time Wun Tree Fower Zero

 Other Radio procedures
• Figures.
• How would F93N be given?

Foxtrot Figures Niner Tree November

End of chapter 2