Communications.... Again!

[b1ackcr0w]

There was a recent thread about radios and comms at circuits that caused some useful debate.

This morning I was reading an old Autosport (February10th - the F1Season Preview bumper edition Page 110-111) when I saw an article i'd missed on first reading. It was an interview Jim Holder did with a guy called Roy Wilson. Roy is an ex-RAF pilot who's been employed by BAR and Williams amongst others to improve the way crucial communications in preassure situations happen within the team.

While the interview sadly doesn't go into much technical depth, some of the ideas seem very valuable. One of the things that becomes very clear from the interview is that when using any system of communication, be it radio, phone etc, the limitations of the device have to be accepted. Once it is assumed that a radio is going to occasionally fail, ways of narrowing the window for misunderstaning must be found.

Quite simply, he's adapted Aviation communication techniques (called CRM - Crew Resource Management) that were originally to help stop pilots crashing planes, to the F1 environment. It seems natural to me that we could do the same for Race management comms?

A simple example is the difference between various ways of answering yes. The thing is, if somebody answers a call with "yes", do they mean "Yes I heard that" or "Yes - I understand" or "Yes - I will follow your instruction"? It seems too simple to confuse when you're calmly reading a forum, but in 'the heat of battle', we all know how easy it is to get that sort of thing wrong.

If you've got that copy of Autosport, I'd urge you to have another look at it, and come back with any thoughts you have on it.

I've asked Autosport if they would be kind enough to wave copyright in order for us to gain the benefit of a potentially useful item. If they say yes, then I'll take this further.

[blackhands]

In my limited experience of the use of phones or radios I always use expressions such as "understood" or "will do" and follow this by repeating what I've understood or will do (eg "Understood - Red Flag").

[TwoSheds]

A very good point and this was discussed at the BRSCC/MSA training day at Brands in February when Brian Avery (?) included in his Radio Communications seminar some slides with key words and talked about when they are used.

[Gnomex]

I have to agree this was a very good talk by Brian Avery (?). One particular point he made well was that when calling Control, say "Control from Post 1", not the reverse. It is often the first word or two that is not clearly transmitted, whether it be because the radio user spoke too soon after pressing the transmit button, or whether it be because Control were not attentive.

[Gridlock]

Oh no please dont start another series of opinions on communications?
Yawn - Boring!!!

[Sheila M]

Many years ago I used to be in the Royal Observer Corps and part of my job as an NCO was to train people in the use of radio - military style! I still try too use that style when using radios today. Unfortunately there is not much in the way of training on the use of radios, which is a great pity as they are being used more and more often by more and more people.

Perhaps we all ought to take this up with our regional training officers?