Just to confuse you I was taught:
(Call sign) G-ABCD is a
T= Type - L-4 Cub..
R= Route - out of Glos for Duxford ..
P= Position - 3miles south abeam Banbury..
A= Altitude - 2000 ft on 1021..
C= Conditions - VMC..
E= Estimate - estimating north abeam Buckingham at 25..
R= Request - Reqest flight information service
I Found TRPACER easy to remember as it sounds like Tripacer -which is an aeroplane!
I almost always drop the victor mike bit - as Cubs don't fly IFR.
My trouble is that I almost never use the radio, and when I try I find either the bl**dy thing doesn't work, or I'm so surprised it does work that I totally screw up my message.
It's good to engage brain before opening mouth... gawd.. the times I've got to the estimate bit without having an estimate at all.. so it's all urms and arrhs while I try to dig myself out - yep I'm an idiot!
Anyway, my advice is:
A: rehearse what you are going to say in your head before you say it.
B: Write down the readback stuff IE activeRW/clearance/QNH etc
BEFORE you read it back - a few seconds reply lag is OK.
C: don't be afraid to say either 'stand by' of 'say again' - both are under used in my opinion..
D: Often you don't HAVE to talk to anyone 'G-XXXX is leaving frequency en-route ' is one of my favourte phrases and there is nothing wrong with a listening watch either..
Above all, don't be intimidated - the guy on the ground is there to help you make a safe flight and believe me he will have heard many, many screwed up RT messages from Students and qualified pilots alike, so.... RELAX.. try your best and have fun
Kingy