What is a walkie talkie word

A walkie-talkie, more formally known as a handheld transceiver (HT), is a hand-held, portable, two-way radio transceiver. Its development during the Second World War has been variously credited to Donald Hings, radio engineer Alfred J. Gross, Henryk Magnuski and engineering teams at Motorola. First used for infantry, similar designs were created for field artillery and tank units, and after the war, walkie-talkies spread to public safety and eventually commercial and jobsite work.^[1]

Typical walkie-talkies resemble a telephone handset, with a speaker built into one end and a microphone in the other (in some devices the speaker also is used as the microphone) and an antenna mounted on the top of the unit. They are held up to the face to talk. A walkie-talkie is a half-duplex communication device. Multiple walkie-talkies use a single radio channel, and only one radio on the channel can transmit at a time, although any number can listen. The transceiver is normally in receive mode; when the user wants to talk they must press a «push-to-talk» (PTT) button that turns off the receiver and turns on the transmitter. Smaller versions of this device are also very popular among young children.

Some units have additional features such as sending calls, call reception with vibration alarm, keypad locking, and a stopwatch.^[2][3]

History[edit]

Handheld two-way radios were developed by the military from backpack radios carried by a soldier in an infantry squad to keep the squad in contact with their commanders. Probably the first patent owner (patent filled on 20 May 1935, granted on 19 March 1936^[4]) was the engineer Henryk Magnuski from Poland, who later worked since 1939 on Motorola’s first walkie-talkie (a hand-held radio transceiver SCR-536).^[5] Canadian inventor Donald Hings was the first to create a portable radio signaling system for his employer CM&S in 1937. He called the system a «packset», although it later became known as a «walkie-talkie». In 2001, Hings received the Order of Canada for the device’s significance to the war effort.^[6][7] Hings’ model C-58 «Handie-Talkie» was in military service by 1942, the result of a secret R&D effort that began in 1940.^[8]

Alfred J. Gross, a radio engineer and one of the developers of the Joan-Eleanor system, also worked on the early technology behind the walkie-talkie between 1938 and 1941, and is sometimes credited with inventing it.^[9]

The first device to be widely nicknamed a «walkie-talkie» was developed by the US military during World War II, the backpacked Motorola SCR-300. It was created by an engineering team in 1940 at the Galvin Manufacturing Company (forerunner of Motorola). The team consisted of Dan Noble, who conceived of the design using frequency modulation; Henryk Magnuski, who was the principal RF engineer; Marion Bond; Lloyd Morris; and Bill Vogel.^[10]

The first handheld walkie-talkie was the AM SCR-536 transceiver from 1941, also made by Motorola, named the Handie-Talkie (HT).^[11] The terms are often confused today, but the original walkie-talkie referred to the back mounted model, while the handie-talkie was the device which could be held entirely in the hand. Both devices used vacuum tubes and were powered by high voltage dry cell batteries.

Following World War II, Raytheon developed the SCR-536’s military replacement, the AN/PRC-6. The AN/PRC-6 circuit used 13 vacuum tubes (receiver and transmitter); a second set of thirteen tubes was supplied with the unit as running spares. The unit was factory set with one crystal which could be changed to a different frequency in the field by replacing the crystal and re-tuning the unit. It used a 24-inch whip antenna. There was an optional handset that could be connected to the AN/PRC-6 by a 5-foot cable. An adjustable strap was provided for carrying and support while operating.^[12]

In the mid-1970s, the United States Marine Corps initiated an effort to develop a squad radio to replace the unsatisfactory helmet-mounted AN/PRR-9 receiver and receiver/transmitter handheld AN/PRT-4 (both developed by the US Army). The AN/PRC-68, first produced in 1976 by Magnavox, was issued to the Marines in the 1980s, and was adopted by the US Army as well.

The abbreviation HT, derived from Motorola’s «Handie-Talkie» trademark, is commonly used to refer to portable handheld ham radios,^[13] with «walkie-talkie» often used as a layman’s term or specifically to refer to a toy. Public safety and commercial users generally refer to their handhelds simply as «radios». Surplus Motorola Handie-Talkies found their way into the hands of ham radio operators immediately following World War II. Motorola’s public safety radios of the 1950s and 1960s were loaned or donated to ham groups as part of the Civil Defense program. To avoid trademark infringement, other manufacturers use designations such as «Handheld Transceiver» or «Handie Transceiver» for their products.

Developments[edit]

⧯Some cellular telephone networks offer a push-to-talk handset that allows walkie-talkie-like operation over the cellular network, without dialling a call each time. However, the cellphone provider must be accessible.

Walkie-talkies for public safety, and commercial and industrial uses may be part of trunked radio systems, which dynamically allocate radio channels for more efficient use of the limited radio spectrum. Such systems always work with a base station that acts as a repeater and controller, although individual handsets and mobiles may have a mode that bypasses the base station.

Contemporary use[edit]

Walkie-talkies are widely used in any setting where portable radio communications are necessary, including business, public safety, military, outdoor recreation, and the like, and devices are available at numerous price points from inexpensive analog units sold as toys up to ruggedized (i.e. waterproof or intrinsically safe) analog and digital units for use on boats or in heavy industry. Most countries allow the sale of walkie-talkies for, at least, business, marine communications, and some limited personal uses such as CB radio, as well as for amateur radio designs. Walkie-talkies, thanks to increasing use of miniaturized electronics, can be made very small, with some personal two-way UHF radio models being smaller than a deck of cards (though VHF and HF units can be substantially larger due to the need for larger antennas and battery packs). In addition, as costs come down, it is possible to add advanced squelch capabilities such as CTCSS (analog squelch) and DCS (digital squelch) (often marketed as «privacy codes») to inexpensive radios, as well as voice scrambling and trunking capabilities. Some units (especially amateur HTs) also include DTMF keypads for remote operation of various devices such as repeaters. Some models include VOX capability for hands-free operation, as well as the ability to attach external microphones and speakers.

Consumer and commercial equipment differ in a number of ways; commercial gear is generally ruggedized, with metal cases, and often has only a few specific frequencies programmed into it (often, though not always, with a computer or other outside programming device; older units can simply swap crystals), since a given business or public safety agent must often abide by a specific frequency allocation. Consumer gear, on the other hand, is generally made to be small, lightweight, and capable of accessing any channel within the specified band, not just a subset of assigned channels.

Military[edit]

Military organizations use handheld radios for a variety of purposes. Modern units such as the AN/PRC-148 Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (MBITR) can communicate on a variety of bands and modulation schemes and include encryption capabilities.

Amateur radio[edit]

Walkie-talkies (also known as HTs or «handheld transceivers») are widely used among amateur radio operators. While converted commercial gear by companies such as Motorola are not uncommon, many companies such as Yaesu, Icom, and Kenwood design models specifically for amateur use. While superficially similar to commercial and personal units (including such things as CTCSS and DCS squelch functions, used primarily to activate amateur radio repeaters), amateur gear usually has a number of features that are not common to other gear, including:

• Wide-band receivers, often including radio scanner functionality, for listening to non-amateur radio bands.
• Multiple bands; while some operate only on specific bands such as 2 meters or 70 cm, others support several UHF and VHF amateur allocations available to the user.
• Since amateur allocations usually are not channelized, the user can dial in any frequency desired in the authorized band (whereas commercial HTs usually only allow the user to tune the radio into a number of already programmed channels). This is known as VFO mode.
• Multiple modulation schemes: a few amateur HTs may allow modulation modes other than FM, including AM, SSB, and CW,^[14][15] and digital modes such as radioteletype or PSK31. Some may have TNCs built in to support packet radio data transmission without additional hardware.

Digital voice modes are available on some amateur HTs. For example, a newer addition to the Amateur Radio service is Digital Smart Technology for Amateur Radio or D-STAR. Handheld radios with this technology have several advanced features, including narrower bandwidth, simultaneous voice and messaging, GPS position reporting, and callsign routed radio calls over a wide-ranging international network.

As mentioned, commercial walkie-talkies can sometimes be reprogrammed to operate on amateur frequencies. Amateur radio operators may do this for cost reasons or due to a perception that commercial gear is more solidly constructed or better designed than purpose-built amateur gear.

Personal use[edit]

The personal walkie-talkie has become popular also because of licence-free services (such as the U.S. FRS, Europe’s PMR446 and Australia’s UHF CB) in other countries. While FRS walkie-talkies are also sometimes used as toys because mass-production makes them low cost, they have proper superheterodyne receivers and are a useful communication tool for both business and personal use. The boom in licence-free transceivers has, however, been a source of frustration to users of licensed services that are sometimes interfered with. For example, FRS and GMRS overlap in the United States, resulting in substantial pirate use of the GMRS frequencies. Use of the GMRS frequencies (USA) requires a license; however most users either disregard this requirement or are unaware. Canada reallocated frequencies for licence-free use due to heavy interference from US GMRS users. The European PMR446 channels fall in the middle of a United States UHF amateur allocation, and the US FRS channels interfere with public safety communications in the United Kingdom. Designs for personal walkie-talkies are in any case tightly regulated, generally requiring non-removable antennas (with a few exceptions such as CB radio and the United States MURS allocation) and forbidding modified radios.

Most personal walkie-talkies sold are designed to operate in UHF allocations, and are designed to be very compact, with buttons for changing channels and other settings on the face of the radio and a short, fixed antenna. Most such units are made of heavy, often brightly colored plastic, though some more expensive units have ruggedized metal or plastic cases. Commercial-grade radios are often designed to be used on allocations such as GMRS or MURS (the latter of which has had very little readily available purpose-built equipment). In addition, CB walkie-talkies are available, but less popular due to the propagation characteristics of the 27 MHz band and the general bulkiness of the gear involved.

Personal walkie-talkies are generally designed to give easy access to all available channels (and, if supplied, squelch codes) within the device’s specified allocation.

Personal two-way radios are also sometimes combined with other electronic devices; Garmin’s Rino series combine a GPS receiver in the same package as an FRS/GMRS walkie-talkie (allowing Rino users to transmit digital location data to each other) Some personal radios also include receivers for AM and FM broadcast radio and, where applicable, NOAA Weather Radio and similar systems broadcasting on the same frequencies. Some designs also allow the sending of text messages and pictures between similarly equipped units.

While jobsite and government radios are often rated in power output, consumer radios are frequently and controversially rated in mile or kilometer ratings. Because of the line of sight propagation of UHF signals, experienced users consider such ratings to be wildly exaggerated, and some manufacturers have begun printing range ratings on the package based on terrain as opposed to simple power output.

While the bulk of personal walkie-talkie traffic is in the 27 MHz and 400–500 MHz area of the UHF spectrum, there are some units that use the «Part 15» 49 MHz band (shared with cordless phones, baby monitors, and similar devices) as well as the «Part 15» 900 MHz band; in the US at least, units in these bands do not require licenses as long as they adhere to FCC Part 15 power output rules. A company called TriSquare is, as of July 2007, marketing a series of walkie-talkies in the United States, based on frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology operating in this frequency range under the name eXRS (eXtreme Radio Service—despite the name, a proprietary design, not an official allocation of the US FCC). The spread-spectrum scheme used in eXRS radios allows up to 10 billion virtual «channels» and ensures private communications between two or more units.

Recreation[edit]

Low-power versions, exempt from licence requirements, are also popular children’s toys such as the Fisher Price Walkie-Talkie for children illustrated in the top image on the right. Prior to the change of CB radio from licensed to «permitted by part» (FCC rules Part 95) status, the typical toy walkie-talkie available in North America was limited to 100 milliwatts of power on transmit and using one or two crystal-controlled channels in the 27 MHz citizens’ band using amplitude modulation (AM) only. Later toy walkie-talkies operated in the 49 MHz band, some with frequency modulation (FM), shared with cordless phones and baby monitors. The lowest cost devices are very simple electronically (single-frequency, crystal-controlled, generally based on a simple discrete transistor circuit where «grown-up» walkie-talkies use chips), may employ superregenerative receivers, and may lack even a volume control, but they may nevertheless be elaborately decorated, often superficially resembling more «grown-up» radios such as FRS or public safety gear. Unlike more costly units, low-cost toy walkie-talkies may not have separate microphones and speakers; the receiver’s speaker sometimes doubles as a microphone while in transmit mode.

An unusual feature, common on children’s walkie-talkies but seldom available otherwise even on amateur models, is a «code key», that is, a button allowing the operator to transmit Morse code or similar tones to another walkie-talkie operating on the same frequency. Generally the operator depresses the PTT button and taps out a message using a Morse Code crib sheet attached as a sticker to the radio. However, as Morse Code has fallen out of wide use outside amateur radio circles, some such units either have a grossly simplified code label or no longer provide a sticker at all.

In addition, Family Radio Service UHF radios will sometimes be bought and used as toys, though they are not generally explicitly marketed as such (but see Hasbro’s ChatNow line, which transmits both voice and digital data on the FRS band).

Smartphone apps and connected devices[edit]

A variety of mobile apps exist that mimic a walkie-talkie/push-to-talk style interaction. They are marketed as low-latency, asynchronous communication. The advantages touted over two-way voice calls include: the asynchronous nature not requiring full user interaction (like SMS) and it is voice over IP (VOIP) so it does not use minutes on a cellular plan.

Applications on the market that offer this walkie-talkie style interaction for audio include Hytera,^[16] Voxer, Zello, Orion Labs, Motorola Wave, and HeyTell, among others.^[17]

Other smartphone-based walkie-talkie products are made by companies like goTenna, Fantom Dynamics and BearTooth, and offer a radio interface.^{[citation needed]} Unlike mobile data dependent applications, these products work by pairing to an app on the user’s smartphone and working over a radio interface.^[18]

Specialized uses[edit]

In addition to land mobile use, waterproof walkie talkie designs are also used for marine VHF and aviation communications, especially on smaller boats and ultralight aircraft where mounting a fixed radio might be impractical or expensive. Often such units will have switches to provide quick access to emergency and information channels. They are also used in recreational UTVs to coordinate logistics, keep riders out of the dust and are usually connected to an intercom and headsets

Intrinsically safe walkie-talkies are often required in heavy industrial settings where the radio may be used around flammable vapors. This designation means that the knobs and switches in the radio are engineered to avoid producing sparks as they are operated.

Accessories[edit]

There are various accessories available for walkie-talkies such as rechargeable batteries, drop in rechargers, multi-unit rechargers for charging as many as six units at a time, and an audio accessory jack that can be used for headsets or speaker microphones.^[19] Newer models allow the connection to wireless headsets via Bluetooth.

ITU classification[edit]

In line to the ITU Radio Regulations, article 1.73, a walkie-talkie is classified as radio station / land mobile station.

See also[edit]

• Mobile radio telephone
• MOTO Talk
• Serval project
• Signal Corps Radio
• Survival radio
• Vehicular communication systems

References[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

Notations[edit]

• Onslow, David. «Two-Way Radio Success: How to Choose Two-Way Radios, Commercial Intercoms, and Other Wireless Communication Devices for Your Business». IntercomsOnline.com. Retrieved 2008-10-24.

Further reading[edit]

• Dunlap, Orrin E., Jr. Marconi: The man and his wireless. (Arno Press., New York: 1971)
• Harlow, Alvin F., Old Waves and New Wires: The History of the Telegraph, Telephone, and Wireless. (Appleton-Century Co., New York: 1936)
• Herrick, Clyde N., Radidselopments in Telecommunications 2nd Ed., (Prentice Hall Inc., New Jersey: 1977)
• Martin, James. The Wired Society. (Prentice Hall Inc., New Jersey: 1978)
• Silver, H. Ward. Two-Way Radios and Scanners for Dummies. (Wiley Publishing, Hoboken, NH, 2005, ISBN 978-0-7645-9582-0)

External links[edit]

• SCR-300-A Technical Manual
• U.S. Army Signal Corp Museum — exhibits and collections

Walkie-talkie lingo is a form of shorthand radio communication. If you want two-way radio communication to be more interesting and secretive, you should know some select phrases to sound like a true pro.

Walkie-talkie communication is a fun way to contact on a set and an essential tool in survival when natural disasters hit or you get lost in the wild. If this device is within transmission signal, you can talk to people through it using normal language or the walkie-talkie lingo.

So get your walkie talkies and radio check it so you can get started with using these words to relay messages to people quickly, even when mobile phones don’t work!

What is it?

Walkie talkie lingo is basically a code language that makes the sentences shorter so they are conveyed more easily. This is useful because long sentences sometimes get cut off due to poor signals.

Everyone using it needs to have the same radio channel, and the devices should be within the radio transmission for the message to be delivered. There is some radio etiquette that has to be used when talking to people on this device as well. The two-way radio lingo is not hard to understand at all if you know the common walkie talkie codes. Lucky for you, you can learn most of the common codes in this article to have a smooth walkie talkie conversation.

Why is this lingo used?

Although there are no rules to who can use the walkie-talkie language, this device has some common uses. The walkie-talkie dictionary is available online for anyone to use, so these phrases are not exactly a secret. So, here are some uses that this device has.

• Believe it or not, this is a commonly used code on film sets by the movie crew to transmit messages quickly, as the time of arrival and whatnot.
• A police officer uses the radio lingo as well to communicate clearly and quickly at the correct time.
• It is a good way to communicate during natural disasters so used by common people who are in such danger.
• Another important use is by wildlife explorers who can get lost while hiking, camping, or hunting.
• They are used for fun among friends who don’t want to get their messages being heard by others.
• Airplane pilots use them to communicate with other pilots.
• They are commonly used in the military by civilian pilots and many other people.

As you can see, it has many uses. When a report in person is difficult due to any issues, these lingo terms can save lives as well as time. This is why police officers, as well as the military, use them.

Ten Codes: what are they?

These are codes that the Illinois State Department developed in 1937 to decrease ambiguity over the radio. These codes sometimes vary from department to department and are used mainly by the police force. Some of the codes are listed below if you are interested in using these walkie talkie phrases. All of them have the number 10 at the beginning and then some random number to form meaning.

• 10-1= Transmission unreadable
• 10-2 = Receiving well
• 10-3 = Stop transmitting
• 10-4 = Message received
• 10-5 = Relay message to ___
• 10-6 = Busy, please stand by
• 10-7 = Out of service, leaving the air
• 10-8 = In service, subject to call
• 10-9= Please repeat the message
• 10-20= Please state your location
• 10-21 = Call by telephone
• 10-22 = Report in person to
• 10-23 = Stand by
• 10-24 = Completed last assignment
• 10-25 = Can you contact _____
• 10-26 = Disregard last information
• 10-85 = My address is _____
• 10-91 = Talk closer to the microphone
• 10-93 = Check my frequency on this channel

There are many more signals for things like “all units within range report” or “emergency traffic” and “negative contact”, but all of these are not as commonly used by anyone other than the police force.

Most Important Walkie Talkie Phrases

Now let’s look at some other phrases that people most commonly use. These are used by a film crew while filming movies for urgent business. So let’s look at some phrases that you can use.

• Copy= Message understood
• Go again= Did not understand the message
• Disregard= Ignore the previous message
• Eyes on= Spotted something
• Negative= No
• Lock it up= Don’t let anyone enter
• On it= Doing what you asked me to
• Flying in= Something ( you asked for) is coming
• Roger/ roger that= Understood the message
• Walkie check= To see if your walkie talkie is working
• Stand by= Busy at the moment
• Going of walkie= Won’t use the walkie talkie anymore
• What’s your 20= Where are you?
• Wilco= message was received and understood.

Standard Walkie Talkie Codes

These codes are standardized to make it more efficient, simple, and clear to understand the message. All the codes are standardized, like the phrases mentioned above.

The same lingo changes from industry to industry, but their core meaning is the same. Since so many different industries use it, like filmmakers, police officers, and the military, since the core meaning is still the same, you can understand them no matter what the field is.

Phrases like “come in” and “over” are standardized codes for are you there and delivered the message. Also, “go ahead” and “go for (name)” are pretty common and easy phrases for individual conversation.

Before starting, many people like to check their mic by saying “mic check” or “initial check” so these are all examples of standard walkie talkie codes that you can easily remember. Not only are these fun but also useful in case of emergency.

Examples of advanced lingo

This advanced lingo is used mainly by people who use walkie talkies for professional reasons. These are used in movie sets mainly.

• Martini shot = The last shot of the day
• Choker = A tight close-up of eyes only.
• Baby legs = The legs of a camera tripod.
• Bogey = It’s someone not supposed to be on set.
• Four-banger = A large trailer with four doors, a production room, a dressing room, and a crew bathroom
• Hot Brick = A battery with a full charge

These are only used by the film crew set as they have very definitive meanings.

Film Set Lingo

There is a lot of on-set lingoes that are available on the internet. These are easy and simple to use and great if you want to get into this industry.

• 10-1= Need to go to the bathroom
• First team= The principal actors in a scene
• Second team= the stand-ins for the principal actors
• Go for= Ask for someone
• Keying= When someone is accidentally holding down the “talk” button on their walkie
• Spin that= When something is said on channel 1 that needs to be passed along to other channels
• Standing by= Completed the task and waiting for further instructions
• Strike= When something needs to be removed
• Kill= When something needs to be turned off

There are many more lingoes used on sets, but these are specifically for the filmmaking crew. Of course, very useful if you are planning to major in this field.

Walkie-Talkie Etiquette

There is some etiquette that needs to be followed and learned. Of course, used in a professional setting as, among friends, no one will really care for etiquette.

First of all, don’t immediately start talking as soon as you turn on the two-way radio as most of the time the initial words will be missed. The radio takes some time to send clear signals. Moreover, think carefully about what you want to say before you press the button, as when you press the button, no one else can speak.

Then, if there is more than one person on the receiving end of the radio, make sure to identify yourself. It is not easy to know who is speaking and can create confusion. Before speaking, you should identify yourself. Along with that, direct the message to a certain person so that they know you are talking to them.

Be patient when waiting for the response. In addition to that, when delivering the message, be loud, clear, and precise. For this, speak slowly and be blunt with no useless words. The other person will usually tell you when they understand the message as well, o you will know when you need to repeat the message.

Lastly, don’t accidentally press the “on” button as it can hinder other people from speaking and can be embarrassing for you. This you will learn through experience, but it is still good to be careful.

So learn this etiquette before you start a job that requires you to use walkie-talkies and lingo.

What Is The NATO Phonetic Alphabet?

These are alphabets that are used when you need to spell out certain important parts of your message. Using the standard alphabet can be hard, and you might mishear some words, so these words make it easy to understand the spelling.

How it’s used

Following are the alternative words for the English alphabets, and you form words by saying these words when necessary. Make sure to be clear when saying them and speak slowly, so the other person understands them.

• A-Alfa
• B-Bravo
• C-Charlie
• D-Delta
• E-Echo
• F-Foxtrot
• G-Golf
• H-Hotel
• I-India
• J-Juliet
• K-Kilo
• L-Lima
• M-Mike
• N-November
• O-Oscar
• P-Papa
• Q-Quebec
• R-Romeo
• S-Sierra
• T-Tango
• U-Uniform
• V-Victor
• W-Whiskey
• X-X-ray
• Y-Yankee
• Z-Zulu

Making Up Your Own Lingo?

This is, in fact, possible and very easy to do. All you need is to find a small and standardized form of longer words that you and your crew or friends use commonly.

After that, you just write these new lingo words and give them to the people with which you will use them. This way, they can use them and remember them, and so can you. This is a very fun activity with your friends and a good way to have a conversation that can not be understood by anyone who might listen in.

In conclusion, walkie-talkie lingo is very easy and fun to learn. It is also used in many fields, so useful to memorize it.

Complete 10 Code List

Here’s a complete 10 code list:

1. 10-28 = Identify your station
2. 10-37 = Wrecker needed at
3. 10-8 = In service, subject to call
4. 10-65 = Awaiting your next message/assignment
5. 10-39 = Your message delivered
6. 10-22 = Report in person to
7. 10-35 = Confidential information
8. 10-84 = My telephone number is ______
9. 10-50 = Break channel
10. 10-6 = Busy, please stand by
11. 10-18 = Anything for us?
12. 10-16 = Make pick up at ___
13. 10-11 = Talking too rapidly
14. 10-19 = Nothing for you, return to base
15. 10-44 = I have a message for you
16. 10-12 = Visitors present
17. 10-99 = Mission completed, all units secure
18. 10-20 = My location is _____
19. 10-38 = Ambulance needed at
20. 10-5 = Relay message to ___
21. 10-10 = Transmission completed, standing by
22. 10-36 = Correct time is
23. 10-94 = Please give me a long count (1-10)
24. 10-93 = Check my frequency on this channel
25. 10-71 = Proceed with transmission in sequence
26. 10-1 = Receiving poorly
27. 10-82 = Reserve room for _____
28. 10-23 = Stand by
29. 10-85 = My address is _____
30. 10-34 = Trouble at this station
31. 10-42 = Traffic accident at
32. 10-9 = Repeat message
33. 10-2 = Receiving well
34. 10-64 = Net clear
35. 10-43 = Traffic tie up at
36. 10-33 = Emergency Traffic
37. 10-67 = All units comply
38. 10-30 = Does not conform to FCC rules
39. 10-24 = Completed last assignment
40. 10-13 = Advise Weather/Road conditions
41. 10-70 = Fire at _____
42. 10-77 = Negative contact
43. 10-25 = Can you contact _____
44. 10-27 = I am moving to channel ____
45. 10-29 = Time is up for contact
46. 10-91 = Talk closer to the microphone
47. 10-81 = Reserve hotel room for ______
48. 10-32 = I will give you a radio check
49. 10-41 = Please turn to channel
50. 10-4 = Message received
51. 10-45 = All units within range please report
52. 10-7 = Out of service, leaving the air
53. 10-63 = Net directed to
54. 10-26 = Disregard last information
55. 10-60 = What is next message number?
56. 10-3 = Stop transmitting
57. 10-200 = Police needed at _____
58. 10-21 = Call by telephone
59. 10-17 = Urgent business
60. 10-62 = Unable to copy, use phone

Radios are excellent for facilitating long-distance communication.

Two-way walkie talkies are especially indispensable for hunters. I wouldn’t hunt with a partner without a radio for each of us.

However, walkie talkies don’t have as clear a sound as modern smartphones. When you press that transmit button, if you don’t speak properly, all the other guy will hear is garbled mud.

Because radio transmissions can be hard to understand, it’s a good idea to speak using walkie-talkie lingo.

This type of lingo has short yet multisyllabic words and phrases which transmit well over the air, and because they’re standardized, anyone who uses the radio will understand what you’re saying.

Why Use Walkie-Talkie Lingo?

At first, using walkie-talkie lingo sounds like a silly idea.

Why learn a few new words when you can talk normally over the radio?

People whose lives depend on clear radio communication talk the lingo. That’s because it’s short and easy to understand.

You see, radios don’t have perfect audio quality. Transmitting a person’s voice over audio waves is difficult to do, especially with a handheld device.

Cell phones use towers to get the power necessary for clear communication. Handheld radios don’t.

So, militaries, civilian pilots, and many other people around the world use what’s called Voice Procedure. This is a simple system of radio communication which decreases ambiguity. You’ll be easier to understand with fewer words.

Talking as you would to someone in the same room when speaking over the radio can come through garbled, short words such as “yes” and “no” are easily lost, and both you and your listener will get frustrated by not being able to understand each other.

Proper voice procedures, or using walkie-talkie lingo, can help prevent these problems and facilitate clear communication.

But first, let’s go over how to speak clearly into the radio in the first place.

How to Speak Clearly into a Radio

As mentioned before, it’s harder to understand people’s voices over the radio. Lingo can help with that, but even when using the proper lingo, you need to speak in a certain way.

Using a radio so everyone can understand you goes through three steps: cuing up the mic, speak slowly and enunciate every word, then end the transmission.

Let’s look at each step in detail.

1. Cue Up the Mic

If you hit your radio’s transmit button right as you start talking, you won’t notice anything wrong, but your listeners will.

Radios take a moment to start transmitting properly. The process takes under a second, but it does take a noticeable amount of time. If you talk immediately, your first word or two will get cut off.

So, to be understandable over the radio, you need to pause after cueing up the mic. Waiting a beat or counting to one-Mississippi are two methods I’ve seen to delay speaking until the radio is ready.

I also know a guy who starts every phrase with “and” with the expectation it gets cut off. That works too, but he’s so into the habit that he starts sentences with “and” at home as well.

1. Speak Slowly and Enunciate Every Word

This is the hardest part of radio communication for many people.

Words tend to blend together into garbage on the radio when you speak quickly. The slower you speak, the more easily you are understood.

Enunciation is also very important. Make sure to speak each word clearly and purposefully. It also helps to pause before and after important words.

For example, if you are on the western edge of the property, you might tell someone face-to-face, “I’m at the western edge of the property.”

But over the radio, you would want to say, “I am at the. Western. Edge. Of the property.”

This will reduce ambiguity and get your message across.

Notice how I didn’t say “loudly.” Radio microphones can pick your voice at normal speaking volume. Speaking too loudly or too close to the mic will just make you more difficult to understand!

1. End the Transmission

Just like starting the transmission, resist the temptation to end the transmission immediately after speaking. It’s easy to accidentally cut off your last words, so wait a moment after talking to take your finger off the button.

The following words and phrases are standardized, so anybody who speaks over the radio will understand what you are saying.

When you know these phrases, you will be at home whether talking with airplane pilots, police dispatchers, or even a movie crew!

• “Affirmative”—Yes.
• “Come In”—Please acknowledge. (Used in conjunction with the name of the person you’re trying to contact.)
• “Copy”—I understood your message.
• “Disregard”—Please ignore my previous transmission.
• “Eyes On (Object)”—I can see whatever it is we’re talking about.
• “Go Ahead”—I’m listening; please transmit your message.
• “Go for (Your Name)”—I’m acknowledging a call made for me, please transmit your message.
• “Loud and Clear”—Your radio is working properly. (This is the answer to the next phrase.)
• “Mic Check” or “Radio Check”—Is my radio working? (Used with new radios or when you think the battery might be dead.)
• “Negative”—No.
• “Say Again” or “Go Again”—Please retransmit your message. (Note that “repeat” is not used over the radio. Saying “repeat” over the radio means, “Artillery units, fire again at the same target!”)
• “Roger”—Message received and understood. (Note that this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll follow through…)
• “Stand By”—I acknowledge you calling for me, but I’m busy at the moment, so I’ll call for you when I’m ready.
• “On It”—I am in the process of doing what you want me to do.
• “Out”—I am finished transmitting over the radio for now.
• “Over”—I am done with my part of the transmission and am clearing the air so you can reply.
• “Wilco”—I will do what you want me to do. (Note that some people say “roger, wilco,” but “wilco” implies you understood the message, so you don’t need to say “roger” as well.)
• “(Your Name) Calling (Their Name)”—I want to talk with you. Then wait a moment and let them transmit, “go ahead” or, “go for so-and-so.” If they don’t reply after a handful of seconds you can say, “(Their Name), come in.”

Ten-Codes

Ten-codes were invented by the Illinois State Police in 1937 to further increase brevity and decrease ambiguity over the radio.

Many ten-codes are specific to police work and some vary from department to department. The following are generally understood wherever you may go, though.

To use a ten-code, all you do is say “ten” then the other number.

• 10-1—Officially this means “transmission unreadable,” but some people take it to mean “I need to take a short restroom break.”
• 10-2—Officially this means “transmission signal good,” but some people take it to mean “I need to take a long restroom break.” You know, number 1 and 2.
• 10-4—Acknowledged, understood.
• 10-5—Relay this transmission to someone else.
• 10-6—I’m busy, stand by.
• 10-9—Say again?
• 10-20—What’s your location? People will often say, “What’s your 20?”

Numbers and Letters

Sometimes, you need to spell something out over the radio, especially when trying to say someone’s name or another hard-to-understand word.

In these cases, spelling out the word is a good idea. But you don’t want to use the normal pronunciation of the letters because many of them blend together.

For example, it’s very hard to differentiate “d” and “t” over the radio.

So, use the NATO Phonetic Alphabet. It’s used worldwide.

• A—Alfa
• B—Bravo
• C—Charlie
• D—Delta
• E—Echo
• F—Foxtrot
• G—Golf
• H—Hotel
• I—India
• J—Juliet
• K—Kilo
• L—Lima
• M—Mike
• N—November
• O—Oscar
• P—Papa
• Q—Quebec
• R—Romeo
• S—Sierra
• T—Tango
• U—Uniform
• V—Victor
• W—Whiskey
• X—X-ray
• Y—Yankee
• Z—Zulu

Numbers, however, you pronounce normally (except for 9, in which case you say “niner”).

Conclusion

Walkie-talkie lingo, also known as voice procedures, is a bunch of phrases and ten-codes which allow for clear communication over the radio.

Many of us know phrases such as “roger” and “10-4” from movies and TV. The rest require some memorization.

This may seem like a lot of information to take in at once. But once you’re in the field and need to talk with your hunting partner after getting lost, you’ll be glad you know how to communicate without frustration.

Last Update: Jan 03, 2023

This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!

Asked by: David Harvey

Score: 4.3/5
(49 votes)

A walkie-talkie, more formally known as a handheld transceiver, is a hand-held, portable, two-way radio transceiver. Its development during the Second World War has been variously credited to Donald Hings, radio engineer Alfred J. Gross, Henryk Magnuski and engineering teams at Motorola.

What are walkie-talkies used for?

They’re designed primarily for short-range communications, in which groups of people are within a few miles of each other. Businesses use walkie-talkies so that employees can chat efficiently in and around their indoor and outdoor structures.

Are walkie-talkies illegal?

If you are using a walkie-talkie labeled “FRS/GMRS” or one labeled “GMRS” then yes, you do need an FCC license. FRS, or Family Radio Service, channels, are free to use, but GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) operation does require a license.

What is the difference between walkie-talkies and radios?

A two way radio is a radio that can operate two ways, that is, it has the ability to both transmit and receive a radio signal, as opposed to a radio that can only receive. … A walkie talkie is a portable two way radio, particularly one that can be held in the hand.

Can you use walkie-talkies anywhere?

Walkie-Talkie is a Push-to-Talk FaceTime audio connection. It’s range is anywhere you can connect to the internet.

31 related questions found

Per Wikipedia:

Canadian inventor Donald Hings was the first to create a portable radio signaling system for his employer CM&S in 1937. He called the system a «packset», although it later became known as a «walkie-talkie». In 2001, Hings was formally decorated for the device’s significance to the war effort. Hings’ model C-58 «Handy-Talkie» was in military service by 1942, the result of a secret R&D effort that began in 1940.

The first device to be widely nicknamed a «walkie-talkie» was developed by the US military during World War II, the backpacked Motorola SCR-300. It was created by an engineering team in 1940 at the Galvin Manufacturing Company (forerunner of Motorola). The team consisted of Dan Noble, who conceived of the design using frequency modulation; Henryk Magnuski, who was the principal RF engineer; Marion Bond; Lloyd Morris; and Bill Vogel.

The first handheld walkie-talkie was the AM SCR-536 transceiver from 1941, also made by Motorola, named the Handie-Talkie (HT). The terms are often confused today, but the original walkie-talkie referred to the back mounted model, while the handie-talkie was the device which could be held entirely in the hand. Both devices used vacuum tubes and were powered by high voltage dry cell batteries.

What I find interesting about this history is that what we have today keeps the phrase walkie-talkie, even though it is hand-held, and it would have been more appropriate for us to have kept handie-talkie instead.