Techniques for All Messages
Radio Techniques
DO use only plain language
DO use standard ITU phonetics
DO use tactical call signs when appropriate, and identify with your FCC call sign every 10 minutes or at the end of an exchange
DO listen for, and follow, instructions
DO make only necessary transmissions; avoid read backs
DO be concise
DO follow these message passing procedures
DO complete all communication logs and message forms clearly, concisely, and legibly
DO ask for clarification when you can’t read a message, or you don’t understand something
DO use 24-hour local time, unless instructed otherwise
DO transmit only facts, or information from an approved source or authority
DO avoid transmitting personal, confidential, or sensitive information
names, phone numbers, patient information, body counts, etc.
- DO use standard ICS position titles, facility names, and/or tactical names
DO pause 1 to 2 (or more!) seconds after keying up to avoid clipping
DO leave gaps between transmissions to allow others to break in
DO drop PTT when not speaking; avoid dead air and open mics
Speaking Techniques
Speed
- After you say each word, pretend to write it down ("ghost write") before you go on to the next word
- This slows you down to a pace that the receiver can handle
Pauses
- Pause between groups to provide clarity and separation
- Pauses provide clues that something different is coming
- Pause aid in correct group copying, improving efficiency
Prowords
- ALWAYS use proper prowords
- Proactively use the I SPELL proword (as appropriate) to avoid repeats
Message Prioritization
Prioritize according to handling order, date, and time
Handling order: Immediate, Priority, Routine
Note: ARRL Precedence: Emergency, Priority, Welfare, Routine
Note: Red Cross DWI (Disaster Welfare Inquiry) has Welfare precedence
Use date to prioritize between same handling order
Use time to prioritize between same dates
Ultimately, the served agency decides the order; it’s their message
Announcing a Message
- Step 1: Annouce quantity and handling order of messages ready to send
- Examples:
- "Net Control, I have 2 Priority messages for you"
- "Net Control, I have 1 Immediate and 1 Routine message for you"
- The receiver will prioritize versus other messages that may be waiting, then says: "go ahead" or "ready to copy"
- Examples:
- Step 2: If the message is a form, announce the form type before sending
- This lets the receiver know what's coming so they can prepare the right form
- If the form requires a routing slip (because it doesn't contain the radio routing information fields), also include "... with routing slip"
- Examples:
- The receiver readies the right form (and routing slip, if needed), then says: "go ahead" or "ready to copy"
- Step 3: Sen the message
- See "Sending a Message ..." for details
- Step 4: Log the message
- Log all of your communications activity on the ICS-214 Activity Log
Sending a Message to One Station
- Say "My message number is ..." followed by your message number (phonetically) to signal the start of transmission
- Say field name (or number), followed by field value
- Or use another, previously agreed-upon plan
- Pass fields in logical chunks, according to the form
- By row? By column? By section?
- If the form has sections, say the section name as you enter that section
- Shoot for sending five items at a time (depending on how complicated each field is)
- For short text fields, send up to five fields at a time
- For longer text fields (such as the message body in an ICS-213), send five words at a time
- Some heavily user forms (ICS-213) have a preferred field grouping for maximum efficiency
- Pause after each group
- Receiver's opportunity to request fills
- Receiver responds with "Go" or "Continue" when ready for more
- Say "End of message" to signal form transmission complete
- Receiver responds with "My message number is <their message number>", followed by "<their FCC call sign>"
- Say "<your FCC call sign>" to end the process
- Log the message
Sending a Message to Multiple Stations
- Announce the quanity and priority of message for ...
- "All stations, all stations, stand by for one priority message"
- "All shelters, all shelters, stand by for one routine message"
- (Optional) Poll for readiness of all stations
- Select a pacing station
- "Mountain View, will you be my pacing station?"
- Send the message to the pacing station (see "Sending a Message to One Station)
- Poll all other receiving stations
- Each receiving station responds with requests for fills (if any), followed by <their message number> and <their FCC call sign>
- Log all receiving station message numbers and call signs