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CAP CommunicationsCAP CommunicationsRadio Operator Authorization CourseRadio Operator Authorization Course

““Voice of Command”Voice of Command”Revised 7 Jan 2010Revised 7 Jan 2010

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CAP Radio Operator AuthorizationCAP Radio Operator Authorization

1. Basic Communications User Training– 2 - 4 Hour Class on:

a. Standard Operating Proceduresb. Local Operating Proceduresc. Basic Radio Operations

– Entitles a CAP member to operate a CAP Radio– Issuance of a CAPF 76, Radio Operator Authorization by a

Group Communications Officer– Required for most ES specialties

2. Advanced Communications User Training– 4 - 8 Hour Class– Hands on Radio Operations and Radio System Setup– Pass the Advanced Communications User Test, CAPF 119– Entitles CAP member to be assigned a call sign for their radio– Required as part of the Communications Specialty Track

National HeadquartersCivil Air Patrol

Maxwell AFB AL 36112-6332

RADIO OPERATOR AUTHORIZATIONName and address of operator:John Doe123 Main StreetMontgomery AL 36112

Card # AL-00123

Expiration: 31 AUG 98

Authorization is done in two phases:

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CAP Radio Station LicensingCAP Radio Station Licensing• CAP is a considered a federal agency, thus its

Radio Stations are authorized by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)

• Public stations are licensed by the FCC

• Federal agencies are not allowed to use services allocated exclusively to the public sector for their business.

• This excludes the use of Amateur Radio and Citizens Band for CAP business.

The regulation for all CAP Communications is CAPR 100-1

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5 Habits of a Good Radio Operator5 Habits of a Good Radio Operator

1. Speak clearly

2. Annunciate your words.

3. Speak slowly

4. Remain calm no matter what happens - Never Panic.

5. THINK - “Use Your Head”

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Operator ResponsibilitiesOperator Responsibilities

• LISTEN

• Be Prepared to Assist

• Do NOT Transmit Unless You Have Something to Offer or Contact is Requested

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Prohibited Operating PracticesProhibited Operating Practices

• Transmission of false distress signals• Violation of Radio Silence• Personal Conversation• Transmitting in a Net without permission of NCS• Lack of identifying call sign• Excessive tuning and testing• Use of Amateur Radio or Citizens Band

frequencies for CAP business, and Vice-Versa.• Use of 10 codes or Amateur Radio Q Signals• DO NOT use Profanity• Violating operational security rules

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PROWORDSPROWORDS

• THIS IS Preface to your call sign

• ROGER Last transmission received OK

• OVER I’m done, go ahead

• OUT I’m done, bye

• WAIT I will be back in a few seconds

• SAY AGAIN Say that again

• CORRECTION Oops! I really meant to say

• WILCO ROGER and I will comply

• AFFIRMATIVE Yes

Refer to CAPR 100-3, Attachment 1, for the complete list

Prowords are a special set of words used for clarity and brevity in communications.

Some of the most commonly used prowords are:

Reference: 100-3

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Phonetic AlphabetPhonetic AlphabetA AlphaB BravoC CharlieD DeltaE EchoF FoxtrotG GolfH HotelI IndiaJ JulietK KiloL LimaM Mike

N NovemberO OscarP PapaQ QuebecR RomeoS SierraT TangoU UniformV VictorW WhiskeyX X-RayY YankeeZ Zulu

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I SPELL / FIGURES / INITIALSI SPELL / FIGURES / INITIALS• Use “I SPELL” for pronounceable words

– PIZZA

» “I SPELL PIZZA PAPA INDIA ZULU ZULU ALPHA PIZZA”

• Use “FIGURE(S)” AND “INITIAL(S)” for non-words– N516F

» “INITIAL NOVEMBER FIGURES FIVE ONE SIX INTIAL FOXTROT”

CORRECTIONSCORRECTIONS

Use proword “CORRECTION” to correct a mistakeExample:

“… Turn right at next corner … CORRECTION Turn left at next corner…”

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NumbersNumbersPronunciation

1 WUN

2 TOO

3 TREE

4 FO-WER

5 FIFE

6 SIX

7 SEVEN

8 ATE

9 NINER

0 ZERO

When writing the numbers, do not write them down the way they are pronounced.

For example, do not write “one” as “wun” or “five” as “fife.” Write them as “1” and “5”.

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PunctuationSymbol Spoken as

. Day-See-Mal or Full Stop

, Comma

/ Slant

--

?

:

Hyphen

Question Mark

Colon

* Asterisk

# Pound

@ At Symbol

& Ampersand

~ Coda

( ) Paren On - Paren Off

[ ] Bracket On – Bracket Off

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SENDING NUMBERSSENDING NUMBERS• Use Prowords “FIGURES”, “DECIMAL”, “TIME”, “INITIALS”

Digit-by-Digit Not“Seven Fifty” 750 “FIGURES SEVEN FIFE ZERO”

NinerNot Nine

849 “FIGURES ATE FO-WER NINER”

DecimalPoint

14.5 “FIGURES ONE FO-WER DECIMAL FIFE”

Z Time 1635Z “TIME ONE SIX TREE FIFE ZULU”

Initial AndFigures E21 “INITIAL ECHO FIGURES TOO WUN”

One Figureand Initial 3-A “FIGURE TREE DASH INITIAL ALPHA”

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ZULU TimeZULU Time• AKA Greenwich Mean Time or Universal

Coordinated Time.

• Refers to the current time in Greenwich, United Kingdom.

• Zulu time is a system of timekeeping that refers to the same time, no matter what time zone you are in.

• Central Standard Time is Zulu – 6 Hours

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Types of Stations &Types of Stations &Tactical Call SignsTactical Call Signs

GROUNDAIRMOBILE

TEXASCAP 2112

CAP 4247

TEXASCAP 6122

CAP VEHICLES

TEXAS WING CALL SIGN EXAMPLES

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Texas Call SignsTexas Call Signs• TEXASCAP 1 – TEXASCAP 99 Wing HQ Staff

-TC1=Wing Commander-TC2=Wing Vice Commander-TC3=Wing Chief of Staff-TC4=Wing Director of Communications-TC5=Wing Chaplain-TC6=Wing Director of Professional Development-TC7=Wing Director of Logistics

-TC8=Wing ES Officer -TC9=Wing Operations Officer

-TC10=Wing Headquarters Station-TC11=Wing Director of Cadet Programs-TC12=Wing Director of Personnel

Assistants and staff officers working under a director will be assigned calls signs accordingly: Wing Communications staff will have calls in the 40 to 49 block, Operations staff in the 90 to 99 block

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Texas Group call signs

• Wing HQ: 1 - 99

• Group 1 HQ: 100 - 199 Units: 1000 - 1999

• Group 2 HQ: 200 - 299 Units: 2000 - 2999

• Group 3 HQ: 300 - 399 Units: 3000 - 3999

• Group 4 HQ: 400 - 499 Units: 4000 - 4999*

• Group 5 HQ: 500 - 599 Units: 5000 – 5999

* 42XX block is not assigned to reduce confusion with aircraft CAP42xx call signs

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Calling Another StationCalling Another Station

• Aircraft To Establish Contact– “TEXASCAP 2550 THIS IS CAP 4247 OVER”

• Response from the Ground Station– “CAP 4247 THIS IS TEXASCAP 2550 OVER”

• On Closing the Contact– “… CAP 4247 OUT”

OR

– “…TEXASCAP 2550 OUT”

– Only the first station to finish must say this.

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Calling Another Station cont

• Always end a transmission with

OVER or OUT - NOT BOTH!

• Do not use “Roger Wilco” instead of Wilco. “Roger Wilco” means “Last transmission received OK last transmission received OK and I will comply.”

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Radio Net OperationRadio Net Operation

• A Formal Net is established to control the flow of traffic on a single radio channel.

• The Net Control Station (NCS) maintains net discipline by controlling who is talking.

• Break Ins to the Net should be done only if you have emergency traffic.

• The NCS must be contacted first for permission to contact another station.

• Sample Net Check-in (TC2550 is the NCS):– “TEXASCAP 2550, THIS IS TEXASCAP 5181 with no

traffic, over”

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• All transmissions must receive permission from the Net Control Station (NCS)

Radio Nets - Contacting another StationRadio Nets - Contacting another Station

TC5181

TC2550NCS

TC5182

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1 - “TEXASCAP 2550, THIS IS TEXASCAP 5181 with traffic for TEXASCAP 582 OVER”

2 -“TEXASCAP 581, YOU MAY PASS YOUR TRAFFIC, OUT”

3 -“TEXASCAP 582, THIS IS TEXASCAP 581, OVER”

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NET STATION CHECK-IN EXAMPLESNET STATION CHECK-IN EXAMPLES

• Checking into a Net with no traffic during roll call:“This is TEXASCAP 5181 with no traffic OVER“

• Acknowledgement of check-in:" I recognize TEXASCAP 5181 with no traffic OUT"

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General Radio Controls SummaryGeneral Radio Controls SummaryCommon Controls: Volume Squelch Channel Selector Mike with Push to Talk Switch (Release to Listen)

Radio Setup Radio Transceiver (VHF-FM, HF-SSB, SAR) Power Supply (110 VAC or 12 Volt DC) Antenna (Vertical, Magnetic Mount, Dipole)

V S

1PowerSupply

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Civil Air Patrol Communications cont.

• Telephones - Landline and cellular telephones can be used in addition to radio communications.

• INTERNET - E-mail communications, information web pages, internet phone and other methods of communication over the internet.

• GOAL - To have a readily available and comprehensive communications network using a variety of assets.

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Civil Air Patrol Communications Cont.

• Intersquad Radio (ISR)

• Military Ultra High Frequency channels

• Very short range

• Not CAP frequencies, may have to share with other Military users.

• May not be used in flight.

• 14 channels, named ISR 1 to ISR 14

• Use standard CAP or ICS callsigns.

• Texas CAP numbers will be issued for these radios to support communications training.

• Use of ICS call sign (Ground Team 2) etc… is also permitted during operations.

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Voice Operating ModesVoice Operating Modes

SIMPLEX

REPEATER

Single Frequency - One Station at a Time

SAME FREQ

R T

INPUT FREQOUTPUT FREQ

Two Frequencies - One Station at a Time

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Repeater OperationRepeater Operation

INPUT FREQ OUTPUT FREQ

*Repeater increases the range of mobilestations due to its high profile location*

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Inside the RepeaterInside the Repeater

INPUT FREQ

123.1 Hz Tone

Receiver

123.1 HzTone Decoder

Transmitter

“Mike Button”

Voice OUTPUT FREQ

PTT

Repeater will only turn on its transmitter if it hears the one site tone

The Tone Decoder “listens” for the specific site tone on the incoming signal

The Tone Decoder “presses” the Push To Talk (PTT) button to turn on the transmitter. When the specific tone is received

123.1 Hz Tone

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CAP Operational SecurityCAP Operational Security

• All CAP frequencies are FOUO – “For Official Use Only”

• Do not publicly release CAP radio frequencies.

• Do not release CAP radio frequencies over the air.

• Frequencies may be referred to by their designators:

Example, one of the Southwest Region High Frequencies is called WB, or Whiskey Bravo.

THE DESIGNATORS WILL BE USED ON THE AIR TO DIRECT STATIONS TO ANOTHER FREQUENCY, SUCH AS “ALL STATIONS CHANGE FREQUENCY TO WHISKEY CHARLIE, OUT”

NEVER TRANSMIT THE DESIGNATOR OF THE FREQUENCY YOU ARE CURRENTLY ON!!!!

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Extract from CAP/CC Memorandum of 20 Jan 2006

3. In addition, all documents containing frequencies will be marked “UNCLASSIFIED // FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY” (FOUO) at the top and bottom of each page. And, the following statement should be clearly displayed on the front page of any document containing FOUO information:

UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Frequency information contained in this document is designated by the Department of Defense (DoD) as For Official Use Only (FOUO) and may not be released to anyone without the prior permission of the NHQ DOK

and CAP-USAF.

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CAP HF Radio FrequenciesCAP HF Radio Frequencies

• HF-SSB DESIGNATORS USE-- AD National Calling Frequency

– AE National Calling Frequency

– WA Southwest Region HF

– WB Southwest Region HF

– WBS Southwest Region HF Secondary

– WC Southwest Region HF Primary

–

– Each Region has a group of HF frequencies assigned.

– Southwest Region has a total of 12 assigned HF freq’s

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CAP VHF Radio ChannelsCAP VHF Radio ChannelsEF Johnson Mobile & HandheldEF Johnson Mobile & Handheld

• VHF-FM -- Analog– Radio channel Designator Use

– ZONE1 CH. 1 CC1 Primary Command

– ZONE1 CH. 2 CC2 Alternate Command

– ZONE1 CH. 3 Air 1 Aircraft to aircraft

– ZONE1 CH. 4 Air 2 Aircraft to aircraft

– Zone 1 CH. 5 TAC 1 Ground Teams

• VHF-FM -- Digital– Radio channel Designator Use

– ZONE16 CH. 1 CC 1P Primary Command

– ZONE16 CH. 2 CC 2P Alternate Command

– ZONE16 CH. 3 Air 1P Aircraft to aircraft

– ZONE16 CH. 4 Air 2P Aircraft to aircraft

– Zone 16 CH. 5 TAC 1P Ground Teams

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TDFM-136 Aircraft RadioIndentifier

Channel Position Indentifier

Channel Position Indentifier

Channel Position

AIR 1 003 AIR 1P 019 TXLAW1 050

AIR 2 004 AIR 2P 017 TXLAW2 051

CC1 001 CC1P 014 TXLAW3 052

CC2 002 CC2P 015 TXFIRE1 053

TAC 005 TAC 1P 019 TXFIRE2 054

Guard 1 GD1 Guard 1P 018 TXFIRE3 055

R63 010 R63P 024 TXMED1 056

R64 011 R64P 025 TXAIR2 057

R67 006 R67P 020 USCG 6 090

R68 007 R68P 021 USCG16 091

R69 008 R69P 022 USCG 21A 092

R70 009 R70P 023 USCG22A 093

VCALL10 058 USCG 23A 094

VFIRE21 060 USCG 81A 095

VLAW31 062 USCG 82A 096

VMED28 061 USCG 83A 097

VTAC11 059

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Repeater Channels

• All Repeaters Have a Rxx Designator

• Fixed Repeater Designators Are R01 Through R62

• Portable/Airborne Repeaters Designators Are R63, R64, and R67 Through R70

• Digital Channels Have a P Following The Designator (e.g. R11P)

• Analog Channels– EF Johnson Radios Use Zone 8 – 11

– TDFM-136 (Aircraft) Radios Use Channels 101 – 164

• Digital Channels– EF Johnson Radios Use Zone 12 – 16

– TDFM-136 (Aircraft) Radios Do Not Have Digital Capability

– Except R63P, R64P, R67P- R70P and 6 simplex channels

– Channels 014 - 025

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Operational Repeaters in Texas as of 1 Jan 2010:

Location DesignatorEF Johnson

Analog

EF Johnson

Digital

TDFM-136

Analog Only

Amarillo R35 Z10,CH3 Z14, CH3 135

Brownsville R09 Z8, CH9 Z12, CH9 109

Dallas – North R11 Z8, CH11 Z12, CH11 111

Decatur R44 Z10, CH12 Z14, CH12 144

Granbury R01 Z8, CH1 Z12, CH 1 101

Houston – North R14 Z8, CH14 Z12, CH14 114

Kerrville R50 Z11, CH2 Z15, CH 2 150

King Mountain R52 Z11, CH 4 Z15, CH4 152

San Antonio – N R26 Z9, CH10 Z13, CH10 126

San Antonio – S R57 Z11, CH 9 Z15, CH9 157

Sulphur Springs R60 Z11, CH12 Z15, CH12 160

Tyler R07 Z8, CH7 Z12, CH7 107

Victoria R27 Z9, CH11 Z13, CH11 127

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Portable/Airborne Repeaters• Field Installable or Aircraft Mounted (In Repeater Configured Aircraft)

• Limited Power

– 10 Watts Airborne

– 20 Watts Ground Mounted

DesignatorEF Johnson

Analog

EF Johnson

Digital

TDFM-136

AnalogTDFM-136

Digital

R63

R63P

Z1,CH7

Z16, CH13

135

024

R64

R64P

Z1, CH8 \

Z16, CH14

109

025

R67

R67P

Z1, CH9

Z16, CH9

111

020

R68

R68P

Z1, CH10

Z16, CH10

144

021

R69

R69P

Z1, CH11

Z16,CH11

101

022

R70

R70P

Z1, CH12

Z16,CH12

114

023

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Aeronautical SAR StationsAeronautical SAR Stations

• Aeronautical Search And Rescue Stations (SAR) Operate on two Aircraft Frequencies

– 122.9 MHz - TRAINING Only

– 123.1 MHz - ACTUAL Missions Only

• Contact ground teams by using VHF-FM

– Air 1 or Air 2 - Air-to-Ground Simplex

• Base Call Signs assigned by geographical location

– “THIS IS Spinks Mission Base OVER”

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USE OF NON CAP FREQUENCIES

• CAP MAY USE STATE OF TEXAS INTEROPERABILITY FREQUENCIES WHEN SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY A STATE AGENCY TO DO SO. THESE FREQUENCIES ARE PROGRAMMED INTO JOHNSON AND NEW AIRCRAFT FM RADIOS.

• MARINE BAND: 8 MARINE BAND FREQUENCIES ARE PROGRAMMED FOR USE WITH COAST GUARD OR OTHER AGENCIES.

• THESE FREQUENCIES SHOULD BE USED ONLY FOR INTERAGENCY COMMUNICATIONS WITH STATE, COUNTY OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR AGENCIES. CAP WILL USE CAP CALL SIGNS AND STANDARD CAP PROCEDURE.

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Narrow Band Transition

• VHF Narrow Band Transition Completed 31 Dec 2009

• Use of Wide Band Frequencies Is No Longer Authorized

• Designators V1, V2, V3, V4 and Any Repeater Designator Beginning With a P are NOT To Be Used For Any CAP Operations

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Questions?