Communications Procedure

I've got to admit, I am an old "commo" man.  Commo is an older military term for communications, much the same way that "ammo" is short for ammunition.

I still think like a commo man when it comes to amateur radio public service communications.   Ham radio public service comms do use some basic structure and terminology taken from military comms.  But I do see some variation between the two, and I believe that hams could benefit by learning, and adopting more practices from military comms.   I believe this because military forces have hammered out their practices and refined them in the forge of combat.

Even though I have only experienced simulated combat, I can tell you that combat is a fluid and chaotic situation.  Change is constant, unpredictable, rapid, and intense.   Sometimes, each second demands a decision that must be made, communicated, and carried out – IMMEDIATELY!   In such situations, using standard commo practices can ease and smooth the flow of information.   Ham radio emergency and disaster comms often take place in similar situations, so we can learn from military comms.

A Word About Words
One of the earliest lessons I learned is that some words are used for directing action, and some are used for communications procedure.   I had asked someone to repeat something they said over the radio that I didn't hear clearly... and I immediately got an earful about why I should NEVER ask anyone on military radio to repeat what they said!

The military reserves the word REPEAT for directing action, such as mortar and artillery strikes.  When someone orders such a strike, they designate where and what kind of rounds to fire.   If the first strike hits the target, but doesn't complete the job, the one who called in the strike will ask the Fire Direction Controller to REPEAT the action.

So, if a military operator doesn't clearly copy what someone said, what do they say if they don't use the word REPEAT?  SAY AGAIN.

Now you might, ask why have two separate terms? Why not just use REPEAT for both meanings?

Consider the case of an infantry platoon leader whose unit is under attack.   Enemy troops are close to overrunning his position, so he orders a mortar strike.   The rounds fall right on top of the approaching enemy troops, and that cuts down their numbers enough that the platoon leader sees that he can end the attack by ordering his own troops to counterattack.   As his soldiers take over the enemy's position, the FDC calls to see if the platoon leader needs another strike.  If the platoon leader didn't copy the FDC's question, should he say REPEAT or SAY AGAIN?

With SAY AGAIN, the FDC knows what to do.   With REPEAT, he doesn't know if the platoon leader wants him to fire rounds again on the same location as the last strike, or to say again his question.   In this situation, miscommunication due to poor practices could lead to highly undesirable consequences.

But, why should we as ham radio operators worry about the distinction between REPEAT and SAY AGAIN?  We are not likely to come under enemy fire like the troops on the battlefield.

The role of comms in combat, or emergencies, or disasters, is the directing of resources to where they are needed.   Poor comm practices in emergencies or disasters can lead to wasted resources, efforts and time.

Let's look at another pair of terms that shows the difference between action directives and commo procedure: STAND BY and WAIT.

To me, STAND BY is an action directive.   It means to prepare for action and continue to monitor comm channels for the call to deploy.  Preparing for action means to check supplies and equipment, stage them for quick mobilization, and review activation procedures.  When the National Weather Service forecasts hazardous weather is for a portion of the state, Oklahoma ARES Section Emergency Coordinator Mark Conklin, N7XYO, will send out a message calling for ARES members in the affected regions to STAND BY.   When he does this, he is responding to a developing situation that might require hams to go into action, and not to a inquiry from any volunteer concerning activation.

I bring this up because someone has established a practice for Net Control Operators to say STAND BY when a volunteer calls in to Net Control, and the NCO is already handling an issue, or the calling station has a question.  When I am in the Net Control seat, I prefer to say WAIT or WAIT ONE.  I am not expecting them to prepare for action, so I have no reason to tell them to STAND BY.  If I need someone to wait before passing traffic, or to wait on an answer to their question, that's what I tell them to do... to WAIT.

Now some might say I'm being picky, but I don't think so.  I'm being clear about people's actions beyond the comms, or comm procedure.

The military has a term for words like SAY AGAIN and WAIT. They call them procedure words, or PROWORDS. Some refer to them as PROSIGNS.

Here are a few of the more common PROWORDS, and their meanings:

ROGER – general affirmation or acknowledgement.

OVER – I'm through talking, and waiting for a response.

OUT – I'm through talking and leaving the net, so I am not waiting for a response.

CLEAR – I'm through talking and clearing the frequency for others to use.

NOTE: OVER and OUT are mutually exclusive! Leave OVER AND OUT to the cartoons and B-movies!

What's Appropriate When
Now, in public service comms, including emergency and disaster comms, we follow the Incident Command System rules, which state that on-air voice comms should use plain text.  This precludes the use of codes.   That includes Q-signals.   I have heard a net control recently use QSL during a net. That does not comply with ICS rules, and needs to stop.

The one exception I see concerning Q-signals is the use of QST to announce a net, because the net has not yet been established.  But once the net has started, we should hold the use of Q-signals until the net closes. Now, this applies only to public service nets.

During club and ragchew nets, Q-signals are okay. So are easy phonetics. Remember, ham radio is a hobby, and hobbies are supposed to be fun. As long as you are not violating FCC regulations, I see no problem with easy phonetics.

BTW, my easy phonetics, along with my first name, comes out as a sentence: Doug Keeps Chasing 5 Zippy Quick Mobiles.   And I haven't caught them yet!

Public Relations and the Average Ham

An average ham might think, “Why should I be concerned about PR, when my club and the ARRL have people to handle that job?”

Too many people don't know that ham radio exists.

Many that do know, have misconceptions -

1. It's just another form of CB.

2. It'd just a bunch of old guys that spend all their time sending Morse Code to each other.

3. You have to be rich to afford #4.

4. You have to have a big tower and powerful radio to be a ham.

5. Need to know Morse Code.

6. Someone's ham radio interfered with someone else's electronics, so it creates problems.

7. Someone's tower disrupts the charm of my neighborhood.

Too many hams think that PR is nothing but recruiting new members for clubs.

Recruiting is actually the third highest priority of amateur radio PR. Sure, more club members mean more money in the club's treasury, and could mean more volunteers for club activities and public service events.

But remember, PR is PUBLIC Relations. Ham radio clubs recruit hams, not members of the general public. Two factors work against the recruiting of hams.

1. Some hams aren't interested in joining a club. They might have had a bad experience with a club in the past; they don't see how club membership could benefit them; or they don't consider the possibility of their club membership benefiting others.

2. Some hams don't make good club members. They could be incompetent, or a troublemaker, or they have a criminal record that disqualifies them from participating in club activities. I'm not meaning to be judgmental here, but clubs have liabilities they must consider.

So, a more important goal of ham radio PR is recruiting new people into the hobby.

But, because some members of the public have a negative view of of ham radio, the most important goal of ham radio PR is to recruit new friends and supporters. Even though they may never become new hams, we are better off having them for us than against us!

I heard a ham say years ago,”Everyone should become a ham!” That sounds good, but ham radio is not for everyone. Some don't have the interest or the personality to fit into ham radio. But everyone should know about ham radio, and how it benefits society.

Now, you might say, “That's good for the PR people to know, but how does that affect me?”

Even if you don't know it, or believe it, you do represent ham radio. If you are the only ham that an individual knows, you represent the hobby to THEM.

Sure, they could have read something about ham radio, or heard or seen a story about hams on TV or broadcast radio. But ham radio will remain just a concept to them until they meet or realize they already know a ham. Otherwise, they will not have any real idea of what ham radio is, or what it is about.

Now, consider this: Were you inspired to become a ham because you knew a ham? If not, you probably still know a ham who became one because he or she was inspired by a ham they knew.

PR is every ham's business.

Now, let's get down to the how-to's, what you need to know if you help out with ham radio PR displays and demonstrations. Also, please realize that some of these items apply when you are helping out with public service communications, because you are still representing ham radio to the public

1. Show up CLEAN and looking professional.

A couple of years ago, a volunteer showed up looking like he just finished working an overnight shift at a steel fabrication shop. We let him go out and work an assignment, and we probably shouldn't have.

Now, I don't blame him. Anyone who works overnight has my respect, because I used to work rotating shifts at a glass bottle plant. The problem is that the person who let him go out didn't consider how the public would see him as a representative of ham radio.

We should have obtained a t-shirt from the event organizers, given it to him, told him to go to wash up, put on the shirt and come back to for an assignment.

Here is a list of acceptable apparel (vests, hats, shirts, badges, etc) in descending order of priority:

ARES – These let the people know about the value of ham radio to society.

Local Club – lets people know you are not an outsider.

Other ham radio organizations – ARRL, QCWA, etc.

Other ham radio sources – Equipment manufacturers, magazines or websites – avoid shirts with “inside humor;” non-hams will not may not understand, or they might get the wrong impression.

Served organizations – Salvation Army, Red Cross, Emergency Management, etc.

Public service events, especially ones that say “Volunteer.”

General business casual wear.

2. Consider your audience.

This is also known as the first rule of writing. It applies here, because PR is a form of communications.

No one writes a children's book the same way they would write a doctoral thesis. Now, one person could write both a thesis and a children's book on the same subject, but the thesis will contain technical and specific terms, and the children's book will contain simpler words and shorter sentences.

So, when discussing ham radio with the public, avoid technical terms. If you have to use one, explain it. For example: A repeater is an automated booster station that receives a signal on one frequency and retransmitts on another frequency, at the same time, and it usually does so at a higher power and from a high location such as a tower or tall building.

Sometimes, we have to talk about storms. When doing so, DON'T SCARE THE CHILDREN! We don't want them thinking that we are scary people they want to avoid.

3. Take the initiative.

If someone is lingering around the display, but not saying anything, or taking any literature, ask them a question such as:

“What do you know about ham radio?”

“Do you have any questions about ham radio?”

This lets them know you are interested in them as an individual.

4. Gently and positively push the literature.

The literature might cover aspects of ham radio that you don't get to cover in your conversations with people, and it could “extend” your presentation of ham radio to a later time.

5. Stay humble.

As hams, we know how great the hobby is, and the great things we get to do. We can easily let this go to our heads.

Remember, the things we get to do on the air are privileges, not rights. Bad PR can lead to us losing some or all of our privileges.

Our goal is to promote through information, not argumentation.

6. Be polite.

When someone approaches the display, greet them. When they leave, thank them for their visit and/or their time.

Now a word about what to talk about when discussing ham radio with a non-ham. If you are talking with a person with a technical background, then technology is okay. Otherwise, talk about activities and people. Play up the capabilities of ham radio in emergencies and disasters.

In writing and speaking classes, the instructors will often say the best subject to talk about is the one you know best – yourself. Talk about your favorite ham radio activities. People will pick up on your enthusiasm, and even if they don't become enthusiastic about ham radio, they will at least gain a respect for it from you.

I'll close this out with a story from my own PR experience:

The petite brunette walked up to the TRO (Tulsa Repeater Organization) table at the 2015 Green County Hamfest when I was the only one sitting there. She said, “I don't know anything about ham radio. Why would I want one?”

Ask me a loaded question, and I'll give you a loaded answer. And I sure gave here a load of information!

I started with how hams can talk when the phones go down or get overloaded during emergencies and disasters. Then I said, “Beyond that, ham radio is one of the most varied and fun hobbies or pastimes anyone can participate in,” before going into the different aspects of ham radio. I talked about subjects hams will learn about while enjoying the hobby, and the things I have done and enjoy doing as a ham. I finished by bringing things full circle by telling how we use public service events to prepare for disasters because we often encounter the same kinds of operating conditions in both types of events.

She left with a handful of brochures, flyers, and a copy of the February issue of The Signal, the club newsletter.

Go-Kit Philosophy?

Not many people would ever get philosophical about go-kits, but I have. I don't really have a go-kit, so maybe that's why I've taken the time to think about one.

Eventually, I will have one, and I will probably need some time to put it together.  As I build the kit, I will follow the philosophy presented here.

But first a word about go-kit lists.  Most hams know that ARES has a list. I was an Emergency Management volunteer at one time, and they had a list. I'm sure CERT has a list, SAR has a list, Red Cross has a list, Salvation Army has a list, every group that responds to emergencies and disasters has a list.

If you belong to more that one group, you could drive yourself crazy and broke trying to put together a go-kit for every group.  Crazy is bad enough, but crazy and broke is worse!

What to do, what to do???

Well, how about one kit?  You will probably notice that most lists are similar, with many common items.  And the lists are mostly suggestions anyway, with only a few items required by the group that issued the list.

Create your own list, one customized to your own needs as well as the needs dictated by the situation and environment you will be operating in.

As you draw up this list, classify everything by 3 categories: radio needs, operator needs, and human needs.

Radio needs are, of course, what you need to make the radio work,  The radio and mode you plan on using will determine those needs.

For a handheld, your needs should be simple: aftermarket antenna, speaker mic or headset, extended battery pack, with backups for the antenna and battery.

For a mobile or base used as a portable station, the needs will be more complex.   Think of these needs as systems: power system, antenna system, operating accessories.

The power system is the power source (battery, generator, solar panel, etc.), and the cords and connectors needed to get the power from the source into the radio.

The antenna system is the antenna, antenna support, and feedline.

Operating accessories are things that attach to the radio to make it work in the chosen mode: mic or headset for voice mode; code key, paddles, or bug for CW; computer, TNC, patch cords, and possibly adapters for data modes not using a sound card modem or SDR.

Now, don't confuse operating accessories with operator needs. Operator needs are things you need to function as an operator; notepad, writing instruments, ICS forms, flashlight, ARES vest and badge, etc.

Human needs are things you need as a HUMAN: food, water, prescription and over-the-counter meds, spare eyeglasses, hearing aids, change of clothes, toiletries, grooming aids, etc.

One important factor I haven't mentioned yet is time, that is, the duration of the event, or the length of one shift for longer activations.  The longer the event, the more consumable items you will need – food, water, medicines, batteries, etc.  You might also need to add items that could need replacement without being consumed, such as clothing.  At the very least, I recommend at least one change of underwear and socks for every day beyond a one-day event..

Also, for longer activations, you might consider adding items for give-aways. The bigger the event, the more likely that someone will show up without a flashlight, or they find that theirs is broken. If you stock your kit with a few extra flashlights, even cheap ones like the ones you can find two on a card for a couple of dollars, then you could give them one. It might not last too long, but it means they can spend their time helping, instead of looking for a working flashlight, or leaving. It also means that you don't have to lend them your good flashlight, that you might not get back, or you wind up doing the work they couldn't do because they didn't have a flashlight.

The usual recommendation is to have a one-day bag, and a three-day bag.

I've also thought of a “ready kit.”   It would be enough to get you through an eight to twelve hour shift, in case of immediate activation at a moment's notice.  You would keep it in your car at all times, so that you can respond immediately if you receive an activation call while out driving to work, to school, to church, to the store, or home, and you don't have time to go home to get your full kit.  You should be able to stay on the job until relieved.

Now, I'll mention an item you should have in your kit, but you won't find it on any of the other lists: a copy of the list.   Why include a copy of the list in your kit?   Because, during a long activation you will probably remove items from your kit as you use them, and have to put them back.   The longer the activation, the items you are likely to remove and use.  The more items you remove, the more likely you are to forget something.  If you wait until you get home to check your kit and you find you forgot to pack something, you will probably have to buy a replacement.

One final word about consumables: keep them fresh.  Use them up and replace them on a regular basis.  You should check your kit anyway once a month or so, and that would be a good time to use and refresh consumable items.

Happy go-kit building!

Becoming A Better Communicator

A while back, I was thinking on a practice that some churches have, and I saw something that hams could adapt for our own purposes.   Don't worry, I'm not going to get religious on you here.

Some churches, from time to time, will have testimony meetings.  In these meetings, rank and file members of the congregation will speak about recent experiences that had spiritual significance, or they will relate their conversion experiences.

While reflecting on this, I realized that I have a ham radio testimony, that is, a story about how I became a ham radio operator.  Every ham has a ham radio testimony.

Why should we concern ourselves with this?

Consider this question: What makes ham radio, ham radio?  What makes ham radio different?  Is it the radios?  The science, the technology?  No, because other people have radios and all radios work on the same basic principles.  So, what does make the difference?

We do.  Hams make ham radio what it is.  We make ham radio what it is by what we do with our radios.

This has implications, not just for recruiting, but for public relations in general.

Think about your own experience.  Most likely, someone or a group of people influenced you in some way to become a ham.  Maybe a friend, relative, teacher, co-worker was a ham and they impressed you with their station, QSL cards, awards, etc.  One ham in Tulsa was part of an organization that puts on a big bicycling event, and he decided to become a ham when he had seen the job that hams did supporting that event its first year.

As scary as this thought might sound, a living, breathing ham is a better advertisement for ham radio than any brochure.  I'm not putting down brochures, for they can present information about ham radio is an attractive manner.  But, no brochure can tell someone how much fun it is to talk to someone in another country with out a huge long distance charge on their phone bill, or the satisfaction felt from calling for help when a runner or bike rider goes down.

Several times I have heard a local ham say that everyone needs to be a ham.  I've never agreed with that because I know some people that don't belong on ham radio, and I can think of at least one ham that I wish wasn't a ham.  So, ham radio is not for everybody, but I will say that everybody should be for ham radio.  They need to know what ham radio is and respect it for what we do with our radios.

A ham's testimony can be a valuable tool for letting the public know about ham radio.

But I have another reason for talking about ham radio testimonies.

I have been a ham since March of 1997.  Since then, I have tried to be as active in the clubs as I can be, so I have been to plenty of club meetings.  One thing that you can count on to happen at a club meeting from time to time, is that the newsletter editor will BEG for articles.

Several times, when that has happened, I'll hear someone off to the side say, "I can't write!"

What wrong with that picture?

Ham radio is a form of communications.  Essentially, it is talking on radio.

Writing is also a form of communications.  It is talking on paper, or nowdays, through a word processor.

If you are a ham, that means you can write!

A common misperception is that writing requires talent.  Of course, some writers are talented at creating clever phrases and vivid descriptions, but writing is a skill that anyone can develop.  Sure, developing that skill takes time and effort.

Another common excuse is, "I don't have anything to write about."  Well, I just gave you something to write about - your ham radio testimony!

Even if you don't submit your testimony as an article for your club's newsletter, I challenge you to write it out anyway.  Do it for yourself.  See as an exercise that will help you become a better communicator.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and challenge you to do something I haven't done myself.  Not only that, I will offer you some help if you have no idea how to get started on writing.

I have written my ham radio testimony and uploaded it to an online file storage and sharing website.  Here is the download link, if you wish to see it:    

http://www.mediafire.com/?k9bjjlr4fc4vn9z

I have also created a simple writing plan I call the 3-6-3 Writing Plan.  It's available here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?irnl2hrssf9l0s2

Beyond the 3-6-3 Writing Plan, I will offer additional help.  Once you have written your testimony, and if you want someone to take a look at it to see if it needs improvement, you can send it to me via email in a text file, or in a Word, Open Office, or PDF file.  I won't make any changes, but I will tell you what changes need to be made.  My email is:

kc5zqm@cox.net

The last thing I want to say about ham radio testimonies is this:  Don't just tell the story of how you became a ham.  Include a summary of what you have done as a ham radio operator, and tell about the parts of ham radio that appeal to you the most.

Finally, I will relate a story that I hope motivates you to follow up on this.

Years ago, a famous novelist was asked to give a lecture about creative writing at a college campus.  When he came out on stage, his clothes were a bit disheveled, his hair uncombed and his eyes a bit bleary as if he were hung over.  After he reaches the podium, he looks over the audience for a moment and then says, "I assume that everyone here wishes to be a writer."

Everyone nods in agreement to that statement.

Then he said, "What are you doing here, instead of sitting at your desks writing something?" before he turns and leaves the stage.

Critical Communications

This post has been 39 years in the making.

In my sophomore year in high school, I took a half-year speech course, and I flunked it. I flunked because I was shy.

I was never very athletic as a kid, so I tended to read a lot. I guess that contributed to my shyness. But it also meant I tended to get good grades, and I didn't like flunking. So, I retook the course the next year and passed. In my senior year, I took Speech II, a full year course that explored more than the usual speechmaking. We had debates, and tried different things related to speech.

Thus began my development as a communicator.

The next big step came on 23 JUN 74. That's the day I joined an Oklahoma Army National Guard infantry unit. I signed up for communications. For 4 of the next 6 years, I was a 'commo' man.

Started as a field wireman, and ended as a field radio mechanic. Before they sent me to Fort Leonard Wood for basic training and the field wireman's course, I went with my unit to summer camp. There I learned the basics of organizing communications in a front line combat unit.

That knowledge proved helpful in my most significant military experience. It was during my last summer camp during the last two weeks of May, 1980. Earlier that year, Fidel Castro opened up Cuba's prisons and mental institutions and let anyone go that wanted to leave the country. It was an easy way for him to deal with political prisoners, and temporarily relieved him of the burden of caring for hardened criminals and the mentally ill.

Many of those "boat people" wound up at Ft. Chaffee, AR, where my unit usually went for summer camp. We went there, but not to the barracks. Most of the barracks were full of Cubans being processed, so the engineers set up tents for us on a ridge southwest of the main post.

During the second week of summer camp, our unit would go out to the countryside for a 3-day field training exercise. That year, only the rifle, mortar and TOW sections went.

One night during the FTX, I heard the battalion commander call for the company commander on the battalion radio frequency. When the battalion commander couldn't raise him, I got on and asked why he wanted the company commander, and if I could help. The battalion commander said that some Cubans had gotten out of the refugee compound and were trying to reach a highway.

He needed some troops to go help bring them back to the compound.

I said I'd do what I could. I got on the company radio frequency and contacted the captain. I told him that the colonel tried to call him on the battalion frequency, and he needed some troops to help round up some Cubans that had gotten loose from the compound. The captain thanked me for the information and said he'd contact the colonel on his frequency.

Ten or fifteen minutes later, trucks and jeeps full of troops rolled into our encampment, stirring up a lot of dust and noise. The troops unloaded, stowed away their excess gear, loaded back onto the trucks and jeeps and headed out again.

During those years I was in the National Guard, I also got in on the CB craze. This was when CB radios had only 23 channels, and you had to have a license to operate one. My call sign then was KEG9546. I won't say what my handle was, jus that it was an old nickname from when I was much younger and had an embarrassing problem.

After the National Guard, I developed an interest in writing. Except for a few courses required to obtain associate degrees in computer science and mathematics, I am mostly self-taught. I have written a few pieces for a company newsletter and a church bulletin.


I obtained the associate degree in math because of my interest in weather. I wanted to go to Oklahoma University to become a research meteorologist. The math degree at Tulsa Community College most closely matched the course requirements for the OU meteorology degree.

After obtaining that degree, I decided to get involved in storm spotting and ham radio. In January of 1997, I attended a spotter training session sponsored by the Tulsa Amateur Radio Club. There, I learned about the Creek County Emergency Management spotter program, and a book I could study to pass the ham radio license test.

In March, I passed the test at the Green Country Hamfest, held that year at the Tulsa Convention Center, and the FCC issued me the callsign of KC5ZQM.

Since becoming a ham, I have reported on storms for both Creek County Emergency Management and the National Weather Service office in Tulsa. I have participated in dozens of public service events such as bike rides and foot races. When hams provide communications support these events, they have an opportunity to practice for emergency or disaster communications.

I have not only participate in these events as a communicator, I have organized the communications support when I was Activities Chair for the Tulsa Repeater Organization. In that capacity, I helped to recruit and organize the response by hams in the Tulsa area to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. I also wrote the article about it that appeared in the March issue of QST magazine, the official publication of the national ham radio organization, the American Radio Relay League.

From my experience in military, civil emergency management, and ham radio communications, I have come up with a concept I call Critical Communications. Critical Communications is when communications is essential to the management of a critical situation such as combat, a disaster, or in an emergency.

The most important thing to remember in Critical Communications is the communicator's job. The communicator's job is to make sure the right information reaches the right person or place at the right time by the best means. That sounds simple, but it bears a closer look. I will break it down phrase by phrase.

"To make sure." This is the responsibility of both the sending and receiving stations. Both must maintain contact until until they are sure a correct copy of the information has been transferred.


"The right information" is clear, complete, and concise. "Clear" means the information is not vague, accurate, and true. It does not present speculation as facts. "Complete" means that you leave nothing out. "Concise" means that you do not include unnecessary details.


"The right person" is the person who needs the information to make a decision, or the person who needs to act on the information. Sometimes you can't directly send the information to the right person, so you have to get it to the right place, where someone there can pass on the information to the right person.

"The right time" is when the right person can still act on it.


"The best means" are the methods or channels for passing the information that allow you to best fulfill all the other aspects of this job. I have heard some comment that two-way voice radio is not an efficient use of bandspace. But sometimes it is the best means. It requires no dialing, encoding or writing down anything before you begin. You key up and you talk. You only have to wait for the receiving station to answer before you start passing information. However, if you have a large amount of information, or if the information is of a sensitive nature, you should use another means.

I could elaborate more on each point, and maybe I will, but this is enough for now.