Using Prowords in Emergency CommunicationAdapted from the California Auxillary Communications Service TRAINING MANUAL FOR ARES COMMUNICATIONS by Bill Pennington (WA6SLA) Procedural Words or Prowords are used in emergency communications to facilitate the efficient and accurate handling of a high volume of message traffic. The following information presents definitions and examples for the use of prowords in emergency communication. In these examples, the prowords and tactical call signs are capitalized so they are easy to identify. OUT, OVER, CLOSE, and THIS ISThe prowords OUT, OVER, and CLOSE are the most common prowords and are probably used by every professional or amateur communications organization. They are the prowords to use to keep the one way conversations from getting confused and information from being lost. OVER is the proword used when one operator is finished with his transmission and wants the other operator know that it's his turn. OUT lets everyone on frequency know that an operator is finished with the contact and is terminating it. CLOSE is used when the station is going off of the air. THIS IS means that this transmission is from the station whose call sign immediately follows. Example:
Notice that everything flows smoothly. There is no doubt who is talking, whose turn it is, or that the contact is finished. It is also obvious that a station has gone off of the air. AFFIRMATIVE, NEGATIVE, and ROGERThe proword AFFIRMATIVE is used to say yes. NEGATIVE means no. They are distinctive-sounding and their meaning is clear. The proword ROGER does not mean "yes" nor does it signify agreement. It means I have received the last transmission and it is understood. Example:
WAITThe proword WAIT is used when an extra time is needed for something. The operator needs time to perform some other task, is trying to listen to some other conversation, or just needs time to think. It is a request for the other station simply to wait. Example:
NOTE: HILLTOP was told to WAIT by RELAY ONE so when RELAY ONE needed to speak to him again, the normal calling procedures did not have to be used. HILLTOP was and should be waiting for the call. Toward the end of the example, NET CONTROL was told to WAIT, so NET CONTROL should also be waiting for the call from RELAY ONE. CORRECT, CORRECTION, and WRONGThese are prowords which are used by either operator. They are used when the operator realizes that an error has just been made and it requires correction. CORRECTION is used to correct an error. If the error is followed by a few other words then the operator is to go back to the error, correct it, then continue on even though the next few words are repeated. CORRECT is used to inform another operator that they have the information correct. WRONG is used when an operator notices that what another operator says is not correct. Example:
SAY AGAIN, ALL AFTER, and ALL BEFOREThese prowords are used when there have been problems with copying traffic due to poor conditions or misunderstanding what has been said. The example below will use the words together as they would normally be used in traffic handling. The sender as well as the receiver can use these prowords to ensure accurate communications. The proword SAY AGAIN is used when the receiver needs the sender to repeat all or part of a message. SAY AGAIN is also used when the sender wants to stress a word or phrase. ALL AFTER is used to indicate that the operator requires a repeat of all the traffic after the last understood phrase/word. ALL BEFORE is used when the operator requires a repeat of a piece of traffic just prior to the understood phrase/word. Example:
I SPELL and FIGURESThe proword I SPELL is used to ensure accuracy when an unusual or difficult word is used within a piece of traffic. The sender generally will use it automatically. The receiver can also request SPELL, if required. In both cases all words are spelled phonetically. First you say the word, then say I SPELL, then spell it phonetically, and lastly say the word again. Example:
RELAY, DIRECT, CALL SIGN, and UNKNOWN STATIONThe proword RELAY is used when one station cannot hear another station and a go-between who can hear both is needed. DIRECT means a station can copy another station directly, no RELAY is required. CALL SIGN would be used by a station in the initial contact with another station preceding the second station's call sign. UNKNOWN STATION is used in place of a CALL SIGN that cannot be understood. Example:
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