Author Topic: Radio Callsign questions.  (Read 4546 times)

Terrace

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Radio Callsign questions.
« on: 26 September 2017, 17:04:36 »
I was reading some of the Snowbird stories, and some of the radio chatter made me wonder.

Lance leaders in that story often went by "[Lance Callsign] Six" when talking to allied forces. I'm just wondering, is this consistent with other BT fiction that focuses on Inner Sphere units, and if so, why do that instead of giving them "[Lance Callsign] One"? The rest of the lance tends to get the designations Two through Four...

Meow Liao

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #1 on: 26 September 2017, 17:42:17 »
Sounds to me like 'Leading from the rear.  Now in 3D!'  [blank]

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Pat Payne

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #2 on: 26 September 2017, 18:25:38 »
I was reading some of the Snowbird stories, and some of the radio chatter made me wonder.

Lance leaders in that story often went by "[Lance Callsign] Six" when talking to allied forces. I'm just wondering, is this consistent with other BT fiction that focuses on Inner Sphere units, and if so, why do that instead of giving them "[Lance Callsign] One"? The rest of the lance tends to get the designations Two through Four...

Not having read the story, I couldn't say for sure, but I wonder if it's an attempt to muddy up the chain of command in case anyone's listening in (just as IRL, you're not supposed to salute a superior officer when you're in combat so the enemy doesn't know who to take out  ;) )

Colt Ward

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #3 on: 26 September 2017, 18:31:46 »
Each callsign has a place in the order . . .

Six is the company/unit leader, actual means you really are talking to that person rather than radio watch or their RTO.
One-Six is the 1st platoon officer.
Two-Six is the 2nd platoon leader.
Five is the company/unit top NCO.
Ten in my experience is the company/unit XO- or officer wearing that hat.  In artillery it can also be the FCO.
One-Five is the 1st platoon leader.
When discussing armor, SP guns and SP launcher you use their platoon and then place- Two-Two is Second PLT's 2nd tank/launcher.  Three-One would be 3rd PLT's 1st tank/launcher.

When preparing for combat you have a whole LONG list of code words referred to as a COI IIRC which also changes.  In combat the unit callsigns should change at the same time you change your radio net's frequencies- so one day your company/battery is referred to as Redbird, then the net shifts and the callsign is changed to Bulldog.

From my experience this is RARELY practiced b/c its not sexy or 'mission related' and breaks down the 'synergy of immersion in the tactical problem' or whatever buzzwords are in style.  Just changing each company & battalion's radio nets is challenging enough without being co-located b/c someone never gets the word for the time, has the wrong frequency, the FNG they tell to go change freqs screws up (did not lock the freq, tried to be master, etc) because they are the FNG (see above why a experienced hand does not do it first), reading the wrong page of the COI/SOP or has the wrong version/year of the SOP.  Or their encryption gets dumped when trying to shift frequency and the batteries on the encryption loading device are dead since it was left on when you loaded in the motorpool but someone just put it away instead of turning it off.  Or your radio drops the time . . . which does not even get into if the amps & antennae are connected properly and your power source is not surging or tripping breakers.

Trust me, getting properly working encrypted radio communications can be a extremely entertaining exercise . . . if you are not the one answering to a senior NCO or officer about why you cannot speak to higher or your subordinate elements.  But its not interesting unless you have done it (have some fun stories about a few dumb arses) but it generally not something you plug into the narrative of a story.

Pat, you obviously had some better officers.  We had a few that always got saluted in the field . . . here's your clue Sir.
Colt Ward
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Terrace

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #4 on: 26 September 2017, 19:01:48 »
The Snowbird stories are on FF.net (Here's the author's page that has most of them). And in those stories, it seems like a general trend to refer to individual Lance Commanders as "[Lance Callsign] Six" with those higher up the command chain using "[Lance Callsign] Actual".

The specific story "Choosers of the Slain" makes it explicit in Chapter 4 when the POV character has checked the rest of her lance (who use Two through Four) and the rest of the Lance Commanders that she's working with for that mission respond with a series of Lance Callsigns followed by Six.

"Wolf Six, check."

"Bunny Six, up."

"Red Six, standing by."

"Shovel Six, we're here."

I suppose I'm just wondering if [Lance Callsign] Six is consistent for Lance Commanders in other BT fiction, official or not.

ANS Kamas P81

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #5 on: 26 September 2017, 19:20:38 »
It's a thing that is done at regiment/brigade levels in the US military, namely ground forces.  "Actual" is a similar thing for Navy & Marines; regular "this is Callsign" denotes that you're talking to the radio schmuck in the chain of command of Callsign's unit.  If you get "this is Callsign Actual" then you're talking to the boss decision maker of that chain, not just passing messages through said radio schmuck.
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Terrace

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #6 on: 26 September 2017, 19:50:05 »
Thanks for the info, but that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking if Callsign Six for Lance Commanders is a thing that shows up in other BT fiction, or do they go with Callsign Lead or Callsign One.

Colt Ward

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #7 on: 26 September 2017, 20:38:05 »
Honestly, depends on the author's background . . . and generally BT fiction has very bad EMCON and com net protocols.
Colt Ward
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The Eagle

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #8 on: 27 September 2017, 07:08:32 »
Each callsign has a place in the order . . .

Six is the company/unit leader, actual means you really are talking to that person rather than radio watch or their RTO.
One-Six is the 1st platoon officer.
Two-Six is the 2nd platoon leader.
Five Seven is the company/unit top NCO.
Ten Five in my experience is the company/unit XO- or officer wearing that hat.  In artillery it can also be the FCO.
One-Five Seven is the 1st platoon leader.



FTFY.


At the battalion and higher levels, there's also other staff call signs: the Operations Officer is "Three," the Staff Intelligence Officer is "Two," and the Logistics Officer is "Four," and the Commo Officer is "Squelch" (because the commo section, being staff section #6, can't be the "Six" because the Commander is the "Six").  And then you can append further element-identifiers on top of these, usually the letter "N" for the NCO in charge.  As the NCOIC of 1/6 Cavalry Regiment (call sign SABER)'s intelligence section, my official callsign was SABER 2N.

As for com nets in BT fiction, it is kind of a mess.  Colt's got that part dead on.  One of the things that always bothered me is how they use real names over the net which is a HUGE no-no, especially when it's someone important like Prince Victor.  That's a great way for an enemy listening in on your comms to pinpoint a VIP's location.
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Dragon Cat

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #9 on: 27 September 2017, 07:33:59 »
It sounds cooler for them to use names and not care - it's fiction
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Colt Ward

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #10 on: 27 September 2017, 08:24:42 »
Eagle, some of that could be b/c of differences . . . I was artillery and it maybe different SOI than armor or infantry.  Like I said, 10 was also for the FCO which was usually the XO so they used that rather than the normal number.

And your right Dragon Cat, its why I said not a single mil sci-fi book I am aware of actually spewed all the commo or even got into the details of setting up the net.  Notice that I said my unit rarely even practiced shifting freqs and callsigns which is supposed to happen in combat because it was complicated and something that was not exciting.
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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #11 on: 27 September 2017, 10:15:18 »
I prefer to go with WKRP....
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Revanche

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #12 on: 27 September 2017, 13:44:26 »
I prefer to go with WKRP....

I'd appreciate if you knock first.
« Last Edit: 27 September 2017, 13:46:37 by Revanche »

ANS Kamas P81

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #13 on: 27 September 2017, 23:04:48 »
Eagle, some of that could be b/c of differences . . . I was artillery
Repeat that?   }:)
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Colt Ward

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #14 on: 27 September 2017, 23:16:13 »
shot over
Colt Ward
Clan Invasion Backer #149, Leviathans #104

"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

Scotty

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #15 on: 27 September 2017, 23:46:45 »
Thanks for the info, but that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking if Callsign Six for Lance Commanders is a thing that shows up in other BT fiction, or do they go with Callsign Lead or Callsign One.

The answer you are looking for simultaneously does not exist, and exists as "whatever works for your game".
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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #16 on: 28 September 2017, 14:03:17 »
"Err, roger Rubber Ducky. Begin prosecuting Operation Bubble-Bath in 5...4...3..."

Meow Liao

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Re: Radio Callsign questions.
« Reply #17 on: 28 September 2017, 14:43:34 »
I prefer to go with WKRP....

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