Once the Communicator Badge has been started, all Cadets initially become provisional VHF operators but are still supervised by a qualified operator, either by an experienced Cadet or by a member of staff. This subject is compulsory and is continuously assessed as the Cadets must prove that they are competent to use the radios unsupervised. The most important areas here, besides the Health & Safety aspects, are the use of the phonetic alphabet, prowords (radio procedures), communications security and log keeping.
Although there is a big emphasis on the practical use of radios during field exercises, radio exercises such as Operation Homeguard at Ingleton or during Sqn radio exercises involving role playing of scenarios such as a simulated guard force on an RAF Station, some of the theory aspects overlap into other modules of the Communicator Badge scheme such as the Amateur Radio Foundation Course where the subjects are discussed more in depth.
CI Ozwell