COPY THAT: RADIO ETIQUETTE FOR OVERLAND TRAVEL

WHY DOES RADIO ETIQUETTE MATTER?

I've spent much of my life, since I was about 8 years old, using radios in all types of situations. From growing up crossing oceans and using the radio to call my Grandparents (from the middle of the Pacific Ocean for my 8th birthday, it was a "ship to shore" call via a marine operator), to my time working offshore as a "Hard Hat" diver, and more recently in my Search and Rescue missions, overland travel, and adventure tours.

Aside from understanding the basics of how your radio works, it's also very important to know when to use it and the etiquette involved, because it's not like talking on your phone. When you are talking on a two-way radio, you are using public channels, this means that anyone who has a radio scanner or who is already on that channel can hear what you are saying. Not only that, but even more importantly, they may need to use that channel at any moment for an emergency or other important transmission.

KEYS TO GOOD RADIO ETIQUETTE FOR OVERLAND TRAVEL

1. Listen for other voice traffic on the channel, don't just start talking unless it's an emergency.

   
   

2. Keep your sentences short and to the point, allowing short breaks between transmissions, in case someone else needs to break in.

   
   

3. Remember to keep your thumb off of the transmit or Push To Talk button (PTT) when you are not transmitting. It is also important to remember to store your handheld radio or microphone where the PTT button won't get inadvertently pushed or held down. When you push the PTT button, it blocks anyone else from transmitting on that channel and can cause serious problems in an emergency.

   
   

4. Because you are using a public channel, please keep your language "clean" and don't use people's last names, you never know who may be listening in on your conversation.

WHAT RADIO(S) DO I USE?

I've used a variety of radios for my tours and training over the years and I am always asked which ones I recommend. My favorite products by far are from Midland Radios.

MXT 275 15w MICROMOBILE GMRS RADIO

The Midland MXT275 is my go-to setup. What I love about this GMRS radio is that all the controls and the speaker are built right into the microphone itself. That means you can hide the base unit out of sight under the seat or dashboard, keeping your cab clean and uncluttered without sacrificing power or range.

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T77VP5 X-TALKER FRS WALKIE TALKIE BUNDLE

When we have spotters guiding rigs through tricky obstacles or when group members head out on foot to scout or hike, a solid set of handhelds is a must. These Midland X-Talker walkie-talkies are compact, super easy to hand off to anyone in camp, and come in a clean carrying case with all the chargers.

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Using radios to talk between vehicles or to keep in touch with your group when they are out hiking is great, and can be a lot of fun, but only if we all respect radio etiquette for overland travel and allow for others to use the channels too.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend gear I actually use and trust out on the trail. Thanks for supporting the blog!