Parallel radio and communications terminology. All terms have technical equivalents in the four languages but on a NATO operational net English is used exclusively.
Radio and comms
| EN | IT | PT-BR | FR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callsign | Indicativo | Indicativo | Indicatif |
| Net | Rete (radio) | Rede | Réseau |
| Net control station | Stazione di controllo rete | Estação de controle de rede | Station de contrôle |
| Frequency | Frequenza | Frequência | Fréquence |
| Channel | Canale | Canal | Canal |
| PTT | PTT (push-to-talk) | PTT | Alternat |
| Squelch | Squelch / silenziatore | Squelch | Silencieux |
| Encryption / crypto | Cifratura | Cifragem | Chiffrement |
| Key fill | Caricamento chiavi | Carga de chaves | Chargement de clés |
| Crypto key | Chiave crittografica | Chave criptográfica | Clé cryptographique |
| Jamming | Jamming / disturbo | Interferência | Brouillage |
| DF / direction finding | Goniometria | Goniometria / DF | Goniométrie |
| Brevity code | Brevity code | Brevity code | Code abrégé |
| Proword | Proword | Proword | Mot de procédure |
| DTG | DTG (Date-Time Group) | DTG | DTG |
| Time hack | Sincronizzazione oraria | Time hack / sincronização | Top horaire |
| Read back | Ripetere ricevuto | Ler de volta / repetir | Collationner |
| Acknowledge | Conferma ricezione | Confirmar recepção | Accuser réception |
| Authenticate | Autenticare | Autenticar | Authentifier |
| Relay | Trasmissione a terzi | Relê | Relayer |
| Mayday | Mayday (emergenza vita) | Mayday | Mayday |
| Pan-pan | Pan-pan (urgenza non-vita) | Pan-pan | Pan-pan |
| Loud and clear | Forte e chiaro / Lima Charlie | Alto e claro / Lima Charlie | Fort et clair / Lima Charlie |
| Garbled | Disturbato / incomprensibile | Embaralhado | Brouillé |
| Broken | Frammentato (segnale) | Cortado | Coupé |
| Standby | Restare in ascolto | Aguardar na escuta | Rester à l'écoute |
| Out of comms | Fuori comunicazione | Sem comunicação | Hors comms |
| Comms check | Verifica comunicazioni | Verificação de comms | Test de liaison |
| VHF / UHF | VHF / UHF | VHF / UHF | VHF / UHF |
| SHF | SHF | SHF | SHF |
| Repeater | Ripetitore | Repetidor | Relais |
| EMCON | EMCON (silenzio emanazione) | EMCON | EMCON / silence radio |
Usage notes
- On nets: English only (and standard prowords)
- 'Loud and clear' = optimal signal quality (5 by 5), shortened 'Lima Charlie'
- MAYDAY is only for immediate life-threatening emergency — abuse desensitises the net
- EMCON = order of total silence, not a transmission limitation