Proposed Communications Training Curriculum

[wuzafuzz]

Yet another reason for better training.

Did you know:  If the EF Johnson radio is in the scan mode, you can transmit on any scanned channel without moving any dials/switches, if the mic button is depressed within 2 seconds of receiving on a scanned channel; regardless of the zone and channel the radio is actually set to?  Pressing the mic button within 2 seconds of receiving a scanned channel will cause the radio to transmit on that scanned channel, not the channel it is set to.

See EF Johnson Operators Manual, paragraph 4.11.5 TRANSMITTING IN THE SCAN MODE.

I personally despise "talkback scan."  Imagine scanning a channel busier than the one you intend to use; you constantly have to wait before talking, or you have to deactivate scan before trying to talk.  More likely, people fail to understand that feature and unintentionally talk on the wrong channel.  That will increase confusion and frustration, and certainly does not fit with the "push here to talk" philosophy some people advocate.

One other thing scanning requires, is for people to announce which channel they are talking on.  That way the recipient knows which channel to answer on.  At first blush, talkback scan would seem to address that...but it falls apart when channels get busy.

[MIKE]

^ Sounds like the problem they are having with DSC on VHF marine radios.