Radiotelephony procedure

Radiotelephony procedure (also on-air protocol and voice procedure) includes various techniques used to clarify, simplify and standardize spoken communications over <a href="/facts/Two-way_radio/e6JKFtdo">two-way radios</a>, in use by the armed forces, in <a href="/facts/Civil_aviation/NhuUHPCQ">civil aviation</a>, police and fire dispatching systems, <a href="/facts/Citizens%27_band_radio/tCSXXuTb">citizens' band radio</a> (CB), and <a href="/facts/Amateur_radio/cBsMyamV">amateur radio</a>.
Voice procedure communications are intended to maximize clarity of spoken communication and reduce errors in the verbal message by use of an accepted nomenclature. It consists of a signalling protocol such as the use of abbreviated codes like the CB radio <a href="/facts/Ten-code/XTErCqUw">ten-code</a>, <a href="/facts/Q_code/vCojlUkH">Q codes</a> in amateur radio and aviation, police codes, etc., and jargon.
Some elements of voice procedure are understood across many applications, but significant variations exist. The armed forces of the <a href="/facts/NATO/dCeTddMY">NATO</a> countries have similar procedures in order to make cooperation easier.

The impacts of having radio operators who are not well-trained in standard procedures can cause significant operational problems and delays, as exemplified by one case of amateur radio operators during <a href="/facts/Hurricane_Katrina/EflS9fkS">Hurricane Katrina</a>, in which:<blockquote>...many of the operators who were deployed had excellent go-kits and technical ability, but were seriously wanting in traffic handling skill. In one case it took almost 15 minutes to pass one 25 word message.</blockquote>

Radiotelephony procedure open-in-new

Radiotelephony procedure