RTC – MOD-02 – Pt.03 – Application of effective radio comms

It is important to remember the following things when communicating over the radio:

• Clarity – Always be clear in what you are saying
• Concise – Keep your transmissions short and to the point
• Code words – Make sure you understand standard code words as well as mission specific code words
• Tempo – Speak slower than usual to allow non native english speakers to understand you, but not too slow that you take too long
• Think – Before you transmit know what you want to say to avoid pauses, “ummm’s” and “Errr’s”, it wastes time and sounds unprofessional
• Listen and Wait – you should pay attention to the frequency you are about to transmit on, listen to see if there is currently a conversation ongoing, and wait for a pause of about 2 seconds before transmitting your message, 2 people are unable to transmit messages at the same time, so this is an important step

Sometimes it can also be difficult to get what you are saying across to another pilot, you may not be able to remember the standard “Words” to use, or the person you are speaking to is not understanding.

To maintain brevity in these situations it may be necessary to speak in plain english, rather than “military aviation speak” as saying something unambiguously once is quicker and more efficient than saying it 3 or 4 times. It also avoids misunderstandings.

However you should aim to train how to speak “tactically” to avoid these situations where possible.