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Prologue Rules Quality Types Phonetic Alphabet


  1. Know your Transmission!
    Nothing is worse than pressing that transmission key without even knowing what you want to say. This often leads to people talking in a confusing way, too much and/or repeating themselves. Another bad side effect is that the more you blabber, the more you start becoming unclear.


  2. Make the transmission understandable!
    Always stay calm during a transmission. Shouting or talking too fast possibly renders a message not-understandable. If the message cannot be understood you have to repeat which costs time and lives. Stay calm and talk normally. Make pauses after logical Phrases.


  3. Syntax!: Receiver to Sender...
    This sounds strange but in the end it makes sense. Let me explain the benefit from that. Imagine a Mission with Three Squads (Alpha 1-1, Alpha 1-2, Alpha 1-3), a Tank Team (BULL 2-1) and a CAS Plane (Warthog 3-3). Now imagine all of these three are in fire fights and over all have a bad time. Then this transmission comes in. "Alpha 1-1 to BULL 2-1, we need you to fire at this Factory Building south of you!" It means that BULL 2-1 only with the third word knew he was meant with the transmission. This leads to all the other squads focusing on the radio until the third word as well. If the transmission would have been "BULL 2-1..." Alpha 1-2 could have already stopped listening and concentrate on the battlefield again.

    But don't focus too much on the words you use. The actual arrangement is the most important part. We don't care if you say "Receiver to Sender", "Receiver for Sender" or even "Receiver this is Sender".


  4. Use the assigned Callsigns!
    This is more of an immersion and realism aspect. While it would be easier to just call someone by his name it just drops the immersion ingame.


    If not further assigned the standard callsigns are:
    Infantry Transport Heli Attack Heli CAS Plane Special
    Alpha 1-1 Owl 2-1 Eagle 2-3 Warthog 2-5 Ghost 3-1 (Special Forces
    Alpha 1-2 Owl 2-1 Eagle 2-4 Warthog 2-6 Guardian 3-2 (Sniper)
    Alpha 1-3 Blaster 3-5 (EOD)


  5. OVER and OUT
    Every transmission needs its end so the receiver knows its his turn to speak now. End a transmission with "OVER" to tell the receiver you expect an answer from him: "Alpha Actual to Alpha 1-1, do we have permission to clear that town in front of us? OVER"


    End a transmission with "OUT" to tell the receiver no further answer is needed and the conversation is over. "Alpha Actual to Alpha 1-1, understood. We will now clear the town. OUT"


  6. Interrupting the right way!
    If two guys are just having a conversation over what is better Burger or Pizza but you really need to tell them a MI-24 just began engaging you, you have to interrupt their conversation. Use "BREAK, BREAK" for that purpose.


    "Alpha Actual to Alpha 1-1, we just entered the town. It appears to be clear. Heading..."
    "BREAK, BREAK, Alpha 1-1 to Alpha 1-2, you have a sniper on 315° 500meter on the Hill!"


    Obviously this interruption method should only be used if your radio traffic is from higher priority e.g. in case of enemy sighting or an emergency!


  7. Copy that!
    You should tell the sender that you understood him by replying something like: “RECEIVED”, “COPY”, “Copy that”, “ROMEO” or “ACKNOWLEDGED”.


  8. Go to work!
    If you have been asked to do some work you should answer with "WILCO" instead. (WILLCOMPLY = WILCO)


  9. Copy not!
    In case you did not understand what the hysterical man on the other end of the line just said you should reply with something like: “SAY AGAIN”, “REPEAT”, “Repeat Message” or "Repeat last".


  10. In case you really want to be acknowledged!
    When you want to stress the importance of the message or simply make sure that important data gets through, you say your message and then use “I SAY AGAIN” and repeat the message.


    "Alpha 1-2 to Alpha 1-1, We need five more minutes, I SAY AGAIN, five more minutes."


  11. 1+1=11
    In order to ensure everybody understands the bearing you are giving use cardinal numbers instead of big numbers. Not "272" but "2-7-2"!


  12. Know your ABC's!
    When you have to spell a word, do it the right way from the beginning. To ensure the receiver does not mix up "F" with "S" you should use the NATO_phonetic_alphabet!