Part one of this series introduced the new licence-exempt two-way radio scheme, that was introduced in the UK in early 1999, called PMR446, and some of the models of radio that could be used with this radio service allocation.

Part two examined how to effectively use these radios, without giving the other side (the 'Enemy') any reliable idea on just what the hell you intended to do to them

Now, part three deals with the right way to use voice over the radio.

So whass wron wid da way ah spik?!

While having a team fully equipped with radios and batteries is a good start, you shouldn't just switch on, tune in, and speak. Oh, no.

Just like the old war-time saying "The walls have ears", so does your enemy (the other Airsoft Skirmishing team that intends to ruin your whole day). Remember, you can shut off the CTCSS tone squelch mode on your radio (to enable you to receive every transmission that is made). You can also set your radio (most of the PMR446 radios on the market have this feature) to scan all eight PMR446 channels continuously, until you hear the other team speaking to one another. Now, if you can do it, so can they. Thus, they can hear everything you say over the radio. Which is not a good thing to know, really. Still, you're going to have to live with it. All's fair in love and Airsoft, after all.

So, how do you counter this?

Remembering call signs (from part two, remember?) is a good start, but in addition, you need to be disciplined in the way you talk over the radio.

A couple of points to remember with regard to this:

• The enemy can hear you.
• Short transmissions (or 'overs') are good.

First point, the enemy can hear you. I recommend that you get over it, since there's not a lot you can realistically do about it (well, not legally, anyhow). So, instead let's get on with the second point.

Short transmissions. The shorter the transmission, the better the chance that the enemy might miss what channel you're using, if he's hopping around the eight channels of PMR446 (see part one) that you're using. So, let's concentrate on this.

First off, harking back to part two in this series, you should, nay, MUST, use the call sign system. Since I've already covered this aspect, I won't go over it all again. Just read part two again.

Next, you should train yourself to use what the Army calls 'Voice Procedure'.

What's Voice Procedure?

Voice procedure is the method used, whereby certain words or phrases are used to convey special meaning in a radio voice transmission, and thus help keep transmissions as short as possible. These words and phrases are called Procedure Words, or 'Pro Words', for short.

Hello

Alerts the radio net that someone is about to call someone else

This Is (call sign)

Identifies who is calling

Over

Pro Word, meaning that a transmission has finished, and that a response is expected.

Out

Pro Word, meaning that a transmission has finished, and that a response is NOT expected.
NOTE: The Pro Words Over and Out are NEVER to be used together, i.e. "Over and out". The two Pro Words are mutually exclusive.

So, where would you use these Pro Words?

In every radio conversation. For example:

"Hello, zero, this is five, over."
"Five, this is zero, send, over."
"Five. Enemy at point bravo, am engaging, out."

Now, as a follow-up to this action, there could be a pre-planned attack, called Scorpion, which anticipated the enemy attacking Five's position. However, as Five is already busy exchanging fire with the other team, Zero has to call every call sign on the net, except five. This brings in the Pro Word Except, which means exactly what is says.

This is how the commander of the team could put it into play. Notice how the other call signs respond with the Pro Word "Send".

Send

I am ready to receive your message.

"Hello all call signs except five, this is zero, over."
"One, send, over"
"Two, send, over"
"Three, send, over"
"Four, send, over"
"Six, send, over"
"Seven, send, over"

To ensure that all the call signs hear the message, the Pro Word "Over" is used, to confirm that they are ready to receive Zero's next transmission. Also, all the call signs responded in numerical order.

The next Pro Words are "Say Again", "Roger" and "Execute".

Say Again

Means that you didn't hear the message, and, obviously, you want the sender to repeat the message.

Roger

Means several things, depending on the circumstances. These include, but are not limited to, "I understand", "I will do as you say", "Received, understood, and I will do as you say", and so on. Use common sense!

Execute

Normally used with a code word, this means that a pre-planned set of actions (orders) are to be performed.

"Zero. Execute Scorpion, over."
"One, roger, out."
"Two, roger, out."
"Three, Say Again, over."
"Four, roger, out."
"Six, roger, out."
"Seven, roger, out."
"Three this is Zero. I say again, execute Scorpion, over."
"Three, roger, out."

Alternatively, Zero could have authorised Five to have another unit ready to execute scorpion. Notice the new Pro Word, "Out to you".

Out to you

This means that you have finished talking to the first call sign, and are about to call another call sign.

"Hello, zero, this is five, over."
"Five, this is zero, send, over."
"Five. Enemy at point bravo, am engaging, out to you, hello seven, this is five, over."
"Seven. Send, over."
"Five. Execute Scorpion, over."
"Seven, roger, out."

OK, it's time for a coffee and smoke break, now. In the next instalment, we shall examine the use of field signals and fire control orders over the radio.

Go back to part 2 in this series...
Go to part 4 in this series...

About the author...

Roger Stenning is a former Territorial Army Corporal, who served seven and a half years with the T. A. Royal Military Police. A major part of his training, like other territorial Army soldiers, involved the tactical uses of radios and field signals in general. For more information about the Territorial Army, please see http://www.army.mod.uk/ta. He has also been a licensed Radio Amateur, call sign G1LIW, since 1985. Amateur radio is the hobby of two-way radio communications. For more information about the hobby, please go to the Radio Society of Great Britain.

COPYRIGHT NOTE: "BattleTalk^©" is the word phrase, invented by the author, for the method of disguising unencrypted tactical communications. Licensing agreements for the use of this phrase can be made. Contact the Author through the Publisher.

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