Standardized Prowords

Prowords are pronounceable words or phrases that are assigned meanings for the purpose of expediting message handling on nets where radiotelephone procedure is used. These words are used to convey, in condensed standard form, certain frequently
used orders, instructions, and information related to communications.


PROWORD DEFINITION
THIS IS The proword “THIS IS” is used to alert the receiving
station that you are about to identify your station and is the
lead-in proword to just about all of our voice communications.
“THIS IS” is immediately followed by your callsign, which as
we know is always spoken phonetically.
OVER Voice transmissions are always concluded with
either the proword “OVER” or “OUT” (never both). Each proword signals the listener that the sender’s transmission is
finished. Use “OVER” if you are awaiting a response, or
OUT If you are not awaiting a response.
Normal practice on our nets is for the station initiating
the contact to conclude the exchange; although this is not an
absolute rule it is good practice.
WAIT Use the proword “WAIT” when during a transmission if
we must pause for a short period of time, normally only a few
seconds.
WAIT OUT We must pause for longer than a few seconds we
use the proword “WAIT OUT” which indicates to the listener
that the sending station still has information to send and
will call them back shortly.
ROGER The proword “ROGER” indicates to the listening station
that you have received their last transmission satisfactorily.
Note this does not mean you agree with the transmission or
that you will comply with any instructions it contained.
Additionally, since it only signifies understanding, the
proword “ROGER” is not used as an action word. For example, it is inappropriate to say “I ROGER INTO THE NET…” or “I ROGER YOUR TRANSMISSION”, where “ROGER” spoken alone will suffice.
AFFIRMATIVE The proword “AFFIRMATIVE” simply means, “yes” or
approval of a request.
WILCO The proword “WILCO” is a contraction of the two words
“WILL COMPLY”. “WILCO” is a time-honored military proword
that indicates exactly that, you understand the guidance given
to you by the other station and will accomplish it. More
beginning military communicators have been set down the wrong path from their movie watching experience where they may have heard the infamous “ROGER WILCO OVER AND OUT”; we all recognize that as a gross violation of our standard procedures. Either the phrase “WILL COMPLY” or the contraction “WILCO” is acceptable.
NEGATIVE the proword “NEGATIVE” means “no” or the
denial of a request.
I SPELL words or groups within plain text messages
may be spelled using the phonetic alphabet preceded by the
proword “I SPELL”. Where text is composed of pronounceable
words, they will be spoken and not spelled out. If
clarification is needed, say the word, say “I SPELL”, spell
the word phonetically, then say the word again. An example of
this would be “CATENARY…I SPELL CHARLIE ALPHA TANGO ECHO NOVEMBER ALPHA ROMEO YANKEE… CATENARY”
INITIAL A single letter will be phonetically spelled preceded by the proword “INITIAL”. The words “I” and “a” are
considered words, not initials, and as we have discussed
should not be pronounced phonetically.
FIGURE(S) We precede numerals with the proword “FIGURE” or
“FIGURES” when there is a need to distinguish between numerals not in mixed groups and words. “FIGURES” is not used when transmitting the heading of a message or when the prowords “NUMBER”, “TIME”, OR “GROUPS” are used. As we have discussed numbers will be transmitted digit by digit, except that exact multiples of hundreds or thousands are spoken as such.
NUMBER Finally, the proword “NUMBER” is used to indicate the
station serial number assigned to a message. An example would sound like “MESSAGE FOLLOWS NUMBER 39 ROUTINE TIME 142200 OCTOBER 2002″
SAY AGAIN The proword “SAY AGAIN” can be used alone or in
conjunction with several other prowords depending on the
situation. “SAY AGAIN” is simply a request for the sending
station to repeat some or all of the message or information
just transmitted. The proword “SAY AGAIN” is a request.
I SAY AGAIN ” SAY AGAIN then simply precedes material to
be repeated. You may repeat a word to prevent an error, but
do not repeat a word solely for the purpose of adding emphasis to it. An example where a repetition serves a legitimate purpose is “HIROSHIMA I SAY AGAIN HIROSHIMA” which should minimize the possibility of mistaken identity or incorrect spelling.