When you contact someone, keep it brief and hit these points in order: status, location, heading, method, anything else.
Airtime is precious and someone may be waiting to break in with an emergency. When you make contact, pass the essentials in a fixed order so nothing gets forgotten and the other station knows what’s coming next.
| Field | What to pass |
|---|---|
| Status | What’s happening around you; are you injured or need help? |
| Location | Where you are now (designator, or landmark + distance/direction). |
| Heading | Where you’re going next. |
| Method | How you’re getting there — vehicle, on foot. |
| Other | Anything else that must be passed. |
Use designators or landmarks, not street addresses — they’re shorter and less likely to be misunderstood. Additionally, by using designators it would be obfuscating where you’re going if someone was listening in (although technically illegal if using amateur or public radio frequencies).
