Voice Procedure thread!

[Alien_Hunter]

I've always wanted to know what the heck all the terms like '2 mics from your position', 'call sign ____' and other terms meant, because I'd really like to be able to sound prof. over the radio and leave eavesdroppers without a clue.

Can we identify some of the basic terminology? It's stuff heard in games like "Operartion Flashpoint", BattleField 3 on the jet mission, and other tactical shooter games.

[Lukens]

Well, they have some basic radio ettiquite stuff on the net, if you look hard enough. Otherwise, its kind of common sense. Learn the NATO phonetic alphabet first.

After that, its really basic really, for airsoft anyways. You state your callsign, and then who you want to contact. Conversation ensues. If you really want to get technical about it, then you wait till they say "send traffick".
In long conversations, you occasionally say "break", wait a couple seconds for other traffick to get through, then continue on with the convo. Theres a lot of technical words you can use and whatnot, and since I only know what Ive been told and picked up, im not exactly a master to be telling anyone anything. Find an Army buddy, and start chatting them up. Radio ettiqute can get pretty relaxed when the shit hits the fan. And for airsoft, it would nice if people had it, but most of what you do is LOS, Line of sight, anyways.

[McNair]

I've always wanted to know what the heck all the terms like '2 mics from your position', 'call sign ____' and other terms meant, because I'd really like to be able to sound prof. over the radio and leave eavesdroppers without a clue.

Can we identify some of the basic terminology? It's stuff heard in games like "Operartion Flashpoint", BattleField 3 on the jet mission, and other tactical shooter games.

I believe they're referred to as "Prowords"? There are a ton of terms that are used. Some are official, some aren't. A lot of it is made to be short hand and get the transmission over and done with. Most are easy to figure out.

Mikes = Minutes
Call sign is whatever the person's call sign is. heh. It's best to start out with who you're trying to contact and then say who you are... like, "Black6, this is Red1, do you copy?" "Red1, this is Black6, go ahead".
Also, if people are using radio operators, there is the term "actual", which I believe means refers to the actual person that the call sign is for(such as a platoon leader or something)rather than their radio operator and what not.

Some random other stuff and examples:
BDA: Battle Damage Assessment
MSR: Main Supply Route
Klicks: Kilometers
SOP: Standard Operating Procedure
ROE: Rules of Engagement
Cas Evac: Casualty Evacuation
Oscar Mike = On the Move.
Charlie Mike = Continue Mission.
Tango Mike = Thanks Much.
Break = Used to seperate long messages in-order to allow other traffic on the net if necessary.
Correction = There was an error made in last transmission, will repeat the last correct word followed by corrected message.
Say Again = Request last call station to repeat their message.
I Say Again = I am repeating my last message.
Roger = I have received your last message.
Prepare to Copy = Important information, pay extra attention.
Wilco = I will comply with your last message
Out = I am done broadcasting on the net for now.
Wait = I must cease communication for a few seconds
Wait Out = I must cease communication for an extended period of time.
Affirmitive = Yes
Negative = No
Message = Transmission requires recording to relay to another person.
Over = I am done speaking it is now your turn.

"over" is usually used at the end of what a person is saying
"rodger" is usually used when a person understands what the other person is saying
"copy" is usually used when a person is trying to communicate with another person
"out" is usually used when a person is done talking

Do you copy, over? Rodger & out.
Do you understand, (done speaking). Yes, and I'm done.

"How copy?":
Usually if you are communicating something important to someone else over a radio you would ask "How Copy?" They then would repeat the information back to you, ensuring they received the correct information.

For the Army side of things (i.e. Airborne Rifle Company)

Alpha 3-2: Alpha Company, 3rd Platoon, 2nd Squad.
3-2 Alpha: Alpha Team Leader for above element
3-2 Bravo: Bravo Team Leader for same.
3-6: 3rd Platoon Leader/Commander. 6 is the command/officer element.
3-6 Actual: The real 3rd Platoon Leader/Commander on the mic.
3-6 Romeo: The RATELO (Radio Telephone Operator) or radioman for the Platoon Leader/Commander.
3-6 Delta: Driver for the Platoon Leader/Commander if mounted.
3-6 Golf: Turret Gunner for Platoon Leader/Commander if mounted.
3-7: 3rd Platoon Sergeant. 7 is the ranking NCO element.
Alpha 5: Company XO.
Alpha 6: Company Comander.
Alpha 7: Company 1SG.





Also, you'll want to figure out the phonetic alphabet. That will help you figure out some slang/jargon. Also when spelling things out over the radio, you usually use this instead of just saying " A, B, C...".

Phonetic Alphabet
A -Alpha
B -Bravo
C -Charlie
D -Delta
E -Echo
F -Foxtrot
G -Golf
H -Hotel
I -India
J -Juliett
K -Kilo
L -Lima
M -Mike
N -November
O -Oscar
P -Papa
Q -Quebec
R -Romeo
S -Sierra
T -Tango
U -Uniform
V -Victor
W -Whiskey
X -X-Ray
Y -Yankee
Z -Zulu

They also suggest using phonetic numerals to help keep things clear:

Phonetic Numerals
0 -Ze ro
1 -Wun
2 -Too
3 -Tree
4 -Fow er
5 -Fife
6 -Six
7 -Sev en
8 -Ait
9 -Niner
Be advised numbers after nine should be called as a sequence of numbers for example 34 should be called in as Tree, Fow-er

It's definetaly something I'd like to see more focus on in airsoft training. Been trying to get someone with experience to come out and give classes on it during one of our training weekends. It really adds to the atmosphere(Listening to Crimmins call in an "airstrike" at a MSW event using legit radio communication, it was pretty awesome). shazaam, if people can do it for games like Arma2 online, there isn't any reason we couldn't figure it out.

[McNair]

Also:

[Jewish Ninja]

Watch Generation Kill a bunch. That'll help as well.

Dead serious. During the ending credits there's a bunch of radio traffic which gives you a good idea of how all the above is used.

[Lukens]

Generation kill is a favorite series of mine. You can learn a lot from it.

[Darius137]

I prefer the pilot method.

When you speak with pilots, they sound like a dude.

"Hey this is Bob, I'm about 20 minutes away, cool?"

[McNair]

Yeah, you're like an commercial airline pilot... "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....."

[ogrejager]

You state your callsign, and then who you want to contact.

I can't speak to the military, but most fire and police do NOT do this.

We use a "Hey you, it's me" model. That catches the ear of the person you're trying to talk to and then they hear who's trying to reach them.

"Lukens from ogre," for example, results in Lukens paying attention to who's talking to him instead of just ignoring the random radio traffic.

[Darius137]

You state your callsign, and then who you want to contact.

I can't speak to the military, but most fire and police do NOT do this.

We use a "Hey you, it's me" model. That catches the ear of the person you're trying to talk to and then they hear who's trying to reach them.

"Lukens from ogre," for example, results in Lukens paying attention to who's talking to him instead of just ignoring the random radio traffic.

Yes.


Basically:
[YOU] = the callsign of who you are trying to reach (the word actual is rarely used, and when airsofters say it every time it sounds r-tarded)
[ME] = your own call sign
**Though it's proper etiquette to say you this is me, you can omit (not say) the (this is) part between the two to speed things up. Also if you're going back and forth, jamming the net with your worthless jibber jabber, you can omit the whole [YOU] (this is) [ME] bullshevic to speed things up***
[OVER] = say this after you send a transmission.
[OUT] = say this to end the conversation. Only the person starting the conversation can say OUT.

[YOU] (this is) [ME] <message> [OVER]
<get done with stupid talk about guy behind tree>
[YOU] (this is) [ME] <sounds good. Peace homie> [OUT]

[Alien_Hunter]

do you guys have a favorite walkie-talkie? Maybe a 2-pack with headsets for $50-60?

[Jester316]

do you guys have a favorite walkie-talkie? Maybe a 2-pack with headsets for $50-60?

These will be fine for you: http://www.amazon.com/Midland-GXT1000VP ... idland+gxt

[Alien_Hunter]

Holy herp they come in camo! Thanks.

[Junto]

This thread is way better than I thought it would be by the title. Well done, gentlemen. It's nice to actually have a reference sheet for the basics.

[Alien_Hunter]

I didn't say it outright but it should be a place for questions as well.