What does a Radio Operator do?
Receive and transmit communications using radiotelephone equipment in accordance with government regulations. May repair equipment.
Jobs Roles
- Monitor emergency frequencies to detect distress calls and respond by dispatching emergency equipment.
- Communicate with receiving operators to exchange transmission instructions.
- Operate radio equipment to communicate with ships, aircraft, mining crews, offshore oil rigs, logging camps and other remote operations.
- Broadcast weather reports and warnings.
- Maintain station logs of messages transmitted and received for activities such as flight testing and fire locations.
- Conduct periodic equipment inspections and routine tests to ensure that operations standards are met.
- Turn controls or throw switches to activate power, adjust voice volume and modulation, and set transmitters on specified frequencies.
- Operate sound-recording equipment to record signals and preserve broadcasts for purposes such as analysis by intelligence personnel.
- Send, receive, and interpret coded messages.
- Repair radio equipment as necessary, using electronic testing equipment, hand tools, and power tools.
- Coordinate radio-related aspects of locating and contacting airplanes and ships that are missing or in distress.
- Determine and obtain bearings of sources from which signals originate, using direction-finding procedures and equipment.
- Examine and operate new equipment prior to installation to ensure that it performs properly.
- Review applicable regulations regarding radio communications, and report violations.
- Set up antennas and mobile communication units during military field exercises.