Radiotelephone procedure is designed to speed up the transmission of messages and reduce the number of errors by using a clearly understood and uniform method of handling radio transmissions under all operating conditions.

• Messages should be clear, complete, and as short as possible. Writing messages out before transmitting the message helps to accomplish this objective.

• Speak clearly, slowly, and in natural phrases. If receiving operators must copy, allow enough time for them to do so.

• Listen before transmitting to avoid interfering with other transmissions.

• Always assume that others are listening.

PHONETIC ALPHABET

To help identify spoken letters of the alphabet, a set of easily understood words has been developed. BRAVO for example, is the word used for the Letter B, and DELTA is the word used for the letter D. BRAVO and DELTA are less likely to be confused in a radiotelephone conversation than the letters B and D. All radio operators must know and use the same phonetic alphabet.

Over the years many phonetic alphabets have been adopted. The ITU (International Telecommunications Union) Alphabet, shown here, has been adopted by NATO and is used by the military, aeronautic, marine, and amateur radio services throughout the world.

Difficult or easily misunderstood words within a message may be spelled out using the phonetic alphabet. Before spelling the word, you must use the proword "I SPELL". If the operator can pronounce the word that he is going to spell, he will do so before and after he spells the word to help identify the word.

Example A:

        The operator cannot pronounce the word "zloty".

        -I SPELL - ZULU-LIMA-OSCAR-TANGO-YANKEE.

Example B: the operator can pronounce the word "catenary".

        -CATENARY-I SPELL- CHARLIE-ALPHA-TANGO-ECHO-NOVEMBER-ALPHA-ROMEO-

         YANKEE-CATENARY

Abbreviations in the text are transmitted as follows:

1. Initials used alone or with short titles such as APC (Armored Personnel Carrier), shall be spoken phonetically.

        Example: "APC" shall be spoken as "ALPHA-PAPA-CHARLIE".

        "Paragraph A" shall be spoken as " Paragraph ALPHA".

2. Personal initials shall be spoken phonetically after sending the proword "INITIALS".

        Example: "G.M.Smith" shall be spoken as "INITIALS-GOLF-MIKE-SMITH"

3. Abbreviations used in normal speech may be used in the same manner when transmitted by voice.

        Example: FEBA, RATELO, RECON, ASAP

4. Punctuation shall be spoken as follows:

PRONOUNCING NUMBERS

When numerals are transmitted by radiotelephone, the following rules will be used

Numbers will be transmitted digit by digit. For example, the number "519" would be transmitted as "FIFE-WUN-NINER" not as " FIVE HUNDRED NINTEEN". Multiples of thousands may be spoken as such. For example, 6,000 can be transmitted as "SIX-THOUSAND" instead of "SIX-ZERO-ZERO-ZERO". However, there are special cases, such as identifying a group in a message, when the normal pronunciation of numerals is required; for example, identifying the 17th group in a message would be pronounced as "SEVENTEEN". To identify this group as "ONE-SEVEN" could be confused with the first and seventh groups of the same message.

Examples:

PROWORDS

Procedure words are used to convey a common meaning. They are used in regular communication between radio operators to shorten transmissions.

RESPONDING TO INTERFERENCE

Interference will be encountered from time to time. Never respond to interference on the air. If you have alternate modes of communication, immediately switch. It is important to maintain a professional image at all times. A prearranged alternate channel or mode will get the message through in spite of deliberate interference. Most interference will be accidental and can be overcome by proper radio operating techniques.