ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATIONS

We have already discussed the procedure for calling and answering on free and directed nets. There will also be times when you will need to establish communications with a ship or station on a temporary basis to pass message traffic. This consists of nothing more than a simple call-up to initiate contact and to determine whether communications conditions are good. For example, if the USS Ohio wants to contact the USS Alabama on a commonly guarded frequency, Ohio's initial call would be:

"Alabama, THIS IS Ohio, OVER."

Upon hearing the initial call, Alabama would reply:

"Ohio, THIS IS Alabama, OVER."

At this point, Ohio would initiate another call-up and indicate that it has traffic to pass to Alabama.

To use the circuit more efficiently, the operator should observe the following procedures:

Write down all messages or their substance prior to transmission, including those that must be delivered by the receiving operator to another person and those that are preceded by the proword MESSAGE.

Listen to make sure that the circuit is clear before initiating a transmission.

Speak in a clear, natural voice and pause after each natural phrase.

If technically practical, during the transmission of a message, the operator should pause after each natural phrase and momentarily interrupt his transmission (carrier). This will allow another station to break in if necessary.

Sometimes the operator must initiate test signals for the adjustment of either a transmitter or a receiver. Such signals should not exceed 10 seconds and should be composed of spoken numerals (1, 2, 3, and so on), followed by the call sign of the station transmitting the signals.

SEQUENCE OF CALL SIGNS

Call signs or address groups in message headings should be arranged alphabetically in the order in which they are to be transmitted, whether plain or encrypted. For this purpose, the slant sign (/) and numerals 1 through 0 are considered the 27th through the 37th letters of the alphabet. When abbreviated call signs are used on a net, the sequence of answering a collective call should be the same as if full call signs were used. This will prevent confusion when these call signs are changed from full to abbreviated.

SIGNAL STRENGTH AND READABILITY

A station is presumed to have good signal strength and readability unless the operator is notified otherwise. Queries concerning signal strength and readability should not be exchanged unless one station cannot clearly hear another station. The proword RADIO CHECK is the standard phrase used in a call-up that questions signal strength and readability. For example, let's assume that USS Alabama initiates a call to USS Ohio and wishes to know the status of communications conditions. Alabama's initial call would be:

"Ohio, THIS IS Alabama, RADIO CHECK, OVER."

Upon hearing this transmission satisfactorily and determining that communications conditions are clear, Ohio would then answer:

"Alabama, THIS IS Ohio, ROGER, OVER."

The omission of comment on signal strength and readability is understood by Alabama to mean that the reception is loud and clear. If any adverse conditions existed that were impeding Ohio's ability to maintain satisfactory communications, Ohio would have used one of the phrases (considered prowords) in table 2-6.

Table 2-6.-Prowords Concerning Signal Strength and Readability

For example, if Ohio did not consider the transmission satisfactory, Ohio might reply:

"Alabama, THIS IS Ohio, WEAK And DISTORTED, OVER."

A station that wishes to inform another station of signal strength and readability does so by means of a short report of actual reception. A short report maybe "Weak but readable" or "Weak with interference." Such reports as "Five by" or "Four by four" are not authorized and are not indicative of signal strength and quality of reception.