Originally Posted by
PAXboy
(genuine question from an ignoramus) Can the R/T not be connected to the Interphone to allow direct comms?
The issue here is the nature of HF/SSB comms. Unless you're a long-haul pilot or a radio ham, it can be very difficult to interpret the squeaky voice that you're hearing over the airwaves, hence the OP's need to relay what was being said.