Pointless Radio Terms

[daedalus]

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.

I agree.

BTW, we have a company policy that forbids the phrase "be advised". According to the memo, it is redundant and unnesscary. I have been guilty of using it, "Dispatch, be advised that we are gridlocked and have an extended ETA".

Dont sweat the small stuff. We have other things to worry about.

 

[AJ Hidell]

Actually the use of niner came from international travel because in German nein (sp?) means no.

And in a noisy environment, nine also sounds a lot like five, so niner is a safe way to go.

I almost forgot "show us", as in "Show us transporting priority three times one at this time". That's another tres' annoying and redundant term.

 

[NJN]

I almost forgot "show us", as in "Show us transporting priority three times one at this time". That's another tres' annoying and redundant term.

My partner once did that, he said "Show me 10-8 (Available)", so i took a piece of paper and showed him 10-8.

 

[Chimpie]

My partner once did that, he said "Show me 10-8 (Available)", so i took a piece of paper and showed him 10-8.

I think we've all done that.

 

[BossyCow]

one of my favorite Kliban Cartoons is a picture of Roger Wilco...
http://indigenousgeek.blogspot.com/2006/03/kliban-found.html

 

[MRE]

I have two complaints;

The first is the police at my old college. They got into the habit of saying "Received" and "K" as responses, which I have no problem with. However, there are a few who don't know when to use them, and instead of using them to acknowledge a transmission, you would hear something like this: Dispatch - "Are you close to the East Lot?" Officer - "K" Its not an affirmative response. Also, these were not rent a cops, these were State Police.

The second is the dispatch for my dept. The evening tone test goes as follows (with made up callsign and dept): (Tones) ABC234, Hilltown Fire Dept, Hilltown, Massachusetts on the air with your test; ABC234 is clear 1800 hours. (Tones) Hilltown Car 1 test, this is only your test, Hilltown Car 1 is clear 1801.

First, the dispatcher is "ABC234", and they clear themselves after the first tone, but not the second. For that one they clear Car 1 (fire chief) even though he was never on the air.

One other issue is our police getting toned 30 seconds before the fire dept for an activated fire alarm call.

 

[BLSBoy]

I have two complaints;

The first is the police at my old college. They got into the habit of saying "Received" and "K" as responses, which I have no problem with. However, there are a few who don't know when to use them, and instead of using them to acknowledge a transmission, you would hear something like this: Dispatch - "Are you close to the East Lot?" Officer - "K" Its not an affirmative response. Also, these were not rent a cops, these were State Police.

"K" is a hold over from the telegraph days. You would send a statement, and be expecting a response, such as, "how is the weather? K."

To use it properly, one would start it like this.
"MedCom, Medic 1, K."
"Medic 1"
"Medic 1 is assignment complete, off radio in quarters"

 

[Fir Na Au Saol]

Where I was working, we had a dispatcher who would relay information, then finish with "10-4?" Using 10-4 as a query as to whether or not you received/understood the message. That always drove me nuts.

As for "niner". I was taught in flight school to use "niner" for nine and "fife" for five for clarity over the radio. However, I never felt the need to use them on the EMS radio.

 

[HotelCo]

Roger, Wilco. I've always hated it.

 

[MRE]

"K" is a hold over from the telegraph days. You would send a statement, and be expecting a response, such as, "how is the weather? K."

Hmm, hadn't heard that one before. They only started using it my last year there, so I'm not sure how traditional it was. Generally, K was used as an acknowledgement, and I never heard it used at the end of a statement, always as a response, so my guess would be that they aren't using anything close to the telegraph K.

"Where I was working, we had a dispatcher who would relay information, then finish with "10-4?" Using 10-4 as a query as to whether or not you received/understood the message. That always drove me nuts.

That type of thing is actually fairly common in radio. See BLSBoy's comment above. In other radio services, specifically amateur radio, old telegraph Q codes are still used, and can be a question or answer. In the case of QSL, it is a request for confirmation of receipt of a message when used at the end of the message, or the confirmation itself when used at the beginning of a message, just like 10-4 in your case. This type of confirmation is generally used when signals are weak and transmissions are difficult to understand.

Ex:
Operator 1: "The address is 123 Main St, red house on the left, QSL?

Operator 2: "QSL, thanks"

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

There is no aspect of EMS where the pointless "monkey see - monkey do" culture exists than in radio communications. There are so many things that people say on the radio for no other reason than that's what they heard someone else say, without ever giving a single intelligent thought to why they should or should not say it. Here's my list of the top annoying things that people say on the radio:

Be advised - (ex. "Be advised we're transporting.") Could there possibly be a more pointless term?

Gonna be - (ex. "Be advised we're gonna be transporting to...") Don't tell me what you're "gonna be" doing. Tell me what you are doing.

At this time - (ex. "Be advised we're gonna be transporting at this time") Everything you say should be at this time. It is things that are in the past or future that should be qualified.

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!

Subject - (ex. "Medic 3 respond to a subject having chest pain.") Subject is a term for a person of interest who does not fit into any other category. A patient is not a subject. A victim is not a subject. A caller is not a subject. An assailant is not a subject.

Complainant - (ex. "Medic 3, be advised your complainant fell and hit his head.") Complainant is a legal term in law enforcement, not a medical patient or a caller for that patient. They're not complaining. They are requesting our services.

Anyone have any others? Feel free to add your own.

We are required when marking to include the number of patients seo we'll usually say "Medic 1 will be transporting one to hospital A"

Also, I we avoid using copy because its too short and can easily be lost in the airwaves. We prefer message received so even if you only get "-age received" you know what happened.

 

[JonTullos]

We have a dispatcher that always wants us to "Make" things....."Make such and such an address for difficulty breathing".......... WE CAN'T MAKE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW WE'RE BUSY!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL :huh:

Well... you are from K-ville (I used to live in Fort Wayne).

A lot of locales require a unit to say "transport one time, no riders, mileage..." due to regulations imposed on them by their insurance company. When I dispatched our ambos were required to give that information for that reason. The rest of it ("be advised," etc.) is really dumb. 10-codes are a big pet peeve of mine.

 

[bstone]

"Over and out" because people who use this obviously have no clue what "over" and "out" means.

I am so over you and outta here!

 

[JPINFV]

I am so over you and outta here!

That's what she said.