Prowords
Prowords are abbreviated, standardized ways of saying common things in
communication. They facilitate communication because you dont have to wonder what
something meant, the prowords all have distinct meanings. The common prowords and
their meanings are as follows:
Proword
Meaning
Affirmative
Yes
All after [word]
Refers to all words following the word given.*
All before [word]
Refers to all words before the word given.*
Break
Used to separate message heading, body, and ending.
Check
A number indicating the number of words of text in the body of
the message follows.
Correct
That is correct.
Correction
What I just said is incorrect, the correct form is ____. (This
proword can only be used within a transmission. After you say
Over, the whole transmission must be resent in its correct form.)
Figures
Numerals follow.
From
Originator of this message.
Incorrect
That is not correct.
Initial
A single letter initial follows.
I read back
I read back to you the message I just received to confirm that I
received it correctly.
I say again
I am retransmitting something previously sent. This can be used
with All after, All before, Word after, or Word before.*
I spell
Phonetic spelling follows. (When spelling say the word before and
after spelling it. Schmidt, I spell, Sierra, Charlie, Hotel, Mike,
India, Delta, Tango, Schmidt.)
Message follows
I have a message for you which requires recording.
More to follow
I have more traffic for you.
Negative
No. Not received.
Out
End of transmission. No answer is required or expected.
Over
End of transmission. An answer is expected. Go ahead and
transmit. (Note that the proword Over and the proword Out mean
opposite things. One says dont answer, the other requires an
answer. Over and out is never correct, I dont care what
Hollywood thinks.)
Read back
Read back to me the message as you received it.
Read back correct
Your read back of the message was correct.
Roger
I have received your transmission satisfactorily. (This does not
indicate agreement with the content of the message, only that you
received it.)
Say again
A request to retransmit all or a portion of a transmission. This can
be used with All after, All before, Word after, or Word before.
Send your message
I am ready to copy your message.
This is
This transmission is from the station whose call sign follows.
Time
The file time or date-time group of the message follows.
To
The addressee of this message is.
Wait
I make a short pause.
Wait out
I make a longer pause. Other stations can use the frequency until I
return.
Wilco
I have received the message, understand it, and will comply. (Note
that this meaning includes the meaning of Roger. It is never
correct to say Roger Wilco.)
Word after [word]
Refers to the word immediately following the word given.*
Word before [word]
Refers to the word immediately before the word given.*
*Include the [word] as part of your I say again.
To become a skilled operator you should know and be comfortable using these prowords.
Please note that the following are not correct prowords and should not be used as
prowords:
Yes
No
Go (for Over)
Go ahead (for Over)
Repeat
Standby
Roger that (to indicate agreement)
Send it (for Send your message)
If they occur in the body of a message, no problem, but they should not be used as
prowords.
Phonetics and numerals
Phonetic alphabets are used to clarify letters which sound similar when transmitted over
the radio. They are commonly used in sending call signs and in cases where a single letter
is used to designate something. (Search team A would be transmitted as Search team
alpha.) Many phonetic systems have been devised. The one provided is the one used by
military services and the international aviation community and is the most commonly
used. As a skilled operator you should know these and be able to readily use them. When
spelling a word precede your phonetic spelling with the proword I SPELL and say the
word before and after the phonetic spelling.
For example:
Contact Mr. Liwai I SPELL lima india whiskey alpha india Liwai at his home now.
Letter
Phonetic
Pronounced (Emphasis is on the upper case syllable)
alpha
AL-fa
bravo
BRA-voh
charlie
CHAR-lee
delta
DEL-ta
echo
ECK-oh
foxtrot
FOX-trot
golf
GOLF
hotel
ho-TEL
india
IN-dee-ah
juliet
JOO-lee-ETT
kilo
KEE-loh
lima
LEE-ma
mike
MIKE
November
no-VEM-ber
oscar
OS-car
papa
pa-PA
quebec
kay-BECK
romeo
RO-mee-oh
sierra
see-AIR-ah
tango
TAN-go
uniform
YOO-nee-form
victor
VIK-tah
whiskey
WISS-key
x-ray
ECKS-ray
yankee
YANG-kee
zulu
ZOO-loo
Numerals are spoken similarly to what we do in normal talking with a couple of
exceptions.
Number
Pronounced
Wun
Too
Tree
FOW-er
Fife
Six
SEV-en
Ate
NIGH-ner (Nine can easily be confused with five over the radio, so niner is
used.)
ZEE-roh
100
HUN-dred
1000
TOU-sand
Numerals are normally spoken as individual digits.
963 would be pronounced Niner six tree.
13-2973 would be One tree dash two niner seven tree.
Even hundreds and thousands can be spoken as hundreds and thousands.
2600 would be Two six HUN-dred.
96,000 would be Niner six TOU-sand.
Numbers should be preceded by the proword Figures.
When writing the numeral zero you should put a slash through it to distinguish it from the
letter O. Putting a slash through letter Z will distinguish it from the number 2.
