Procedure word

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Procedure words or prowords are words or phrases limited to radio telephone procedure used to facilitate communication by conveying information in a condensed standard form. [1]

[edit] Universal prowords

[edit] GO AHEAD

I have received your initial call; pass on the rest of your message.

[edit] OUT

This is the end of my transmission to you and no answer is required or expected.

[edit] OVER

This is the end of my transmission to you and a response is necessary. Go Ahead: transmit. It should be noted that, contrary to popular belief, "Over" and "Out" are never used at the same time, since their meanings are mutually exclusive. Therefore "Over and Out" should never be heard on a radio net.

[edit] ROGER, ROMEO

I have received your last transmission satisfactorily, radio check is loud and clear. Another proword that means the same as ROGER is COPY, used on its own. See example 1, below. Romeo has the same meaning but it used mainly in Australian Maritime Operations

[edit] WILCO

I have received your transmission, understand it, and will comply, to be used only by the addressee. Since the meaning of ROGER is included in that of WILCO, the two prowords are never used together. See example 1, below.

[edit] AFFIRM

"Confirm or Yes", used in Aviation

[edit] NEGATIVE

"No"

[edit] Maritime VHF prowords

[edit] RADIO CHECK

What is my signal strength and readability; how do you hear me?

5x5 is an older term used to assess radio signal strength, as in 5 out of 5 units of clarity and volume. Other terms similar to 5x5 are "loud and clear" or "Lima and Charlie". Example:

ALPHA 12: X-RAY Two-Three, THIS IS ALPHA One-Two, RADIO CHECK, OVER

X-RAY 23: ALPHA One-Two, THIS IS X-RAY Two-Three, I READ YOU 5 BY 5, OVER

ALPHA 12: ALPHA One-Two ROGER, OUT

Current procedure in the U.S. military is for the receiving station to simply reply with a "ROGER, OUT" if communication is good.

ALPHA 12: X-RAY Two-Three, THIS IS ALPHA One-Two, RADIO CHECK, OVER

X-RAY 23: ALPHA One-Two, THIS IS X-RAY Two-Three, ROGER, OUT

If the initiating station (ALPHA 12 in the example) cannot hear the responding station (X-RAY 23 above), then the initiator will attempt a radio-check again, or if the responder's signal is un-acceptable, will reply to the responder's "ROGER, OUT". (OUT does not mean that the conversation is ended, merely that there is no expectation that it will continue. In this case, if communication is good in both directions, then there is no reason for the radio check to need more than two transmissions.

[edit] READ BACK FOR CHECK

Instruction to receiving station to read back the information it has received for confirmation. Reply from receiving station will be preceded by I READ BACK, confirmation by transmitting station takes the form of the proword CORRECT. See example 2, below.

[edit] SAY AGAIN

"I have not understood your message, please repeat". Usually used with prowords ALL AFTER or ALL BEFORE. Example: radio working between Solent Coastguard and a motor vessel, call-sign EG 93, where part of the initial transmission is unintelligible

- All stations, all stations, this is Solent Coastguard, Solent Coastguard. Be advised large shipping vessel entering Southampton Water, currently at position ...[transmission unintelligible]...Out.

- Solent Coastguard, Solent Coastguard, this is Echo Golf Niner Three. Say again all after position. Over.

At this juncture, Solent Coastguard would reply, giving the position of the shipping vessel preceded with the prowords I SAY AGAIN:

- All stations, All stations, this is Solent Coastguard. I say again, large shipping vessel entering Southampton water, currently at position one decimal two miles from Calshot Spit on bearing one six five degrees. Vessel restricted in ability to deviate from its course. Do not impede. Out.

Note that the word "REPEAT" is never to be used in place of SAY AGAIN, especially in the vicinity of naval or other firing ranges, as REPEAT is an artillery proword with a wholly different meaning. However, REPEAT may be used in the middle of a signal to emphasise information Example:

EG93: Victor Juliet Five-Zero, this is Echo Golf Niner-Three. How much fuel do you require? Over.
VJ50: Echo Golf Niner-Three, this is Victor Juliet Five-Zero. I require six five - repeat six five - litres of diesel. Over.
Or alternatively:
VJ50: Echo Golf Niner-Three, this is Victor Juliet Five-Zero. I require six five litres of diesel. Repeat six five litres. Repeat diesel. Over

[edit] STATION CALLING

This proword is used when addressing an unidentified station which has just hailed the receiver. For example, Cowes VTS has received a transmission from an unidentified station. The correct reply would be:

"Station calling Cowes VTS, Station calling Cowes VTS - this is Cowes VTS. Over."

[edit] THIS IS

This transmission is from the station whose designator immediately follows.

[edit] SO FAR

During transmission with lots of information, this proword can be used between transmissions, to ensure all information is passed on correctly.

[edit] Example of Radio Communications Using Procedure Words

[edit] Example 1

2 helicopters are flying in formation, Indian 610 and Indian 613:

Indian 610: "613, I have a visual on you at my 3 o'clock."

Indian 613: "Roger."

Indian 610: "613, Turn right to a heading of 090."

Indian 613: "Wilco."

Translation by Navy Pilot from California: "Anytime a radio call is made, there's some kind of response indicating that the original call was heard. 613's "Roger" confirms to 610 that the information was heard. In the second radio call from 610, direction was given. 613's "Wilco" says I heard you and I will do what you told me to do. The reply, 'Roger, Wilco', is considered wrong.

[edit] Example 2

The following is the example of working between two stations, EG93 and VJ50 demonstrating how to confirm information:

EG93: "Victor Juliet Five-Zero, Victor Juliet Five-Zero, this is Echo Golf Niner-Three. Request rendezvous at 51 degrees 37.0N, 001 degrees 49.5W. Read back for check. Over."

VJ50: "Echo Golf Niner-Three, Echo Golf Niner-Three, this is Victor Juliet Five-Zero. I read back: five one degrees three seven decimal zero North, zero zero one degrees four niner decimal five West. Over."

EG93: "Victor Juliet Five-Zero, Victor Juliet Five-Zero, this is Echo Golf Niner-Three. Correct. Out."

[edit] Distress, Urgency and Safety prowords (used for maritime and aeronautical VHF)

[edit] MAYDAY (distress)

I, my vessel or a person aboard my vessel is in grave and imminent danger, send immediate assistance. This call takes priority over all other calls. The correct format for a Mayday call is as follows:

[The first part of the signal is known as the call]
"Mayday, Mayday, Mayday,

This is (vessel name repeated three times, followed by MMSI if available)

[The subsequent part of the signal is known as the message]

Mayday (vessel name)

My position is (position as a LAT-LONG position or bearing and distance from a fixed point)

I am (type of distress, e.g. on fire and sinking)

I require immediate assistance

I have (number of people on board and their condition)

(Any other information e.g. "I am abandoning to liferafts")

Over"

VHF instructors, specifically those working for the Royal Yachting Association, often suggest the mnemonic MIPDANIO for learning the message of a mayday signal: Mayday, Identify, Position, Distress, Assistance, Number of crew, Information, Over.

[edit] PAN PAN (urgency)

I, my vessel or a person aboard my vessel requires assistance but is not in distress. This overrides all but a MAYDAY call, and is used, as an example, for calling for medical assistance or if the station has no means of propulsion. The correct call is:

PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN

All stations, all stations, all stations

This is [vessel name repeated three times]

My position is [position as a LAT-LONG position or bearing and distance from a fixed point]

I am [type of urgency, e.g. drifting without power in a shipping lane]

I require [type of assistance required]

[Any other information e.g. size of vessel, which may be important for towing]

Over

[edit] SECURITE (say-cure-ee-tay) (safety)

I have important meteorological, navigational or safety information to pass on. This call is normally broadcast on a defined channel (channel 16 for maritime VHF) and then moved onto another channel to pass the message. Example:

[On channel 16]

SECURITE, SECURITE, SECURITE,

All stations, all stations, all stations.

This is Echo Golf Niner-Three, Echo Golf Niner-Three, Echo Golf Niner-Three.

For urgent navigational warning, listen on channel six-seven.

Out.

[Then on channel 67]