As part of my gear as a supervisor (Supervisor In Training - SIT) is a store issued, handheld radio. At first it's fun because it's new and shiny with insight into a world you don't know as a cashier or non-radio holder. And then ... that luster wears off quickly as you realize why everyone doesn't have a radio. It's for good reason, too.
I usually joke, "It's all fun and games at Costco until someone gives you a radio."
No one is taught the proper use of a radio, how it functions, or even radio etiquette (yes, there's a decorum to follow) One would think for all the Costco University classes, modules, and continuing development courses, that there would be one to address radio use.
There isn't!
A large portion of my frustration stems from my experience as a technical licensing holding amateur radio operator aka HAM. My call sign: KF7LGI. And another portion of my frustration is my experience of being a part-time DJ / MC / host and use of a microphone.
Many of the other users are self-taught by experience and rudimentary "training". What saddens me if I offered to teach it would fall on deaf ears, because they wouldn't care. Why? Because they know that it works, how to use it, and that's all they want to know. Unless they are incorrectly using it, they'll continue being content as they are.
I can't blame them really. But it's in my nature to wanna excel at a skill and/or follow long standing procedure or etiquette.
And if I could message anything from this post it would be, if you're unfamiliar or curious about a work procedure or equipment, ask a trust co-worker and/or management. They'd be happy to assist. My curiosity that spawned more learning was this quote from my all-time favorite TV show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Faith: Hey, as long as you don't go scratching at me or humpin' my leg, we're five by five.
I found it so funny, I wanted to use it but understand what 5 by 5 (5x5) meant. Here it is:
In voice procedure (the techniques used to facilitate spoken communication over two-way radios) a station may request a report on the quality and strength of signal they are broadcasting. In the military of the NATO countries, and other organizations, the signal quality is reported on two scales; the first is for signal strength, and the second for signal clarity. Both these scales range from one to five, where one is the worst and five is the best. The listening station reports these numbers separated with the word "by". Five by five therefore means a signal that has excellent strength and perfect clarity -- the most understandable signal possible.
Five by five by extension has come to mean "I understand you perfectly" in situations other than radio communication, the way Loud and Clear entered slang, post-WW2.
I still use it as much as I can but understand that not many will not pick up on either reference. Hopefully my message hasn't been lost in text, and that it was received (yes, you guessed it) 5 by 5.
'los; out
I usually joke, "It's all fun and games at Costco until someone gives you a radio."
No one is taught the proper use of a radio, how it functions, or even radio etiquette (yes, there's a decorum to follow) One would think for all the Costco University classes, modules, and continuing development courses, that there would be one to address radio use.
There isn't!
 |
| Radio check, 1, 2, 3 |
Many of the other users are self-taught by experience and rudimentary "training". What saddens me if I offered to teach it would fall on deaf ears, because they wouldn't care. Why? Because they know that it works, how to use it, and that's all they want to know. Unless they are incorrectly using it, they'll continue being content as they are.
I can't blame them really. But it's in my nature to wanna excel at a skill and/or follow long standing procedure or etiquette.
And if I could message anything from this post it would be, if you're unfamiliar or curious about a work procedure or equipment, ask a trust co-worker and/or management. They'd be happy to assist. My curiosity that spawned more learning was this quote from my all-time favorite TV show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Faith: Hey, as long as you don't go scratching at me or humpin' my leg, we're five by five.
I found it so funny, I wanted to use it but understand what 5 by 5 (5x5) meant. Here it is:
In voice procedure (the techniques used to facilitate spoken communication over two-way radios) a station may request a report on the quality and strength of signal they are broadcasting. In the military of the NATO countries, and other organizations, the signal quality is reported on two scales; the first is for signal strength, and the second for signal clarity. Both these scales range from one to five, where one is the worst and five is the best. The listening station reports these numbers separated with the word "by". Five by five therefore means a signal that has excellent strength and perfect clarity -- the most understandable signal possible.
Five by five by extension has come to mean "I understand you perfectly" in situations other than radio communication, the way Loud and Clear entered slang, post-WW2.
I still use it as much as I can but understand that not many will not pick up on either reference. Hopefully my message hasn't been lost in text, and that it was received (yes, you guessed it) 5 by 5.
'los; out
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