Radio Usage & Etiquette
PRS radios are the norm on trips these days. The older AM CB radios are still used by some people, but most people have either a handheld or vehicle mounted UHF PRS radio. Two-way radio communication between vehicles improves the communication and planning on trips a great deal, but improper use can also cause a great deal of frustration. Most people either talk too fast, don't wait long enough before talking, or talk too much. Here are some guidelines to try and make two-way radio communications bearable:
- Think about what you are going to say before you press the Push To Talk Button (PTT)
- The most important factor in your outgoing transmission quality is the relative position of your mouth to the radio's built-in microphone. Know where it is and speak directly into it at a distance of at least 10cm.
- Press the PTT button and pause briefly. This is very important because it takes up to a second or two for everybody's radio to lock onto the signal and begin broadcasting your message. If you press the PTT button and begin talking immediately most people will only get half of your first sentence and sit in their vehicle saying "What is that idiot saying now?!"
- Talk slowly and clearly. Speak at a moderate pace, neither too slow or too fast, avoid slurring your words, and never shout - increasing your voice level will only cause distortion of your voice by the microphone.
- Keep chatter to a minimum.
- No swearing, or offensive language.
- Ensure people receive your message. All messages should be confirmed with a response - in the very least a message such as "OK", "Affirmative", "Got it", etc should be returned.
- Messages need to be relayed down the convoy. If you hear a message coming from the front of the convoy destined for the end of the convoy and there is no response, attempt to relay the message as the person at the end may be out of range.