The Do’s and Don’ts of Radio Communication

Radio communication can seem tricky, especially if you’re new to it. Here are a few do’s and don’ts of radio communication we think will be useful.

Do: Be clear and concise

The whole point of using radios to communicate is to get a fast, clear response. So, when giving a message be sure to speak clearly and a little slower so the recipient fully understands the message. It’s worth trying to keep your message short and sweet so you can get a quicker reply.

Don’t: Interrupt

Unless your message is an emergency, always wait and let people finish talking before trying to give a message yourself.

Do: Identify yourself and who you’re giving the message to

This simple step makes everyone’s job so much easier. Before you begin your message, identify yourself and try to get the attention of the person you’re wanting to communicate with.

Don’t: Transmit confidential information

This should be quite an obvious one, but remember that you are not the only one with access to that radio frequency. Be sure to not talk about sensitive information over your radio.

Do: Be conscientious

Before you start to transmit a message, make sure you know what you’re going to say.  No one else can give a message while you’re holding the talk button, so it’s vital you give your message as quickly as possible as someone could be waiting to give an emergency message.

Don’t: Start talking immediately

Remember, there can be a short delay before your radio starts to transmit, so be sure to wait a second before giving a message so you can be sure it’s all been received.

Do: Get familiar with the lingo

Knowing radio lingo really can make communications so much easier. Here are some key phrases to help speed up your messages you should be familiar with:

• Over – I’ve finished my message
• Roger – I understand
• Affirmative – yes
• Negative – no
• Do you copy? – can you hear me?

For more radio lingo, you can read our blog post here.

These are just some do’s and don’ts of radio communication that will (hopefully) make your life that little bit easier.