When using a radio one should bear the following in mind:

1. Unlike your telephone it is not a private circuit. Anyone who has a radio covering the same frequency can listen in.
2. There may be many users waiting to use the same circuit. Your use of the radio must be brief and to the point. Do not waffle.

The following is a guide to the professional and efficient use of radio communications:

1. Do not transmit during silence periods.
2. Listen before calling on the circuit to ensure that:
   • there is no distress traffic in progress; and
   • you are not interfering with other communications in progress.
3. Call on the calling frequency for a maximum of one minute to establish communications.
4. As soon as your call is answered change to a working frequency for sending your message.
5. If your equipment has different power settings, always choose the lowest setting necessary to achieve satisfactory communications.
6. If a distress, urgency or safety message is received while operating radio equipment, stop and listen to the call and message.
7. Make up your mind what you are going to say before transmitting.
8. Read to yourself any written message before passing it verbally on the radio.
9. Speak clearly and deliberately.
10. If there can be any doubt about the correct reception of a word, spell it by using the phonetic alphabet.
11. Transmit important groups of numbers singly and phonetically, ie 124249 would be “wun, too, forwer, too. forwer, niner.”
12. Always make your messages as brief as possible.
13. Do not use foul or obscene language on the radio.
14. Do not use the personal names of the operators when communicating. Use the names or call signs of the vessels concerned.