Welcome to KK4Z.com of 2025. I am hoping for a smoother year and the opportunity to write more. Part of my plans for this blog are to include more posts about EmComm and more technical articles. I am also planning to up my game on my YouTube channel. I know I said this last year, but last year was well, wonky.
My first article of the year will be about the aforementioned Prowords used in voice nets. They are often used and often abused. I have been running nets for 25+ years at the local, state, regional, and national levels. Besides amateur radio (EmComm), I have run nets for Civil Air Patrol, and US Army Mars. I also participate in nets with SHARES. The best run nets in my opinion are MARS and SHARES with MARS being a little stricter on protocol.
These Prowords: Roger, wilco, over, and out, are the cornerstone Prowords for efficient net operations. These words have specific meanings and when used properly, provide the brevity needed to quickly handle information passed within and through the net. Let’s start with Over and Out.
First, over and out are never used together as their meanings are diametrically opposed. The Proword over means I am done talking, and I need a response from you An example would be:
ID1OT this is KK4Z How Copy over
This is ID1OT Loud Clear over
The conversation would continue back and forth using over at the end of each statement. To conclude the conversation the word out would be used. Out means the conversation with you is over and I do not expect a response. To finish the above conversation:
This is KK4Z Loud Clear out
Another way to use out is out to you This is used when finishing one conversation and starting another. For Example:
This is KK4Z Loud Clear out to you
N0OB this is KK4Z How Copy over
Out to you is an option and just saying out is fine to.
Roger means I acknowledge Example:
ID1OT this is KK4Z did you copy the traffic over
This is ID1OT roger out
Wilco means I understand and I will comply. Roger is generally not used with wilco. Example:
N0OB this is KK4Z QSY to channel Bravo over
This is N0OB wilco out
Other words/phrases used. As noted above some Q-signals are used. The ones I hear the most are QSY, QSL, and QRU. The word repeat is never used. As a Proword it means to repeat the last artillery barrage. Instead use I say again. The Proword break means to pause and is not used that much. Instead wait is used.
Phonetic Alphabet. Only use the ITU or NATO phonetic alphabet. The reason for this is during poor band conditions, having a reduced vocabulary makes it easier to transfer information. With the ITU Phonetic Alphabet I have 36 sounds for letters and numbers to listen for instead of several hundred because operators are making something up. The reduced vocabulary with distinct sounds makes it easier to pull the correct letter or number out of the static. Remember, voice becomes unintelligible at the noise level and not below it. Learning the ITU Phonetic Alphabet is a worthwhile investment of your time. It is used by governments, military, and the EmComm communities. If you are a DXer, it is also good to know. Besides, it makes you sound like you know what you are doing.
All of this is usable anywhere and anytime you are on the radio. EmComm nets are usually more tightly run so these Prowords and phonetic alphabet are important. For ragchew or roundtable nets, not so much; they are informal and if you miss a piece of information, it’s not life or death. 73 de Scott
KK4Z 