It doesn’t matter what type of radio you are using (FRS/GMRS, VHF/UHF, FM, ANDVT, etc) as long as everyone you want to talk to is using the same type. My team uses VHF, but it doesn’t matter.

Ok, you and all your boyfriends have radios and you are getting ready to hit the field. You got your ninja suit on and your 27 mags are full. Stupid stuff to check out on your radio before you head out (and trust me, these are “radio issues” that I had to trouble shoot and fix before heading out on real combat patrols and during them).
Is the radio on? “Perreault, why can’t I transmit?” “Is it turned on?” “Oh yeah”…..

Are the batteries charged? Radios kill batteries real quick, its a good idea to take and extra set out into the field with ya.
Are you and your boyfriends on the same channel? Sometimes ppl put their radios on their gear where they can’t get to them or see the screen. Things always get bumped and its good to check to make sure that it’s still on the right channel and that it is still turned on, every once in a while.
DO A RADIO CHECK!

HOW TO DO A RADIO CHECK

A radio check should be a 3 part process.

First transmission: “B this is A, radio check, over.”
There were a couple of things that just happened here. A was requesting a specific person, that specific person should be the one answering you, not someone else. A requested a specific thing, a radio check. A ended your transmission a specific way, “over” means that you are done talking and are waiting for a response. 1st transmission is to check if someone hears you.

Second Transmission(what you should hear back over the radio from : “A this is B, roger, over.”
B was telling A that it was them, and they were responding to their radio check. “Roger” was their way of confirming a good radio check, but if A was coming over the net and something was messed up about their transmission, this is where they could tell you that you are effed up. B ends their transmission with an “over.” 2nd transmission confirms that they did hear you.

Third Transmission(what you say back to B): “Roger, out”

You are now letting B know that you heard them. Whenever you end a transmission with “out,” that means that the conversation is over. ONLY THE PERSON THAT STARTS THE CONVERSATION SHOULD BE THE ONE THAT ENDS IT! 3rd transmission confirms with B that you received their response.

EXAMPLES

(a good radio check between Jabber and I)
Jabber this is Moby, radio check, over.
Moby this is Jabber, roger, over.
Roger, out.

(a radio check between Jabber and I where I am coming in weak and broken)
Jabber this is Moby, radio check, over.
Moby this is Jabber, you are coming in weak and broken, over
Roger, out
Then I un ef myself and try again.

(a good radio check with anyone on my channel, or “net”)
Any station this net, this is Moby, radio check, over.
Moby this is [random douche bag on our net], roger, over.
Roger, out.

And that, kids, is how to do a radio check.

*Always start your conversations with a “B this is A, over” This ensures that the person you are trying to reach is listening to you.

REPORTS

There are all sorts of reports out there, but these couple are the most useful:

Contact Report: Commanders need to know when their troops are in contact, so a contact report is important to send up to your higher command. Might sound a little like this:
“Command this is Moby, CONTACT small arms from on top of Sap House hill, we are returning fire and maneuvering on enemy position, out.

Short, it tells what’s happening to you, where it is coming from and what you are doing about it. You will give a more detailed report after you have found better cover.

SitRep: Basically, just tell your command what is happening, where you are, what you are doing, and that you love them (not really). Sounds like
“Command this is Moby, Sitrep as follows, Break”
“Squad has taken the top of Breast Hill, and have searched the hut. Negative enemy contact, Break”
“We are now moving south to Vag Valley, How copy?”

Basically it is the who what where when and why of what you are actually doing. Your command will want to know how you are doing on supplies and if you have taken casualties. Send sitreps when asked or update your command at timed intervals.

HAVING A LONG CONVERSATION ON THE RADIO

If ever you must say a long transmission (round abouts 15 seconds or longer), such as a sitrep or you need to send alot of information, you will use “Break.” This is the information I will be putting out:

“Lead this is Moby. I am seeing a lot of movement over by the bunker by that tree. The intel that we received regarding objective Z, I think it might be over there. Requesting that you move your squad to the northern flank to help secure it. How copy?“

This is too long for one transmission. What if your radio cuts out in the middle of it? What if “Lead” misses the first half? we will need to break it up into a few parts.

“Lead this is Moby. I am seeing a lot of movement over by the bunker by that tree. The intel that we received regarding objective Z, I think it might be over there, BREAK.”

After I say “break,” I let go of the PTT button for a second or 2 or 3. This lets the person I am talking to get on the net and ask me to say the first part again if they missed it. After that time passes, I will finish my message.

“Requesting that you move your squad to the northern flank to help secure it. How copy?“

I ended this transmission with a “How copy?” That is asking the person I was talking to to tell me what I told them as to make sure that they understood what I was saying.

I will keep adding to this, and when I do, I will compile it and dump it into a new topic. Im just tired of typing right now.

I will leave you with a few words of wisdom:

Speak efficiently. Every second you spend on talking about your dog and how much you love your boyfriend, is a second that you are distracting one of your squad mates and tying up the net.

Think before you push the PTT! I can’t stand it when ppl push the button and then don’t know what to say, just say “uh” after every word. Figure out what you are going to say, then push the button and say it.

Speak clearly! Don’t mumble. Its hard enough to hear what ppl are saying when in contact and far away. Speak Clearly and enunciate your words correctly.

Tell me FACTS. I don’t care if you THINK that you heard a snap in the woods, if it is a bad guy, be sure about it and tell me a fact, not what you think.

Don’t break into a net unless it is an emergency. Don’t interrupt a set of transmissions to tell the command that you have to poop. I hate you.