When using your portable radio you must push the press to talk button and wait one second to before speaking this is essential to effective communication to?

General tips and etiquette

• Listen before transmitting to ensure you do not cut across another user
• Pause for one second after pressing the push-to-talk button – there is often a delay in the system and the first part of your message could be cut off otherwise
• Speak across the microphone rather than into it as this will help to reduce additional vocal sounds
• Speak at a normal volume, shouting into the radio can lead to distortion
• Be natural, maintain a normal speaking rhythm, speaking clearly and distinctly, sending the message phrase by phrase rather than word by word
• Use a slightly higher pitch as this transmits best through interference, but try to avoid extremes of pitch or varying this through your message

Learning bite

Accuracy, brevity and clarity are the ABCs of radio communication. Think about what you are going to say before you say it to ensure it is brief and to the point. There should be no unnecessary talk on the radio.

Phonetic Alphabet

The International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, commonly known as the NATO or ICAO phonetic alphabet, was initially developed to improve communication, particularly on low-quality or long-distance communication systems. It has been in its current form since 1956 having been revised several times since spelling alphabets first came into use before World War One. Early versions contained words such as Delta and eXtra, and Nectar and Victor, and therefore could easily be misheard over the radio.8

Apparent spelling mistakes such as the f in Alfa and tt in Juliett are intentional and designed to ensure correct pronunciation. There is also international convention for pronunciation of numerals across radio communications, as follows:9

Common Words/Phrases

Each radio user is allocated a call sign, which often corresponds to their role. This enables directed communication between users and means control can keep track of resources and their locations. It is important to use your call sign when passing information or answering your radio. Convention dictates using the call sign of the person you are contacting first, followed by your own call sign.

Common procedure words are used to facilitate communication by conveying information in a condensed format.

Radio check – used to ask the other party about the signal strength and readability of your transmission, the response could be loud and clear, weak but readable, weak and distorted, or strong but distorted. Some services use the term ‘5 by 5’ for loud and clear on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (excellent) signal and readability.

Yes and no – self-explanatory, generally used instead of affirmative and negative as these can be mistaken for one another particularly if the first part of the message is cut off. Doubling is sometimes used for clarity, e.g. ‘yes yes’ or ‘no no’.

Over – used to end your transmission in an ongoing conversation
Out – used to end a conversation (over and out are never used together), only one person needs to say ‘out’ and this should be control in most cases to ensure all other channel users hear that the conversation has finished in case they are waiting to send a message
Roger – “I received your last transmission satisfactorily”
Say again – “I did not receive or understand your last message, please say again”
Figures – “I am about to read a series of numbers”
I spell – “I am about to spell a word”
Read back – “Please read back to me what I just told you”
Wait – “I have received your message, give me a second to reply” – usually used in the middle of a conversation
Standby – “I am too busy to take your call right now but will call you back later”
Priority – “I have a priority message and need to interrupt someone else to send it” – in order to transmit this you would wait for a gap, then transmit “priority, priority” and your call sign, e.g. “priority. priority, Mike 1, over” then wait for control to reply before passing any further message

Learning bite

Knowledge of common procedure words helps to keep radio conversations brief and clear.

Example Radio Conversation

Example radio conversation between control and M1 (medic on scene) to illustrate some of the common procedure words in context:

M1: Control, this is Mike 1, radio check, over
Control: Mike 1, this is control, loud and clear, over
M1: Control, Mike 1, major incident declared, I have a METHANE report when you are ready, over
Control: Mike 1 wait, over

(few seconds pass)
Control: Mike 1 from control, ready for your METHANE report, over
M1: Control, Mike 1, major incident declared at sixty-seven figures six seven Rafferty Street, I spell Romeo Alfa Foxtrot Foxtrot Echo Romeo Tango Yankee Rafferty Street. This is an apartment complex fire with hazards of falling debris, fire and potential building collapse. All received so far? Over
Control: Mike 1, control, roger, over
M1: Control, Mike 1, access via Old Road, I spell Oscar Lima Delta Old Road. Estimated thirty-two figures three two casualties. Request fire, ambulance including HEMS if available, police and local council, read back, over
Control: Mike 1, control, received, I read back (and would be repeated back to confirm), all correct? Over
M1: Control, Mike 1, all correct, over
Control: Mike 1, control, further resources en route, continue as per major incident protocols, we will contact you again in five minutes, out.

When you press the microphone transmit key How many seconds should you wait before speaking?

When communicating via radio you should use?

Which one of the following is an effective way to improve communication with most patients?

What does PTT mean on a portable or mobile radio EMT quizlet?