UNSCDF Radio Communications Protocols

[Durant, M.]

UNITED NATIONS SPACE COMMAND
DEPARTMENT OF DOCTRINE & TRAINING

RADIO COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOLS

SECTION I: NAMES OVER NET

The United Nations Space Command, even with its advanced communications systems, is not safe from hacking. The enemy still manage to find ways to hack communications and listen in on chatter. So, for technical and logistical purposes, certain protocols have been put in place to ensure the security of all assets of the UNSC and its forces.

Code names or "callsigns" have been used for centuries to ensure the safety and security of all military operations. To this day, they remain the primary fail safe over the radio. When speaking to another unit, it is appropriate to use your callsign and the callsign of those you are speaking to. If they have no designated callsign, use their nickname to ensure that a potential eavesdropper does not know who to look for. It is also wise to never directly mention who is in command of your forces and your unit over the net. An eavesdropper will then know who to target and eliminate.

Callsigns may also partain to locations. On maps, it is appropriate to call in the exact position by its coordinates, including the grid of the map it is located in. Some buildings will have callsigns for the use of ground and aerial forces and it is imperative that the you specifically refer to the structure by its callsign, as it lowers the possibility of confusion for friendly forces and leaves any eavesdropper in a stump, generally.

SECTION II: MILITARY PHONETIC ALPHABET

The Military Phonetic Alphabet has been around for centuries. Originally created by NATO in the mid-1900s, its seen use in the UNSC since its formation. The phonetic alphabet spans from A - Z.

The Phonetic Alphabet is as follows:

Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Fox(trot)
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliet
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whiskey
X-ray
Yankee
Zulu

Numbers remain the same, except "nine," which becomes "niner" phonetically.

SECTION III: KEY PHRASES & MEANING

Listed below are the key phrases and their meanings used over the radio. This list is not all encompassing, as it is only meant to cover the basics.

You, this is Me - Whenever radioing someone within your AO, it is appropriate to mention who you are speaking to first, then yourself.

Me to You - Whenever radioing someone outside your Area of Operation, the rules are reversed. You mention yourself first, then the party you wish to communicate with.

Send Your Traffic - Send your transmission, talk. Can be shortened to "Send traffic" or "send it."

Be Advised - Pay attention, the following transmission is important.

Interrogative - The transmission that follows will be a question.

How Copy - Did you understand the preceding transmission?

Solid / Good Copy - Transmission received and understood.

Broken and Unreadable - There were skips in your transmission; I can't understand you.

Broken but Readable - There were skips in your transmission; but, I was able to understand what you were trying to tell me.

Static-filled and Unreadable - Your transmission was filled with static, therefore I cannot understand you.

Static-filled but Readable - Your transmission was filled with static; but, I understood you.

Say Again - Say your last transmission over again; repeat it.

Say Again All After… - Say your last transmission again after this point; repeat yourself from here (eg. Say again all after "be advised.")

Over - End of transmission.

Out - End of radio contact with you. Our conversation is finished and I am putting down the radio.

Repeat - Repeat fire mission / CAS strike. Cannot be used as an alternative to "say again."

Standby - Wait a moment while I retrieve information / handle business. See "Wait One…"

Wait One - Wait a minute while I retrieve some information / handle something.

Break - There will be a momentary pause in the transmission so I can take a breath or retrieve information; please wait.

Break, break, break - I am interrupting you because I have more urgent and important information to report.

Bead Window - Generally exclaimed over the radio; means communications compromised, cease radio contact on this frequency.

Relay - Pass on, generally in regards to information from one party using an intermediary to alert another party.

SITREP - Situation Report.

RTB - Return To Base.

CP - Command Post.

FARP - Forward Arming / Refueling Station.

Oscar Mike - On the Move.

Bloody Arrow - An emergency code that means the situation has deteroriated beyond hope of salvaging. Friendly forces that are engaged by the enemy are to hold out as long as they can. Reinforcements are not to be dispatched.

Winter Contingency - Covenant forces detected; all forces are to mobilize immediately.