Pointless Radio Terms

Yeah, those who try to sound important on the radio...don't.
 
reaper said:
NIMS did away with the 10 codes. Every service should be NIMS compliant by now, so every one should be using plain text!

Copy that?
Over and out!
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I'll agree, but I think certain things have entered our pop-culture lexicon to the point where we know what it means. 10-4, copy that, over and out... People know what these mean.
 
PapaBear434 said:
over and out... People know what these mean.
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Actually, they just think they know what "over and out" means.

Over: "I'm done transmitting and expect a response."
Out: "I'm done transmitting and don't expect a response."
 
Roger Rodger, what's your vector Victor? Watch your clearance Clarence! :P
 
"This is 9-1-1 dispatch." Well, who else would that be on that channel?
 
I have to nominate "Um" "Er" and "Well" as candidates for permanent removal from the airways. Think before you push the button.
 
We've recently started having to give our actual odometer mileages (rather than just the total trip mileages) when we call back to the station on a call... My partner insists on using the word "niner" for nine. That always seemed like a pointless pronunciation to me as there's nothing really that sounds like "nine" number-wise.

Though funny story... One of our bosses was standing in the dispatch office and overheard my partner say something.niner. He was like "....Did he just say niner?" The dispatcher looked at him and was like "He's talking on a walkie talkie." ^_^
 
Buzz said:
We've recently started having to give our actual odometer mileages (rather than just the total trip mileages) when we call back to the station on a call... My partner insists on using the word "niner" for nine. That always seemed like a pointless pronunciation to me as there's nothing really that sounds like "nine" number-wise.

Though funny story... One of our bosses was standing in the dispatch office and overheard my partner say something.niner. He was like "....Did he just say niner?" The dispatcher looked at him and was like "He's talking on a walkie talkie." ^_^
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That's funny Buzz!!!:P
 
Buzz said:
We've recently started having to give our actual odometer mileages (rather than just the total trip mileages) when we call back to the station on a call... My partner insists on using the word "niner" for nine. That always seemed like a pointless pronunciation to me as there's nothing really that sounds like "nine" number-wise.

Though funny story... One of our bosses was standing in the dispatch office and overheard my partner say something.niner. He was like "....Did he just say niner?" The dispatcher looked at him and was like "He's talking on a walkie talkie." ^_^
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so you mean i shouldn't respond like this?
dispatch: dispatch to medic 1 respond to 99 center street for an unknown medic, priority 1
me: 10-4 responding to niner niner charlie echo november tango echo romeo street, over

-_-
 
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JPINFV said:
Actually, they just think they know what "over and out" means.

Over: "I'm done transmitting and expect a response."
Out: "I'm done transmitting and don't expect a response."
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True enough. Let's go with "common usage." I usually say stuff like "Copy that" just talking to people, and did so long before I got into EMS or the police department.

Yes, I'm that big of a dork.
 
AJ Hidell said:
Times 1 - ("Be advised we're gonna be transporting times 1 at this time...") No kidding, Captain Obvious! We dispatched you to a chest pain. We weren't exactly expecting that you'd be transporting multiple patients. No clarification needed!
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A couple of shifts ago one of the other crews responded to a man with chest pain. They got on scene, were evaluating the patient, when the wife started having chest pain too. Turns out they were both having MIs, go figure.

So yeah, I get your point that by default, we are usually transporting 1 patient, but not always. Plus if you don't document it, it didn't happen.

My personal pet peeve are people who don't know the difference between copy and affirmative.
 
Buzz said:
We've recently started having to give our actual odometer mileages (rather than just the total trip mileages) when we call back to the station on a call... My partner insists on using the word "niner" for nine. That always seemed like a pointless pronunciation to me as there's nothing really that sounds like "nine" number-wise.

Though funny story... One of our bosses was standing in the dispatch office and overheard my partner say something.niner. He was like "....Did he just say niner?" The dispatcher looked at him and was like "He's talking on a walkie talkie." ^_^
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Actually, five and nine sound very similar on the radio, which is why they started the "niner" to differentiate between the two.
 
ffemt8978 said:
Actually, five and nine sound very similar on the radio, which is why they started the "niner" to differentiate between the two.
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10-4 unit fiver niner
 
ffemt8978 said:
Actually, five and nine sound very similar on the radio, which is why they started the "niner" to differentiate between the two.
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Actually the use of niner came from international travel because in German nein (sp?) means no.
 
I'm not a big fan of 10 codes except in emergencies. As someone else pointed out, if I need assistance I'd like to let dispatch know without alerting whomever is there that the cops will be there soon. When I dispatched I'd always say "affirmative," "copy" and things like that. The fire departments were a bit upset with me at first but eventually they were even doing it when I was on duty.
 
I've always been a fan of Roger Wilco. :) From my aviation days... (Which is not pointless.)
 
I'm all for 10-codes. Keeps the conversations shorter.

When I was first working dispatch we were taught to use 10-codes when possible, but if you had to use plain english then use it. Don't delay a transmission just to figure out how to put it all in 10 codes.

Finally, IMO, there is no need to stop using 10-codes in every day work just because of NIMS. If there is an emergency where you're involving outside agencies just start talking in plain english.
 
Chimpie said:
Finally, IMO, there is no need to stop using 10-codes in every day work just because of NIMS. If there is an emergency where you're involving outside agencies just start talking in plain english.
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Ah, if only it was as simple as throwing a switch. I left my first company [moved for school] about a year after we switched from 10-codes to plain English and there was still the occasional use of 10 codes. It was rare and everyone knew what the person transmitting meant, but it was happening.

Now the problem with 10 codes is that they become second nature. It would be like trying to get someone to stop using pronouns. Sure, pronouns could be eliminated, but it would take a while and isn't something that's going to change overnight. Heck, I remember having conversations about calls where I would just use the 10 code to make it shorter ("So we're 97 and...). It isn't something that is just going to be shut off because of a unique situation.
 
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