Whre does roger come from?

[vancouv]

Someone asked me today why the term 'Roger' is used in R/T - where does it originate?

I'm sure someone here must know.

[StrateandLevel]

Roger was one of the original phonetics for the letter "R"

An R sent in morse ._. signified that a message had been received!

This probably dates from the days of railway telegraph code.

[J.A.F.O.]

Can't disagree with S&L - Received begat .-. who begat Roger. What I want to know is why, whenever I asked after him, he was always out.

"Roger, out.", "Roger, out." Never once did I find him at home.

[BEagle]

Roger Waitout has been serving on every one of HM's War Canoes since time began.

Couldn't resist it once when bugling up HMS Indecipherable, Inexcusable, Inexplicable or whatever it was called....."Ahhh, Roger, Waitout" came the not entirely unexpected response

"Hello, Roger, mate. Long time no speak. How's the wife and kids?"

One pissed off matelot didn't find it very funny!

[Floppy Link]

In the frontline against the IRA INLA various splinter groups, loyalist factions and assorted nutters, up on the ops room wall at a certain UDR base (Yellow 453), a big sign in front of the radio op...

If in doubt - "Roger, Out"

[DubTrub]

A lot of GA pilots use the expression "Roger That" .

What are they suggesting we Roger?

Or do they just watch too many US cop shows?

["Copy That" is another useless expression finding its way into UK GA airwaves. ]

[Snigs]

And how people "get off" by "Roger the Traffic" I'll never understand.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

And pilots still mis-use 'Roger'. As I heard a controller say to an errant PPL once:

"Is your Roger an affirm??"

SSD

[SQUAWKIDENT]

At least I haven't heard anyone say "TEN FOUR (10-4)"

YET...

[englishal]

I believe the Ozzies use "Romeo"....which used to make me laugh when I worked on an Australian crewed ship a couple of years ago.The fat <expletivedeleted> of a first mate didn't find it funny when I broke out into shakespeare when talking to him on the VHF "...romeo, where for art thou"....No sense of humour some people

[vancouv]

Reminds me of something I heard:

ATC: Cleared to taxi, caution grass-cutter to your left.

Aircraft: Roger the grass-cutter.

ATC: You can try, but he might not like it.

[Penguina]

You may not believe this, but my (24-year-old, mind!) sister asked, while watching a ladz flick of some sort: 'Why are ALL pilots called Roger?'



Much to the speechless incredulity of the boys around her.

It clearly doesn't run in the family.....

[redsnail]

Australian pilots use "roger". "Romeo" is possibly an Australian Navy term.

[MightyGem]

"Is your Roger an affirm??"

I've lost count of the number of times(in my military career) that I've asked a question over the radio, that required a "yes" or "no" answer, and received "Roger!" in reply.

[big.al]

"Roger & Out" is the name of a beer, brewed and sold in only one pub in Sheffield I believe. They serve it in 1/3 pint glasses because it's so strong (something like 11% ABV).

I once had a glass - very strong - a bit like a cross between barley wine and caustic soda (or was it sulphuric acid? - not sure).

[Sir George Cayley]

Charlie Charlie

I've heard more than one Foreign Johnny use the above instead of Roger.

Can't find it in any docs, but it wasn't queried by ATC

Is this an acceptable reply in some parts of the world?

Sir George Cayley

[Dop]

big.al - is that pub called something like the Frog and Parrot? Sounds familiar, though it's ages since I've been in Sheffield.

I believe they gave you a special certificate for drinking three thirds.

[Four Seven Eleven]

Sir George

I believe 'Charlie Charlie' stands for 'correct'. It is/was properly used to indicate that a read-back was correct. For example:

ATC: Blah Blah blah
A/c: Roger blah blah blah (optional: "confirm?")
ATC: Charlie charlie

[big.al]

Dop - yes it is the Frog and Parrot (still, I believe). I think they do issue a certificate, although after three thirds of Roger & Out they could be giving you a cycling proficiency certificate and you wouldn't know the difference....

[CPilotUK]

Could someone explain what 'Coming Down' means? It seems to be used a lot by commercial pilots.