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Radio Call Designators

Every ranger is assigned a radio call designator. They must use their individual radio designator
when operating the radio and understand the following:
• Radio numbers are unique, individual identifiers;
• The radio number sequencing has meaning; and
• Only those personnel whose primary duties include the use of radio frequencies are
assigned a radio designator and will use Boulder County’s radio number sequencing (see
Appendix VII).

Communications

Because many words and letters sound nearly the same and can easily be misunderstood in radio
communications, words and letters that may be misunderstood are spelled phonetically. The only
phonetic alphabet authorized for use is shown below; no substitutes, such as the
military phonetic alphabet, are authorized:

A – Adam J – John S – Sam
B – Boy K – King T – Tom

C – Charles L – Lincoln U – Union

D – David M – Mary V – Victor

E – Edward N – Nora W – William
F – Frank O – Ocean X – X-ray

G – George P – Paul Y – Young
H – Henry Q – Queen Z – Zebra

I – Ida R – Robert

Radio codes are used to communicate common phrases to reduce the amount of radio traffic and
for officer safety purposes; rangers should use these codes whenever practical.

Message Delivery
Standard radio procedures call for the use of plain speech broadcasts in most instances. Certain
messages are broadcast in a formatted structure; a few others utilize codes. The word “break”
followed by a pause means that additional information for the same call is to follow.

When it is anticipated that information in long messages will need to be written down, the
transmitting unit will “break” periodically to allow the copying member time to write or catch up.
“Break” is not intended to provide time to allow another unit to break in with unrelated or new
information, except in an emergency. When all or part of a message was not copied by the unit to
whom it was directed, that member requests a “repeat” and specifies which part of the message
must be repeated. Only the information requested is provided.

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