Q. Dear ChiMoS, I am currently struggling with a writing style that I’ve not been able to find a reference on. The writing has to do with radio voice communications of pilots while in flight. These communications use a kind of jargon that is akin to a code. Example 1: “Eagle 12, shackle 242.” Example 2: “Eagle 12.” The first example appears to be an imperative from one pilot to Eagle 12, while the second example appears to be an acknowledgment of the imperative by Eagle 12. Does anyone know where I can find any documented standards or rules regarding the writing of these types of coded radio communications?
A. Although we don’t know of a style manual for writing radio voice communications, there are style guides written specifically for transcribing oral histories that might be of use to you. Here are two, one at Baylor University and the other at Tigerfish.