They are often not quite abbreviated enough. The dispensation to abbreviate them further that used to appear in the ACTO seems to have been removed.
The requirement for the shortform main unit callsign and other limitations renders it more of a mouthful and more prone to error. The inability to drop callsigns entirely in an established conversation is a nuisance.
I think the RAFAC is slowly moving away from the full shebang of Allied Comms 125F and catching up with the real world.
The most recent lessons to have appeared from Region down my way have finally decided that we can speak numbers as we would in conversation rather than by individual figures as we’d been forced to do for years for example.
It’s all moving in the right direction.
Slowly - I think a few more old-timers need to go silent-key before we can see significant improvement.
ACP125 is actually a better document than the butchered version we have adopted.
I still see no need for the proword “figures” in any context unless we are hacking through HF static on a weak signal.
But this isn’t about the programming as such…
Indeed. A lot of what we are still using was designed for long distance work on old equipment which made conditions poor.
Don’t forget CCF(RAF) don’t have ATC callsigns; we can use CCF (Army) kit but mostly don’t.
They do have callsigns from the same general allocation as the ATC units. Shall I PM you yours?
Yes please! (Assuming you know which unit we are…)
Bear in mind the need for a MOAC, though.
Still needed even if we have a simple business licence covering the frequencies?
Not sure, but you will to use your MR* callsign
No. It is entirely independent from the cadet forces and the authority comes from Ofcom.
The wording on a MOAC says “This is to certify that the Air Cadet Unit named above is authorised by HQ Air Cadets, RAFC Cranwell to transmit and receive on the HF and or VHF & UHF frequencies assigned by MOD for the Air Cadets…”
If you are using MOD frequencies on a MR… callsign then you will need a master operating authority certificate for your unit/callsign. I have no idea where you would get that.
From memory we got one through our wing Radio officer a few months ago.
Wing Radio Officer issued us ours.
CCF(RAF) would obtain a MOAC from their local ATC Wg’s WRCO.
See ACP44 Chap 2 Paras 3, 4 & 8 and Chap 3 Para 4.
OK but I’m still not clear if it’s a problem if we use MR callsigns on a simple business frequency which we have licensed ourselves.
Simple Business (or UK General as it used to be called) has a selection of channels set aside for civilian business radio. You are not authorised to use military callsigns and procedures on those civilian bands.
It’s easy enough to get yourself a Master Operating Certificate and then program the ATC frequencies into your radios.
OK thanks, that sounds like a better solution. It’s a bit amateur at the moment.
We are not meant to use “ATC” procedures (specifically stuff like callsigns and authentications) on non-MOD frequencies as these are considered sensitive. Most of the procedures are generic enough as to be usable anywhere.