For many years there’s been a debate about whether plain language or the 10 codes are better when people communicate over the radio. Radio users have been using the 10 codes for ages, it’s even infiltrated popular culture – even those who are unfamiliar with the 10 codes may know “10-4” which means “affirmative”. All of the 10 codes involve 10 plus another number, which conveys a specific meaning/message.
Although 10 codes are still being used in some industries like ski resort operations, law enforcement, and trucking (to name a few), many people are leaving this radio communication tradition behind and opting for plain language instead.
So is one better than the other, or does it come down to personal preference? Below, we’ll go over the pros and cons of plain language and 10 codes.
Pros of 10 Codes
Concise and clear: 10 codes is successful at providing clear and concise messages over radio frequencies. Because each code corresponds to a message, radio users can quickly and easily send messages.
There is also a smaller chance of receivers misunderstanding a message with 10 codes, as with other common codes.
Privacy: While anyone can look up the meaning of 10 codes, most lay people won’t know what most of them mean at the moment, providing some privacy, particularly to law enforcement. However, for anyone listening in on police transmissions, it won’t provide any real privacy as they can memorize or google 10 codes.
Cons of 10 Codes
Not Universal: Soon after the creation of 10 codes, different police jurisdictions began to create their own codes. Today, this means that some people may have different meanings assigned to codes, which can create immediate communication problems and misunderstandings – rather than overcoming them.
Furthermore, not everyone knows 10 codes. While it’s simple enough to learn, in industries where some companies use 10 codes, new employees may have a larger learning curve as they learn to memorize the code.
Not Necessary:
While codes can still be helpful in improving radio communication, the codes were originally invented to overcome the poor audio quality of radios that existed almost a hundred years ago.
While a poor connection may still result in a static-y message, quality radios are much more reliable at transmitting clear messages over long distances.
The Transition to Plain Language
People are going back to plain language or “plain talk” as the problems of 10 codes are defeating their purpose – notably, clear communication – especially when districts, states, and other countries communicate with one another.
When you switch back to plain talk, make sure your radios will transmit long-range, crystal-clear audio with Peak push-to-talk (PTT) radios. Our collection of quality PTT two-way radios all have virtually unlimited range and deliver clear messages, eliminating communication problems for all radio users.
