I’m Kayla, and I’m weirdly into radios. Not just for fun. For real use. I use a Midland GMRS set on road trips. A pair of Motorola Talkabouts on hikes. A BaoFeng UV-5R for my ham newbie nights. And an Icom VHF on our old little boat that still smells like bait. So yeah—radio etiquette isn’t theory for me. It’s sweat, wind, and “Wait, who’s got the med kit?”
All the messy details ended up in my longer Airtronics field report, I Tested “Radio Etiquette” in Real Life: What Worked, What Flopped, What I’d Say Again, if you want the play-by-play.
Here’s the thing: etiquette makes the radio feel calm. It keeps chatter clean. It helps shy folks talk. When it’s missing? People step on each other, and stuff gets messy fast. I’ve heard it. I’ve done it. I learned.
What I Actually Used
- Midland MXT275 (GMRS) in my car
- Motorola Talkabout T600 for family hikes
- BaoFeng UV-5R for ham nets (licensed)
- Icom M330G for marine VHF on weekends
Each one felt a bit different. But the rules stayed the same.
When I’m grabbing a handheld, the one that usually wins is the subject of my deep dive on the handheld ham radios I actually use.
Needless to say, if you’re hunting for specs or service on serious comm gear, the guides at Airtronics are a goldmine.
The Core: Think, Then Talk
I once keyed up too fast during a 10K race I helped with. I cut off medical. Not good. Since then, I do this little drill:
- Listen 2 seconds. Make sure no one’s mid-sentence.
- Press. Wait half a beat. (So you don’t clip your first word.)
- Speak slow. Use short words. Let go.
You know what? That half-beat saves you.
Real example I use with my family on FRS:
- “Base, this is Kayla. At fork by big rock. Need trail A or B? Over.”
- “Kayla, this is Base. Take B. Watch the creek crossing. Over.”
- “Copy. Taking B. Kayla clear.”
Short. Clear. Kinda cozy, even.
If you want a straightforward checklist to keep by your radio, Rugged Radios has a solid rundown of basic radio etiquette rules.
Plain Language Beats Codes (Almost Always)
At a small festival, one volunteer used a bunch of 10-codes. Folks froze. We switched to plain talk and it clicked.
For a deeper look at keeping communications crystal clear in tour and corporate settings, the Plant-Tours blog on radio etiquette breaks down the do’s and don’ts.
What I say now:
- “We need more water at Gate Two.”
- “Hold traffic. Slow crowd on the east side.”
- “Copy. On my way.”
If your crew has agreed codes, fine. But for mixed teams, plain talk wins.
Mic Basics That Saved My Voice
I used to shout. Wind on the pier made me think I had to yell. Nope.
What works for me:
- Mic 1–2 inches from my mouth, a bit off to the side
- Speak at a normal voice
- Block wind with my shoulder or a hat brim if I can
- No long stories—break it up
I once said, “We’re by the red food truck, left of the stage, near the—” and someone cut in, “Say again?” I laughed. Then I split it:
- “We’re by the red food truck. Left of stage.”
- “Need a first aid kit.”
Much better.
When Two People Talk at Once
It’s called a “double.” It sounds like crunchy mush. I’ve caused doubles and I’ve heard tons.
How I fix it:
- “Sorry, that was a double. Go ahead, you first.”
- Then I wait five seconds.
If it keeps happening:
- “Let’s take turns. Base, call us one by one.”
It’s simple. And it calms the room.
Little Words That Help A Lot
I don’t overdo jargon, but a few bits help:
- “Copy” = I heard you.
- “Say again” = Please repeat.
- “Stand by” = Wait.
- “Negative/affirmative” = No/yes that won’t get lost in static.
- “Clear” = I’m done.
I also use the phonetic alphabet when it matters:
- “Kayla, last name Sierra–Oscar–X-ray.”
- “Plate is Papa–Quebec–Seven–Six–Eight.”
It sounds pro. It also stops mistakes.
Even outside the world of handhelds and repeaters, choosing the right words can make or break an interaction. Think about the rapid-fire back-and-forth on dating sites where first impressions are everything; sloppy language there leads to radio-silence, too. For a surprisingly candid look at how communication norms translate to the hookup scene, this Fling.com review breaks down whether the site is legit or just static. It walks you through the site’s features, user experience, and safety cues so you can decide if it’s worth your bandwidth.
If you’d rather keep things hyper-local and see how concise posts play out in a single metro area, check out this walkthrough of Bedpage Carrollton—it explains how to navigate the listings, dodge spammy ads, and write a headline that actually gets replies.
Real Scripts I Use (And You Can Steal)
Hiking on FRS/GMRS:
- “Mom to Kayla. Where are you? Over.”
- “Kayla to Mom. I’m at trail marker 4. Need water refill. Over.”
- “Copy. Meet at marker 5 in 10. Mom clear.”
Event check-in:
- “Gate One to Command. We have a line forming. Need two more hands. Over.”
- “Command to Gate One. Two volunteers en route. Hold folks to the right side. Over.”
- “Copy. Right side only. Gate One clear.”
Car-to-car on GMRS:
- “Blue SUV to Red Van. Fuel stop next exit. Over.”
- “Red Van to Blue SUV. Copy. Next exit. Over.”
- “Blue SUV clear.”
Of course, if you’re rolling old-school with a whip antenna and channel 19, the vibe shifts; I wrote about that rhythm in my life with a CB radio in the truck, including why “breaker-breaker” still matters.
Ham radio (simple, friendly):
- “This is KJ7-ABC monitoring.” (Then I just listen.)
- If someone calls me: “KJ7-ABC. Good evening. Name is Kayla. You’re 5 by 7 in Tacoma.”
- When done: “Thanks for the chat. KJ7-ABC clear.”
Marine VHF (non-emergency hailing):
- “Shilshole Marina, Shilshole Marina, this is recreational vessel Blue Minnow on one six. Request slip for one night. Over.”
- “Blue Minnow, switch and answer on six eight.”
- “Switching to six eight. Blue Minnow.”
Note: I never test “Mayday,” “Pan-Pan,” or “Sécurité.” Those are real. If I need help, I use the right one on 16. If I don’t, I keep 16 clean.
Tone Matters More Than Gear
I once heard a grumpy net control scare off a new ham. I felt that. So I try to be warm.
I say:
- “No rush—go ahead.”
- “Take your time.”
- “Thanks for the relay.”
People talk better when they feel safe. It shows in the audio.
Mistakes I’ve Made (And How I Fix Them)
- Hot mic: I sat on my PTT and shared my snack order. I know. I said, “Apologies for the hot mic. Kayla clear.” Then I moved the radio clip.
- Wrong channel: “My bad. Moving to channel 3 now.” Then I actually move. I don’t keep talking about it.
- Too long: If I ramble, I stop. “Break. I’ll send details in two parts.”
It’s radio. We all mess up. Owning it smooths it out.
Quick Wins You Can Try Today
- Count “one-one-thousand” after you press PTT. Then talk.
- Keep it short, then pause. Someone may need to jump in.
- Use names first. “Sam, this is Kayla.” It hooks the right ears.
- End clean. “Kayla clear.”
Tiny moves. Big difference.
What I Loved About Good Etiquette
- It made our team faster.
- It cut stress in loud spots.
- It helped new folks speak up