“Roger” or “Copy” or neither

10 4 good buddy 👍

If you know you know your 10 codes.
10-41
10-1
Receiving you poorly.
10-42
10-2
Receiving you well.
10-43
10-3
Channel in use.
10-44
10-4
Yes, Roger, O.K.
10-45
10-5
The TEN codes
Moved to another channel.
Traffic accident at....
Traffic congestion at....
I have a message for...
Stations on this channel please
Relay message.
identify
10-6
Busy, Can't talk now.
10-7
Out of service, going off the air.
10-50
Break.
10-8
Back in service after shutdown.
10-9
Please repeat last message.
10-60
What is the next message number.
10-10
Was 10-6. Now on call.
10-11
Talking too rapidly.
10-62
Unable to copy. Use phone
10-12
Visitors are present.
10-63
Net directed to...
10-13
Advise weather, road conditions.
10-64
Net clear.
10-16
Make pick up at
10-65
10-17
Important business.
Awaiting your next message.
10-67
10-18
Anything for us?
10-70
Fire at...
10-19
Return to base.
10-71
10-20
What is your (general) location?
10-73
All units comply.
Proceed with transmission in code.
Goodbye. Ending conversation.
10-21
Contact me by phone.
10-22
Make personal contact with.
10-77
10-23
Stand-by
10-81
No contact, not receiving you.
Reserve hotel room for....
10-24
Assignment completed
10-82
Reserve room for...
10-25
Contact another station by radio.
10-84
My telephone number is...
10-26
Disregard last transmission.
10-85
10-27
I am moving to channel......
My address is....
10-28
Proper station identification.
10-89
Radio repairman needed at...
10-29
Time is up for contact.
10-91
Talk closer to the mike.
10-30
Violates regulations.
10-92
Your transmitter needs.
10-31
No longer in violation of
adjustment.
regulations.
10-93
Please check my freq. on this ch.
10-32
I will advise you of the readability
10-94
of your signals.
Please give me a long count.
10-99
Mission completed, all units
10-33
Emergency traffic at this station.
10-100
Rest stop. I'm off to the loo!
10-34
In trouble, need help.
10-200
Police needed at...
10-35
Matter of urgency but cannot
discuss it by radio.
10-36
Time by clock.
10-37
Send tow truck.
10-38
Injuries, send ambulance.
10-39
 
I know the correct terms, but when busy tend to end up saying "got it" or "right ho" - I had no idea that I was causing such high blood pressure amongst my confederates afloat
 
TSB240 said:
10 4 good buddy 👍

If you know you know your 10 codes.
10-41
10-1
Receiving you poorly.
10-42
10-2
Receiving you well.
10-43
10-3
Channel in use.
10-44
10-4
Yes, Roger, O.K.
10-45
10-5
The TEN codes
Moved to another channel.
Traffic accident at....
Traffic congestion at....
I have a message for...
Stations on this channel please
Relay message.
identify
10-6
Busy, Can't talk now.
10-7
Out of service, going off the air.
10-50
Break.
10-8
Back in service after shutdown.
10-9
Please repeat last message.
10-60
What is the next message number.
10-10
Was 10-6. Now on call.
10-11
Talking too rapidly.
10-62
Unable to copy. Use phone
10-12
Visitors are present.
10-63
Net directed to...
10-13
Advise weather, road conditions.
10-64
Net clear.
10-16
Make pick up at
10-65
10-17
Important business.
Awaiting your next message.
10-67
10-18
Anything for us?
10-70
Fire at...
10-19
Return to base.
10-71
10-20
What is your (general) location?
10-73
All units comply.
Proceed with transmission in code.
Goodbye. Ending conversation.
10-21
Contact me by phone.
10-22
Make personal contact with.
10-77
10-23
Stand-by
10-81
No contact, not receiving you.
Reserve hotel room for....
10-24
Assignment completed
10-82
Reserve room for...
10-25
Contact another station by radio.
10-84
My telephone number is...
10-26
Disregard last transmission.
10-85
10-27
I am moving to channel......
My address is....
10-28
Proper station identification.
10-89
Radio repairman needed at...
10-29
Time is up for contact.
10-91
Talk closer to the mike.
10-30
Violates regulations.
10-92
Your transmitter needs.
10-31
No longer in violation of
adjustment.
regulations.
10-93
Please check my freq. on this ch.
10-32
I will advise you of the readability
10-94
of your signals.
Please give me a long count.
10-99
Mission completed, all units
10-33
Emergency traffic at this station.
10-100
Rest stop. I'm off to the loo!
10-34
In trouble, need help.
10-200
Police needed at...
10-35
Matter of urgency but cannot
discuss it by radio.
10-36
Time by clock.
10-37
Send tow truck.
10-38
Injuries, send ambulance.
10-39
Click to expand...

TSB240 said:
10 4 good buddy 👍

If you know you know your 10 codes.
10-41
10-1
Receiving you poorly.
10-42
10-2
Receiving you well.
10-43
10-3
Channel in use.
10-44
10-4
Yes, Roger, O.K.
10-45
10-5
The TEN codes
Moved to another channel.
Traffic accident at....
Traffic congestion at....
I have a message for...
Stations on this channel please
Relay message.
identify
10-6
Busy, Can't talk now.
10-7
Out of service, going off the air.
10-50
Break.
10-8
Back in service after shutdown.
10-9
Please repeat last message.
10-60
What is the next message number.
10-10
Was 10-6. Now on call.
10-11
Talking too rapidly.
10-62
Unable to copy. Use phone
10-12
Visitors are present.
10-63
Net directed to...
10-13
Advise weather, road conditions.
10-64
Net clear.
10-16
Make pick up at
10-65
10-17
Important business.
Awaiting your next message.
10-67
10-18
Anything for us?
10-70
Fire at...
10-19
Return to base.
10-71
10-20
What is your (general) location?
10-73
All units comply.
Proceed with transmission in code.
Goodbye. Ending conversation.
10-21
Contact me by phone.
10-22
Make personal contact with.
10-77
10-23
Stand-by
10-81
No contact, not receiving you.
Reserve hotel room for....
10-24
Assignment completed
10-82
Reserve room for...
10-25
Contact another station by radio.
10-84
My telephone number is...
10-26
Disregard last transmission.
10-85
10-27
I am moving to channel......
My address is....
10-28
Proper station identification.
10-89
Radio repairman needed at...
10-29
Time is up for contact.
10-91
Talk closer to the mike.
10-30
Violates regulations.
10-92
Your transmitter needs.
10-31
No longer in violation of
adjustment.
regulations.
10-93
Please check my freq. on this ch.
10-32
I will advise you of the readability
10-94
of your signals.
Please give me a long count.
10-99
Mission completed, all units
10-33
Emergency traffic at this station.
10-100
Rest stop. I'm off to the loo!
10-34
In trouble, need help.
10-200
Police needed at...
10-35
Matter of urgency but cannot
discuss it by radio.
10-36
Time by clock.
10-37
Send tow truck.
10-38
Injuries, send ambulance.
10-39
Click to expand...
At a job Stateside I was told not to try to use 10 codes because they’re not standardised (don’t know if that’s true or not). I was furnished with an anecdote about a police department in the area having called in using the ten code for a bank robbery in progress, which was understood by the neighbouring department as “return to station for meal break”.
 
Lucky Duck said:
‘Over and out’ still comes up with grim regularity
Click to expand...

I don't hear it much but it doesn't bother me at all, it's two extra syllables and it's clear they mean "out".

I sometimes use copied, wilco and roger because I think they sound cool and nautical. No idea what is supposed to be said. Mostly I just say "Understood."

I've heard a pro use "break/break" which I googled to find it was an aviation thing and highly useful IMHO.
 
jbweston said:
On a related subject, the multiple informal variants of the phonetic alphabet can be amazing. I can remember being in stitches when a UK yacht with one of those weird multi-syllable names taken from a minor character in a Tolkien or Terry Pratchett novel was trying to spell it letter by letter to Port Control at Ventspils in Latvia.
Click to expand...
Most boaters in Türkiye don't know or use the ICAO alphabet. They use Turkish city names instead. Irish would be Istanbul, Rize, İstanbul, Sakarya, Hatay.
 
zoidberg said:
One of the more enraging of R/T behaviours is the practice of spelling a place- or vessel's name using a personally-invented nonsense 'phonetic alphabet'.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with that, and I haven't heard anyone spell anything out for years. Mind you, if it enrages people I might start spelling stuff out.

Lama
Orifice
Lumbago.

zoidberg said:
Many of these eedjits will have slumbered through an RYA-approved VHF/SRC marine radio course,
Click to expand...

It's a couple of decades since I did one but my recollection was they pretty much ignored day to day usage/voice conventions. I'm pretty sure the day after my DSC thing I was still using words I'd heard on war films or other people on VHF just as I always had and still do.
 
Mark-1 said:
Nothing wrong with that, and I haven't heard anyone spell anything out for years. …..
Click to expand...
Can’t have heard many mayday callls then. Generally they ask for a call sign (though never used thereafter) which needs to be spelt out.
And it seems like a lot of the boat names need to be spelt out phonetically - perhaps due to the amount of Gaelic named boats in our waters, but also the very odd boat names often used these days.
In quiet times and non distress situations, I suspect the coastguard ask for certain (generally very unwise) boat names to be repeated and/or spelled out, perhaps after a radio check for amusement purposes. Other times they just reply station calling and don’t bother to clarify name spelling.
 
dunedin said:
Can’t have heard many mayday callls then. Generally they ask for a call sign (though never used thereafter) which needs to be spelt out.
And it seems like a lot of the boat names need to be spelt out phonetically - perhaps due to the amount of Gaelic named boats in our waters, but also the very odd boat names often used these days.
In quiet times and non distress situations, I suspect the coastguard ask for certain (generally very unwise) boat names to be repeated and/or spelled out, perhaps after a radio check for amusement purposes. Other times they just reply station calling and don’t bother to clarify name spelling.
Click to expand...

I mostly sail in the busy Solent so I hear more than my fair share of maydays. (I also listen on channel 0 if something interesting is happening) I don't recall hearing much spelling going on. Maybe I just don't notice.
 
Mark-1 said:
I mostly sail in the busy Solent so I hear more than my fair share of maydays. (I also listen on channel 0 if something interesting is happening) I don't recall hearing much spelling going on. Maybe I just don't notice.
Click to expand...
I sail in the same area as you and regularly hear Solent CG spelling boat names that are subjects of a pan or mayday phonetically.
 
Last edited:
If the phonetic alphabet is not used everyday, and there is stress associated with use of VHF, then it’s not surprising that it is not used correctly. I don’t think that is a reason to remove the use of VHF. Most coms I hear are acceptable, even if not style perfect.
 
I am largely ignorant of the signal flags, and not much better at Morse, but being able to spell out was always very much part of VHF use that I made just a little effort to keep familiar with it. Although I haven't used a boat radio for a few years now, I had no difficulty spelling out my overlong email address on the phone the other day. The advantage of the standard alphabet is that not only does it make the user more fluent but it can be generally understood even by non-users.
 
I prefer the allegedly Cockney version.

A is for Horses

B for Mutton

C for Yourself

D fer Kate

E for Brick

F fer Vescence

G for Get It

H for Bless You

I for Novello

J for Oranges

K for Restaurant

L for Leather

M for Sis

N for Lope

O for the Rainbow

P for Relief

Q for the Loos

R for Mo

S for Rantzen

T for Two

U for Mism

V for Espana

W for the Winnings

X for Breakfast

Y for Mistress

Zee for Moiles

There are lots of variations.
 
TSB240 said:
10 4 good buddy 👍

If you know you know your 10 codes.
10-41
10-1
Receiving you poorly.
10-42
10-2
Receiving you well.
10-43
10-3
Channel in use.
10-44
10-4
Yes, Roger, O.K.
10-45
10-5
The TEN codes
Moved to another channel.
Traffic accident at....
Traffic congestion at....
I have a message for...
Stations on this channel please
Relay message.
identify
10-6
Busy, Can't talk now.
10-7
Out of service, going off the air.
10-50
Break.
10-8
Back in service after shutdown.
10-9
Please repeat last message.
10-60
What is the next message number.
10-10
Was 10-6. Now on call.
10-11
Talking too rapidly.
10-62
Unable to copy. Use phone
10-12
Visitors are present.
10-63
Net directed to...
10-13
Advise weather, road conditions.
10-64
Net clear.
10-16
Make pick up at
10-65
10-17
Important business.
Awaiting your next message.
10-67
10-18
Anything for us?
10-70
Fire at...
10-19
Return to base.
10-71
10-20
What is your (general) location?
10-73
All units comply.
Proceed with transmission in code.
Goodbye. Ending conversation.
10-21
Contact me by phone.
10-22
Make personal contact with.
10-77
10-23
Stand-by
10-81
No contact, not receiving you.
Reserve hotel room for....
10-24
Assignment completed
10-82
Reserve room for...
10-25
Contact another station by radio.
10-84
My telephone number is...
10-26
Disregard last transmission.
10-85
10-27
I am moving to channel......
My address is....
10-28
Proper station identification.
10-89
Radio repairman needed at...
10-29
Time is up for contact.
10-91
Talk closer to the mike.
10-30
Violates regulations.
10-92
Your transmitter needs.
10-31
No longer in violation of
adjustment.
regulations.
10-93
Please check my freq. on this ch.
10-32
I will advise you of the readability
10-94
of your signals.
Please give me a long count.
10-99
Mission completed, all units
10-33
Emergency traffic at this station.
10-100
Rest stop. I'm off to the loo!
10-34
In trouble, need help.
10-200
Police needed at...
10-35
Matter of urgency but cannot
discuss it by radio.
10-36
Time by clock.
10-37
Send tow truck.
10-38
Injuries, send ambulance.
10-39
Click to expand...
We could move to Q codes perhaps?
 
wonkywinch said:
I sail in the same area as you and regularly hear Solent CG spelling boat names that are subjects of a pan or mayday phonetically.
Click to expand...

Fine. I guess it just doesn't stick in my mind.

I just checked how I would state my own boat name and three out of four characters I was correct. (Fluke, obvs.) I hope that's adequate. 😁
 
Mark-1 said:
I just checked how I would state my own boat name and three out of four characters I was correct.
Click to expand...
I was once hailed by a French Coast Guard plane off Guyana, (the bloody thing appeared out of nowhere and passed at very low altitude), they asked me to spell the name of the boat, as it has quite a few letters when I had spelled half of it they said ''ok ok that's enough''; I suspect they just wanted to check I knew the phonetic alphabet as possibly drug smugglers do not ?
 
Mark-1 said:
Fine. I guess it just doesn't stick in my mind.

I just checked how I would state my own boat name and three out of four characters I was correct. (Fluke, obvs.) I hope that's adequate. 😁
Click to expand...
I have been a radio amateur for 50 years, a pilot for 40 and a comms/sound engineer for some of my life so I guess I always "have my ears on good buddy".
 
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