This is a little how-to for using comms and communicating within your team.
1. Not everyone needs a radio, team leader and squad leaders should have them. This avoids too much traffic on the net. Your team leader and talk to his guys with hand and arm signals or voice. Once engaged you can start yelling, the element of surprise is gone so use your voice.
2. From support element (if any), make sure they have their own net.
Example: We conducted a training live fire, the assault element and the fires element where on the same net. I'm running my mortar FDC and trying to talk my FO. My FO is calling for fire cause the assault element was being engaged and they where taking casualties and calling up a 9 line med evc on the same freq. From the time when I received the call for fire target number blah blah, my FO gets stepped on with the 9 line, took me 5 min to get the call for fire before the first round was hung.
3. When sending long transmissions say break and release the PTT so if someone else has anything more important like a real emergency he can say it and not have to wait for the net to be clear.
4. Designate one person to be your commo guy, he is in charge of all comms. Have him learn and teach the stuff so you don't always need him to trouble shoot.
5. Set up your kit to where it makes seance as in having your PTT somewhere that you stock wont hit the PTT when you shoulder your rifle.
6. Proper radio transmissions are key. There are easier ways the tell someone something, transmissions are supposed to be short yet provide detailed information. Make sure you use call signs, your and whoever you want to receive the transmission.
Proper example: Heathen6 "Thunder3 this is Heathen6" Thunder3 "This is Thunder3" Heathen6 "Roger taking small arms fire from the west approx. 300 meters" Thunder3 " Roger can you see their location?" Heathen6 " Roger the three story building machine gun nest dug in "
Wrong example: Heathen6" I'm taking fire" Thunder3 " Roger what kind of fire?" Heathen6 " Uh I'm not sure." Thunder3 "From where and how far?" Heathen6 " From a building and maybe 300 meters"
Things you can practice as a squad:
Conduct battle drills i.e. react to contact, squad attack, react to sniper, react to ambush, react to indirect fire.
This will build teamwork and communication.
Move through terrain and go over formations using radios and hand and arms signals.
Practice calling up a SALUTE report ( size, activity, location, uniform, time, and equipment).
Those are just a few things that will help out with communication and team building. If anyone has any questions ask and I'll be happy to help out.
Heathen6