31C Radio Operator Course For Civilians
Having a radio is one thing. Knowing how to use it effectively under pressure is another. Military radio operators follow standardized procedures called prowords and phonetic alphabet conventions that make communications faster, clearer, and less prone to misunderstanding. As a former U.S. Army National Guard soldier trained as a 31C radio operator, here is a practical introduction to those procedures adapted for civilian preppers and GMRS users.
Call Signs
Every station using military-style radio procedure uses a call sign to identify itself. Before transmitting, you identify who you are calling and then who you are. The format is: “Bravo Base, this is Alpha One, over.” The person being called first, your identification second. GMRS licensees have an FCC-assigned call sign they are required to use at regular intervals.
Essential Prowords
- This Is: Identifies the station that is speaking. Used to say who you are.
- Over: Your transmission is complete and you are expecting a reply. The other station should now transmit.
- Out: The conversation is complete. No reply is expected. Do not use “Over and Out” — it is contradictory. Either you are expecting a reply (Over) or you are not (Out).
- Roger: The last message was received and understood.
- Wilco: Short for “Will Comply.” I understand your instructions and will carry them out. Implies Roger, so you do not need to say “Roger, Wilco.”
- Radio Check: Requesting a signal quality report from the other station.
- Lima Charlie: Loud and Clear. The standard positive response to a radio check. Five by Five means the same thing.
- Say Again: Please repeat your last transmission. Note: Never say “Repeat” on the radio. In military usage, “Repeat” is an artillery fire command meaning fire again. It does not mean say that again.
- Words Twice: The signal is poor. Please say each word twice for clarity. Example: “Send, Send, your, your, position, position.”
- Break: Used during a long message to indicate a pause before continuing. Lets listeners know the transmission is not over.
- Wait Out: I am busy and cannot respond now. I will contact you when I am able.
- Send Your Traffic: Go ahead and transmit your message now.
The Phonetic Alphabet
When spelling out words, names, or call signs letter by letter, use the NATO phonetic alphabet to eliminate confusion between similar-sounding letters, especially in poor signal conditions.
Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-Ray, Yankee, Zulu.
Special Number Pronunciations
Certain numbers are pronounced differently in military radio procedure to prevent confusion. The number 9 is spoken as “Niner” to prevent confusion with the German word “Nein” and to distinguish it clearly on poor connections. The number 3 is “Tree” and the number 4 is “Fower” for similar clarity reasons.
Why This Matters for Your Prepping Group
Standardized radio procedure eliminates ambiguity. In a high-stress emergency situation, clear communication protocols reduce errors and speed up information exchange. Training your entire group on these basic conventions before an emergency means that when communications matter most, everyone is speaking the same language and spending less time saying “what?” and more time coordinating effective action.
