Author Topic: "I read you 5 by 5, sir"  (Read 44794 times)

Offline Cessna172

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« on: April 18, 2006, 11:09:50 PM »
As an avid VATSIM pilot, I have heard the phrase "5 by 5" ever since I started flying on VATSIM, in fact I've used it myself a couple of times. I know it can be used in lieu of "read you loud and clear." However, my question is: can the phrase be used in real world aviation? In all of my hours flying GA aircraft, I have never heard the phrase "5 by 5" used. Can anyone help?

Thanks!! :D

Cessna172
Home Airport: West Houston Airport (KIWS)



Offline Jason

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Re: "I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2006, 11:13:59 PM »
Quote from: Cessna172
As an avid VATSIM pilot, I have heard the phrase "5 by 5" ever since I started flying on VATSIM, in fact I've used it myself a couple of times. I know it can be used in lieu of "read you loud and clear." However, my question is: can the phrase be used in real world aviation? In all of my hours flying GA aircraft, I have never heard the phrase "5 by 5" used. Can anyone help?

Thanks!! :D

Cessna172
Home Airport: West Houston Airport (KIWS)


Although it's not phraseology listed in the Pilot/Controller Glossary, I've heard the phrase used 100s if not 1000s of times on frequencies around the US.

Offline Kalpazan

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2006, 11:45:50 PM »
That phrase is used both by pilots and controllers to identify the level of readability of the other side. In this case "5 by 5" means excellent quality. Often you will hear one of them to say "<callsign>, how do you read me?" where the answer will be "I read you 5 by 5, <callsign>" for example.

Hope this helps...

Offline SadWinter

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #3 on: April 19, 2006, 01:08:26 AM »
5x5 Perfect
1x1 Very Bad

Offline Jane G

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #4 on: April 19, 2006, 03:28:54 AM »
I'd always thought that it was a rating of both clarity and signal strength with a different rate for each, say 5x4 would mean 5 for transmission clarity and 4 for signal strength. or the other way around. But that's just an assumption.

Offline SadWinter

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2006, 04:46:16 AM »
Well, in fact I am not really sure, here in Colombia they only used one number
"I copy 5"
"Copy 3"...etc

Offline Biff

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2006, 09:38:14 AM »
I use "5x5" all the time.    I've had to catch myself from answering "lickin chicken" once or twice.  

Bad habits I pick up from online flight sims.  :)

Offline spallanzani

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2006, 09:55:07 AM »
The following applies to Canada:

Reply to a request for a radio check in the following form:

A. (Aircraft identification);
B. (Unit identification if required);
C. READ YOU (readability number);
D. (Time and altimeter if appropriate).

The readability scale using figures 1 to 5 has the following meaning:

1- Unreadable;
2- Readable now and then;
3- Readable but with difficulty;
4- Readable;
5- Perfectly readable.

illini52

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #8 on: April 19, 2006, 10:53:18 AM »
It comes from the Military

Offline bcrosby

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #9 on: April 19, 2006, 11:42:53 AM »
Quote from: spallanzani
The following applies to Canada:
The readability scale using figures 1 to 5 has the following meaning:

1- Unreadable;
2- Readable now and then;
3- Readable but with difficulty;
4- Readable;
5- Perfectly readable.[/i]


I've used and heard:

"readability 4" or "readability 5"

Offline spallanzani

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #10 on: April 20, 2006, 02:09:43 PM »
That's not military only. I've already heard "Air Canada 123, read you 5".

The information in my previous message was taken from the MANOPS (Manual of operations for ATCs in Canada).

Offline Cessna172

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #11 on: April 20, 2006, 07:05:34 PM »
Jason, Kalpazan, SadWinter, Jane G, Biff, spallanzani, illini52, bcrosby, and anyone else who posts after this post,

Thank you all very much!!  :D  To me, all of the variations of saying "5 by 5" are very interesting. Thank you all again for making me more knowledgeable. However, I don't get the "lickin chicken" phrase, Biff. :D

Cessna172
Home Airport: West Houston Airport (KIWS)
www.westhoustonairport.com

Offline MarkInSavannah

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #12 on: April 20, 2006, 09:35:13 PM »
In his book of aviation cartoons, There I Was, Bob Stevens harkens back to those "radio quality buffoons" who use to spend more time on radio checks than on their engine performance checks.  He uses as an example a fellow who whistled, huffed, puffed, amonst other things into his microphone before asking the tower for a radio check.  The tower responded that his transmitter was 2 by 2.  When the pilot came back demanding to know why his transmission was only received 2 by 2, the tower controller retorted, it was too damned loud and too damned often.  I always wanted the opportunity to use that line before retiring.....too bad I never got the chance.

Offline Biff

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #13 on: April 20, 2006, 11:53:25 PM »
Lickin Chicken = Loud and Clear.  ;)

I didn't figure it out until about the 3rd time I heard it.  I picked that up from an Army flyer.

Offline Cessna172

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #14 on: April 21, 2006, 10:16:00 PM »
Quote from: Biff
Liickin Chicken = Loud and Clear.  ;)

I didn't figure it out until about the 3rd time I heard it.  I picked that up from an Army flyer.


HAHA!  :D

Thanks!

Cessna172
Home Airport: West Houston Airport (KIWS)
CAF Open House this weekend at KIWS

Offline Tomato

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"I read you 5 by 5, sir"
« Reply #15 on: April 22, 2006, 12:51:36 AM »
Quote from: Jane G
I'd always thought that it was a rating of both clarity and signal strength with a different rate for each, say 5x4 would mean 5 for transmission clarity and 4 for signal strength. or the other way around. But that's just an assumption.


Yep... signal strength and clarity!  I always get confused which is which, but apparently this comes from back in the day.  Not so much for aviation talk, but "Loud and Clear" is used a lot at workplaces/etc too  like some have mentioned!  :)