Basic Radio Authorization Course Slides Prepared by Lt. Colonel Robert Nagel Nevada Wing Director of Communications 775-322-8922 RNAGEL@JUNO.COM Prepared with Microsoft PowerPoint Material Current as of 10/30/01 Slides Updated 10/30/01 Update information. Not a part of the presentation. Automatically skipped after a few seconds if started here.

Purpose of this Course Basic Discussion or CAP Radio Operation To Provide an Introduction for Using the CAP radios To Encourage You to Take the Advanced Radio Operator Authorization Course

Is This Where You Stop? This Course Permits You to Use CAP Radios You Need the Advanced Course if You: Want to Own Your Own Radio Station for CAP and get your own call sign Pursue the Communications Officer Specialty Training Are Issued a Corporate Radio Asset

Course Content -- What We Will Cover -- Standard Operating Procedures Local Operating Procedures Repeater Network There is No Test, But, Attendees are Certified Upon the Recommendation of the Instructor to the Wing Director of Communications

Standard Operating Procedures Standard Operating Procedures -- Basic Familiarization and Demonstration of Do’s and Don’t’s: Use of Call Signs Basic Prowords / Alphabet / Numerals Calling and Answering Operating the Radio Prohibitions National Communications Policies Local Communications

Standard Operating Procedures General Information

General Information CAP is a Federal Agency with Access to the Federal Radio Spectrum CAP Must Have Appropriate Paperwork to Communicate with Non-Federal Users CAP Uses Professional Communication Techniques. Therefore No 10 Codes or Q Signals

CAP Radio Station Licensing CAP is a federal agency; its Radio Stations are licensed by the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration) Public stations are licensed by the FCC\ Federal agencies are not allowed to use services allocated exclusively to the public sector for their business This excludes the use of Amateur Radio and Citizens Band for CAP business

Use of Callsigns In CAP We Use Tactical Callsigns for Aircraft Callsigns Mission Callsigns Wing Callsigns

Aircraft Callsigns Aircraft are “CAPFLITE” EXAMPLE CAPFLITE 2795

Mission Related Callsigns Mission Callsigns are Used at Activities These Callsigns Designate Specific Functional Duties at the Activity If Multiple Activities are Occurring, then the Callsign is Often Qualified with a Location EXAMPLES MISSION BASE Ely MISSION BASE

Wing Callsigns Wing Callsigns Are Assigned to Each Wing, Region, and to National Headquarters Nevada is “Silver State” Texas is “Texas CAP” Arkansas is “Wild Wood” Arizona is “Red Rock” California is “Yosemite” New Mexico is “Ship Rock” Southwest Region is “CAP West”

The NV Wing Commander is Silver State 1 Tactical Callsigns Tactical Callsigns are Made Up of the Wing Designator and a Number Assigned Each Individual EXAMPLE The NV Wing Commander is Silver State 1

PROWORDS Combine Prowords with other Prowords and normal words to create transmissions Silver State 20, This Is Silver State 341 Over. Silver State 341, This Is Silver State 20 Over. Could you scare up three more Cadets for the flight line Over. Wilco, will have them there in five minutes Over. Thank you, Out.

Prowords Avoid Sounding Stupid: Roger Wilco,Over and Out Repeat last transmission Over Don’t use “ten codes”, “Q signals” or other non approved codes

Phonetic Alphabet A Alpha B Bravo C Charlie D Delta E Echo F Foxtrot G Golf H Hotel I India J Juliet K Kilo L Lima M Mike N November O Oscar P Papa Q Quebec R Romeo S Sierra T Tango U Uniform V Victor W Whiskey X Xray Y Yankee Z Zulu

Pronouncing Numerals 0 ZERO 1 WUN 2 TOO 3 THU REE 4 FO WER 5 FI YIV 6 SIX 7 SEVEN 8 ATE 9 NINER 13 WUN THU REE 19 WUN NINER 44 FO WER FO WER 90 NINER ZERO 136 WUN THU REE SIX 500 FI YIV ZERO ZERO 1478 WUN FO WER SEVEN ATE 2100 TOO WUN HUN DRED 16000 WUN SIX THOW ZAND 81268 ATE WUN TWO SIX ATE

Calling and Answering We use the system “You” this is “Me” over If You are Courteous and Polite You Know the Rules Already Listen to be Sure the Frequency is not Busy Call Your Station Conduct Your Business State that You Are Through with the Frequency

Operating the Radio

Operating the Radio Personnel with Basic Level ROA will be operating CAP Radios These radios have similar characteristics and controls Corporate Radios are channelized the same.

Often, radios can operate on Non-CAP frequencies Make sure that the person who loaned you the radio explains the controls and settings Often, radios can operate on Non-CAP frequencies You are responsible for the transmissions from your radio Operating on frequencies you are not authorized to use is a Felony. Penalties can be -- Up to 20 years in Federal Prison Fines up to 20,000 dollars

Radio Controls Microphone -- you speak into the microphone Push-to-talk Switch -- usually on microphone Power Switch -- usually coupled with volume Volume Control -- adjusts loudness of speaker Squelch -- adjusts noise threshold of receiver Channel -- changes the channel being used

Microphone You speak into the Microphone Don’t yell or whisper, talk at a normal volume as if the person was standing a few feet away Shouting does not increase intelligibility or range

Push-to-talk Switch You push the Push-to-talk Switch when you want the radio to transmit You must release the switch to listen Monitor the channel for a few seconds before you transmit to ensure that you don't interfere with other traffic prior to pushing the PTT Switch

Power Switch The Power Switch controls the power to the radio The Power Switch is usually coupled with the Volume Control Battery powered radios should be turned off when not being used to conserve the batteries

Volume Control The Volume Control adjusts the loudness of the speaker The higher the volume, the more battery power is used Keep the Volume Control set to a comfortable, but non-annoying, level

Squelch The Squelch adjusts the point where audio and noise are suppressed Adjust the control until noise is heard and then back off to just past the point where the noise stops If using tone squelch, defeat the tone decoder prior to adjusting the squelch

Channel Selector This switch selects the receive and transmit frequencies being used Radios in Nevada Wing are set up with channels 1 through 14. These are referred to as ‘Channel 1’ through ‘Channel 14’ Consult the person who furnished the radio for the specific settings for the radio you are using

Operating Techniques

Operating Techniques Speak clearly and in a normal voice when transmitting Hold the PTT switch in while transmitting and release to receive Listen for your callsign. Other stations may have traffic for you. Keep your traffic to the point

Prohibitions

You must not use the radio for personal communications You must not use the radio for personal communications ... only those of the corporation You must not use profanity or transmit music on the radio You must observe radio silence if it is imposed upon your station You must not argue on the radio

National Communications Policies

National Communications Policies Use of Amateur Radio frequencies is forbidden for conduct of CAP business including SAR/DR operations CAP Stations operating on non-CAP frequencies must have written authorization from the licensed agency and an appropriate SFAF on file

Local Operating Procedures

AIRCOMM AIRCOMM is the Functional Callsign of Aircraft Operating at High Altitude to Perform Radio Relay Use of AIRCOMM Permits Communications Over a Much Larger Area

Nevada Repeater Network

Nevada Repeater Network There is a statewide network or radio repeaters for command and control of aircraft and ground teams They are strategically located on mountain peaks to maximize their range and cover all major metropolitan areas and search bases

THAT’S ALL FOLKS