NBC's DATELINE recently did a segment on airline disasters and near disasters directly related to poor communications due to language barriers and/or lack of knowledge of the proper communications terms.
The attached list of ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) PROCEDURE WORDS AND PHRASES for RADIOTELEPHONE communications has been around a long time. Some of it is in use by most of us on a daily basis. It wouldn't hurt, however, for each of us to periodically review these terms. It is especially important to know and use them in EMCOM situations.
In casual phone contacts, many of us occasionally like to use some little favorite "cutesy pie" terms. I personally have no problem with ham operators doing that; just as long as they can "snap to" and effectively communicate using the proper procedures and terms for EMERGENCY communications.
As ARES members, we never know when we may be called upon to handle an EMERGENCY call. It may be on HF phone or a local repeater. (For MORSE CODE operating procedures during an EMERGENCY consult your A.R.R.L. Operator's Handbook or other credible publication). As hams, we probably won't be handling many aeronautical emergencies...but occasionally an amateur station is called upon to handle a maritime distress call . A couple of years ago I handled a automobile incident involving a ham-tourist who spoke very broken English. It is interesting to me that foreign hams are often more familiar with these EMERGENCY procedures than many American hams are!
Also, recommend that all EMCOM operators know and use the ICAO / ITU PHONETICS on a regular basis. (Yes, I realize that DXers like their own set of phonetics...fine with me...I only hope that if they ever have to handle an INTERNATIONAL DISTRESS CALL, other EMERGENCY traffic, or even some health and welfare traffic, that they will be able to communicate efficiently and quickly. As we all know, TIME MAY BE A CRITICAL FACTOR. Propagation or other factors can cut a signal off without warning!
Dave Thorne, KC6HOY
Emergency Coordinator, Siskiyou County A.R.E.S.
ICAO RADIOTELEPHONY
PROCEDURE WORDS AND PHRASES
Acknowledge:
"Let me know that you have received and understood this message."Affirmative: "Yes" or "permission granted."
Break: "I hereby indicate the separation between portions of the message." (To be used when there is no clear distinction between the text and other portions of the message.)
Correction: "An error has been made in the transmission (or message indicated). The correct version is..."
Go Ahead: "Proceed with your message."
How Do You Read: Unreadable, readable now and then, readable but with difficulty, readable, perfectly readable.
I Say Again: Self-explanatory.
Negative: "No" or "permission not granted" or "That is not correct."
Over: My transmission ended, and I expect a response from you."
Out: "This conversation is ended and no response is expected."
Read Back: "Repeat all, or the specified part, of this message back to me exactly as received."
Roger: "I have received all of your last transmission." (Under no circumstances to be used as an affirmative."
Say Again: "Repeat all, or the following part, of your last transmission."
Speak Slower: Self-explanatory
Standby: Self-explanatory
That Is Correct: Self-explanatory
Verify: "Check coding, check text with the originator and send correct version."
Wilco: "Your last message (or message indicated), received, understood, and will be complied with."
Words twice: (1) As a request: "Communication is difficult. Please send every word twice." (2) As information: "Since communication is difficult, every word in this message will be sent twice."