Radio and speaking clearly

[Guest SAJabiruflyer]

I walked back into the pilots lounge on Saturday just gone, and was chuffed to be asked "Was that you out there in the Jabiru?" and then getting told "Your radio manners are incredible, very clear and precise, well done". After a great flight with a friend, it really made my day!:clap2:

 

Which brings me to my next point - how hard is it to hear some pilots radio transmissions!! Sometimes all I hear is "Goolwa Traffic mumble mumble gurgle spurgle jumble Goolwa"

 

 

[Stewy]

Good work I find some of the commercial pilots on the bank runs etc the worst they blurt it out that quick that you miss the first halve of the transmission by the time you realize the radio has broken it's silence

 

Stewy

 

 

[Tomo]

I've recorded the intercom on quite a few of my flights lately - particularly the ones when I've flown into busy places like the Gold Coast, Archerfield and up and down the coast there around brisy. I was surprised at myself actually, I was very clear to understand, but I reckon I could speed up a bit, I'm a t y p i c a l c o u n t r y f e l l a a n d s p e a k s l o w e r. . . .

 

Has a lot to do with your mic on your headset I reckon also... some are pretty ordinary, I have a rather good mic on my headset, I'm pretty impressed with it actually.

 

 

[Guest SAJabiruflyer]

It may have helped, I spent 5yrs on Radio dispatch in the Transport Industry - talking to and directing drivers. I didnt want to repeat myself so I always tried to speak as clearly as possible. Not sure why that theory doesnt work at home tho hahaha

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

I can relate! The flying's cr*p but a good voice for radio they told me......

 

 

[shafs64]

...I reckon the best radio work is done by our feminine flyers....concise and well articulated seems to be their style.........u can work out who is at the other end of the spectrum(including the previously mentioned cpl's)

I will get my wife to do all my radio call from now on.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

...Next time, I may find it hard to resist making a call like: "Unidentifiable aircraft, SAY AGAIN, all after "mumble".

I can relate to that. I was returning to the circuit last week with about 10 minutes to go till last light, when I heard another aircraft call inbound with an arrival estmate that would be a few minutes behind me, so didn't bother too much that almost everything before that was"mumble".

As I was just about to push the PTT to call joining cross-wind, the other aircraft popped up again. I never did hear any "Yarrawonga Traffic" the aircraft type or the first letter of the call sign, but I clearly heard 5 mile final. I thought to myself, gee he's covered what I figured was 5 miles in a very short time, so I called "incoming aircraft, say again your distance and eta to Yarrawonga." The reply was "mumble... I'm 8 miles, will be 5 miles and eta is in 2 minutes." I just figured I'd stay out of his way, so told him I'd wait and land number two behind him. Once I saw him on final, I called to indicate I had him visual and shortly after that made my own 3 mile final call.

 

I'm still not sure what the aircraft was, but it was a twin turbo prop, which not long after I took the photo and put my aircraft to bed, took off again and disappeared into the night.

 

Thought I'd take a photo with the runway lights in the background, just after landing...

 

 

*Attached photo is Copyright David Hunt 2011

 

 

[frank marriott]

Good tip -- press PTT .. then talk. i.e. don't press and start talking at the same time.

 

Doesn't help the mumble but avoids the chop at beginning of call.

 

Frank

 

 

[Owi]

This is a great thread. I feel uncomfortably gratified that this problem affects even those with good hearing.

 

Being hard of hearing, it is especially important to me that people transmit audibly and legibly when making their calls. One gets quite fatigued by trying to listen to incomprehensible calls and the danger is that we stop trying after a while.

 

I spent a lot of money on a decent headset to try and compensate for my lack of hearing, but the investment is being thwarted by poorly spoken calls. It's almost as if the person isn't interested in making sure they are understood.

 

Cheers all,

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Good tip -- press PTT .. then talk. i.e. don't press and start talking at the same time.Doesn't help the mumble but avoids the chop at beginning of call.

Frank

Good point.

It also helps if everyone keeps in the mind that they aren't reciting a magic incantation to comply with rules, but rather endeavoring to enhance the situational awareness of listeners. Each part of the required calls convey important information:-

 

• Who are you addressing "xxx Traffic". Gets the attention of the correct listeners.
   
   
  
• Aircraft type (helps other pilots understand likely cruise speed and performance as well as what sort of aircraft to look for).
   
   
  
• Callsign. Formally identifies the aircraft and enables it to be called unambiguously if the need arises.
   
   
  
• Where am I. Tells listeners where to look. Much better chance of being seen earlier.
   
   
  
• Intentions. Tells listeners what I plan to do so they can fit that in with their plans, or recognise conflict and take action accordingly.
   
   
  
• Local area name. Both terminates the call and provides redundancy of getting correct listener's attention, particularly if the beginning of the call was clipped or mumbled.
   
   
  

 

 

Standard phraseology should always be used as it:-

 

• is less likely to be misunderstood, as each phrases meaning is defined.
   
   
  
• takes less words that a full English description.
   
   
  
• has information in an expected order, which aids recognition as well as understanding.
   
   
  
• in a noisy or poorly readable signal situation, a listener will be able to understand more of the information than if it was in a nonstandard message format.
   
   
  

 

 

 

 

[Tomo]

Just as a positive thought to pilots... since if we haven't heard ourselves speak on the radio we could be shooting ourselves in the foot - so to speak. Maybe ask someone else how you sound on the radio? That could be a way of consciously making a difference in our way, as to be honest - how do we know we are okay on the radio if we've never heard ourselves? I know I was surprised when I recorded my intercom, and that isn't the radio - of how slow I spoke.

 

Anyone from my area heard me on the radio? How do I sound? Is it clear, have I given you enough of an idea what I'm doing etc etc?

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Just as a positive thought to pilots... since if we haven't heard ourselves speak on the radio we could be shooting ourselves in the foot - so to speak. Maybe ask someone else how you sound on the radio? That could be a way of consciously making a difference in our way, as to be honest - how do we know we are okay on the radio if we've never heard ourselves? I know I was surprised when I recorded my intercom, and that isn't the radio - of how slow I spoke.Anyone from my area heard me on the radio? How do I sound? Is it clear, have I given you enough of an idea what I'm doing etc etc?

A point well made.

 

I've listened to recordings of myself and others on local CTAFs. I've also provided polite feedback to other pilots who needed to be informed. I appreciate others providing me with feedback; positive or negative. As you say, otherwise how do you know.

 

Speaking slowly isn't a problem. Rather it makes it easier to listen with understanding for those hearing the call.

 

 

[youngster]

From my (very) limited flying experience, I had formed the opinion that there was just some magic capability conveyed upon experienced pilots to be able to understand mumbled radio calls, a but like Auctioneers! But it does appear that some people just need diction lessons.

 

 

[Guest Jake.f]

.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

A-firm-e-tive, or just, afirm, nine-err, treee, fife, rrog-gerr. all come across much better than saying it normally. Some words just don't transmit well. Annuciation is the key to clearly being understood.

 

I used to enjoy using the HF in the out back. Standard practise to use call sign and station being called twice. A novilty as everyone sounded like donald duck.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

From my (very) limited flying experience, I had formed the opinion that there was just some magic capability conveyed upon experienced pilots to be able to understand mumbled radio calls, a but like Auctioneers! But it does appear that some people just need diction lessons.

Actually, both your contentions are true. With practice you will become accustomed to pulling something intelligible out of weak, noisy, and distorted signals with some interference. Professional radio operators call it a "communications ear" that you develop. There's no course, it is just experience that trains your brain. Somewhat akin to when you listen to someone, in person, who has a heavy speech accent. Initially you may struggle to catch all the words, but as you get to know the person, your brain gets used to the way they speak and you no longer struggle to understand what is being said.

 

Remember, that communications radios limit the bandwidth of the audio, so you are missing some of the speech energy in the very low and high frequencies. The narrower the radio channel, the more difficult to understand. Higher pitched voices lose more energy because there is more energy in the higher frequencies. For this reason, typically, women are often slightly more difficult to understand than men.

 

So we have a number of impairements to overcome:-

 

• Speech accent. Unless you hear the person frequently, you are only going to improve through talking with people with similar accents.
   
   
  
• Annunciation & Diction. Some people run all the words together and leave no silent periods between them. While, as with an accent, you will become acclimatised, the speaker can assist by consciously trying to speak more slowly. Use of standard phraseology helps greatly.
   
   
  
• Man made noise. Created by wind on the microphone, engine noise, alternator whine, EMI from high power LEDs, strobe inverters, etc.. These can be minimised through equipment choices and installation methods, but not usually eliminated entirely. Some may originate with the sender and some may be injected in your receiver. Both ends contribute. A "Communications ear", will cut through more of this than an unaccustomed ear.
   
   
  
• Natural noise. Static from lightning, even if distant. A "Communications ear", will cut through more of this than an unaccustomed ear.
   
   
  
• Distortion. Created by poor radio voltage supply, non-linear RF amplifier, poorly shielded microphone cables allowing RF feedback (usually sounds like a squeal, but different to audio feedback. It is quite characteristic. tends to diminish with increasing levels of actual speech audio), radio tuning incorrect, so the channel frequency is partially off-channel, etc. A "Communications ear", will cut through more of this than an unaccustomed ear.
   
   
  
• Behaviour. Clipping the transmission, mumbling, not using standard phraseology. Can only be corrected by the sender.
   
   
  

 

 

 

 

[Guest Jake.f]

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[Dieselten]

After ten years in the merchant marine as a radio officer I had little trouble transitioning to airborne radio practice (I do miss the morse though).

 

I observed many pilots delight in speaking fluent "mumble" at 110 words-per-minute. Others like using non-standard phraseology, liberally interspersed with "um" and "ah". Others remove the first word with their PTT. Some manage to combine all these attributes. Our friends from the sub-continent add to this with thick, even impenetrable accents and an inability to formulate a reply when they are asked something non-standard. They don't speak English as their first language and they don't think it either. I regard this as "part of the rich tapestry of life". After listening to Koreans on ships trying to speak English (with a very thick Korean accent) to Greeks on ships trying to speak English (with a very thick Greek accent), there are few transmissions I cannot make some sense of.

 

Occasionally, just occasionally, you hear someone who speaks clearly, at a modest pace, says what they have to say using standard terminology and then gets off the air. It's refreshing.

 

So, speak clearly, slow down and when in doubt, mentally rehearse your radio call first, then make it on-air.

 

It's not rocket science; it's much harder.

 

 

[facthunter]

Good advice D10. My summation....

 

Think about what you are going to say, first.

 

Keep it brief.

 

Use STANDARD phraseology.

 

Speak SLOWLY. (&clearly)

 

If you do not understand the instruction or information, say something like." aircraft in the vicinity of ABC, this is Rocket 3424 SAY AGAIN. or CONFIRM ( whatever)

 

Don't just make a call to comply with the rules, Make it all work for you, (and others).

 

Don't be frightened of the radio. Many ARE ( for a while) .

 

There is a lot of room for improvement in the way we do it. . You DON'T sound like a right GIT if you do it properly, either....Nev

 

 

[Hildy]

the other day I had the problem of not understanding a parachute drop call. thankfully I was nowhere near them. it was when they were on the ground that I realised what the call was about.

 

 

[Acky]

I've noticed theres a lot of very poor radios around in Aircraft. I can recall times of recieving unintelligible garbage from aircraft i can see, yet hearing someone 150km way crystal clear.

 

In regards to people not pressing the PTT BEFORE speaking. Should the standard phraseology actually be "Traffic XXX" rather then "XXX Traffic"??

 

That way if someone is tardy with the PTT button, all that is lost is the word traffic and not the Location which is MUCH more important.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

the other day I had the problem of not understanding a parachute drop call. thankfully I was nowhere near them. it was when they were on the ground that I realised what the call was about.

Hildy can you remember the aircraft's call sign or where it was? This is a good one to mention, a lot of aircraft operating operating almost directly above you at higher altitudes can be hard to understand because of the location of their antenna that is usually on top of the aircraft. This position can blanket transmissions and reception from stations below. I noticed this paticually with WKD a couple of weekends ago. I also suspect it may have a problem with one comm as well.

 

ozzie

 

 

[Guernsey]

The standard phraseology is Traffic first. Alan.

 

 

[Guest SAJabiruflyer]

I often make radio calls when not required to, especially if it's busy. eg on the weekend I just did a local flight with a friend, but there were quite a few a/c around. Did the usual taxi and entering runway, dept circuit call, but also broadcast what i was doing - ie "Goolwa Traffic, Jabiru 5296 is Murray Mouth two thousand five hundred tracking coastal to Victor Harbor". Sure, it's not required but who knows, someone might be zooming along from Victor along the coast without doing a radio call. Radio calling is free and if you keep it professional I dont see a problem with extra calls. I'll even do things like ask the Parachute plane if he has students on board, that way I know if I need to bugger off somewhere else so I dont damage my prop ;)

 

 

[turboplanner]

Acky, Guernsey, re-inventing, reversing the order can be dangerous as is the policy of 'not following formal procedures just make people aware of what I'm doing"

 

That's fine when the radios in all aircraft are working well, all transmissions are clear and radio traffic level is low; it will annoy some more experienced pilots but the ere's no real. safety issue there.

 

The danger comes when someone's radio is acting up, or the area is busy - then you can kill someone

 

Someone earlier referred to a radio ear and Youngster likened the understanding of transmissions to understanding an auctioneer

 

If the correct phraseology order is used, and the message is garbled the receiving pilot can sometimes pick up the meaning from the syllables only.

 

If the correct phrase is used but part of it is truncated the receiving pilot can sometimes add the missing words.

 

I grew up on Moorabbin traffic at 380,000 movements per year, and in the circuit you had to have split second timing to get your radio calls out, often extending a leg if you couldn't (turning without calling was a big safety issue with such a crammed circuit).

 

This situation is not understood well by a country pilot who may spend most of his days talking to himself or one other aircraft, but there will always come the day of an airport with heavy traffic and formal radio calls, or bad conditions for radio, or an emergency where this phraseology will make the difference.

 

Which is why aviation phraseology is so formal.

 

Unfortunately CASA contribute to the confusion by changing the regulations so often, and flying schools often seem to get behind in their procedures, so I would strongly recommend if you are in training or haven't flown for a year or so that you hit the web and get the current Regulations with the correct phrases and the latest call points.