Callsign: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:01, 28 June 2013

A callsign is a unique nickname used primarily over wireless communications for brevity.

Callsigns assigned to pilots and flight officers can play on the aviator's name, or can be based on specific circumstances or attributes (sometimes comical). Examples:

Such callsigns are also used informally outside of wireless communication. For example, Karl Agathon is often in conversation referred to by his callsign "Helo" rather than his given name outside of the cockpit.

Specific military callsigns are reserved for certain positions or functions rather than any individuals. A ship's commander will assume the callsign "actual", e.g. "Galactica actual", "Pegasus actual", "Demetrius actual", etc. These callsigns are not for informal use.

Ships can also have callsigns. Viper and Raptor callsigns are based on tail numbers (Viper 7242, Raptor 718).

The callsign "Colonial One" is reserved for the vessel carrying or designated for the sitting Colonial President, similar to the way the United States Air Force and Marine Corps designate "Air Force One" and "Marine One" as the President's official air transport and helicopter respectively. "Colonial Heavy 798" assumes the callsign "Colonial One" after Laura Roslin is sworn in as President following confirmation of the deaths of President Adar during the Cylon attack on the Twelve Colonies.

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-'''Callsigns''' are [[wireless]] nicknames given to pilots or flight officers. Most callsigns are typically of a heroic or comical nature, sometimes given for a specific circumstance, and usually based off of some attribute for the christened pilot.  Examples of callsigns are "Apollo" ([[Lee Adama]]), "Starbuck" ([[Kara Thrace]]), "Racetrack" ([[Margaret Edmondson]]), and "Husker" ([[William Adama]]).
+A '''callsign''' is a unique nickname used primarily over [[wireless]] communications for brevity.
-A callsign can be used to identify an individual regardless of the circumstance in which it is used.  For example, Karl "Helo" Agathon is often referred to simply by his callsign "[[Helo]]" as opposed to his given name "Karl", even by his wife and regardless of whether he is piloting or not.
+Callsigns assigned to pilots and flight officers can play on the aviator's name, or can be based on specific circumstances or attributes (sometimes comical). Examples:
-Callsigns can be used to identify ships.  ''[[Colonial One]]'' was originally referred to over comm traffic as ''Colonial Heavy 798''.
+*[[William Adama|William "Husker" Adama]]
+*[[Lee Adama|Lee "Apollo" Adama]]
+*[[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]]
+*[[Margaret Edmondson|Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson]]
+*[[Sharon Valerii|Sharon "Boomer" Valerii]]
-A different type of military callsign is generic, often referring to a position that person occupies. A ship's commander will typically assume the callsign of "actual". For example, the commanding officer of ''Galactica'' will be referred to as "''Galactica'' Actual" over comm traffic.
+Such callsigns are also used informally outside of wireless communication. For example, [[Karl Agathon]] is often in conversation referred to by his callsign "Helo" rather than his given name outside of the cockpit.
+Specific military callsigns are reserved for certain positions or functions rather than any individuals. A ship's commander will assume the callsign "[[actual]]", e.g. "Galactica actual", "Pegasus actual", "Demetrius actual", etc. These callsigns are not for informal use.
+Ships can also have callsigns. Viper and Raptor callsigns are based on tail numbers ([[Viper 7242]], [[Raptor 718]]).
+The callsign "Colonial One" is reserved for the vessel carrying or designated for the sitting Colonial President, similar to the way the United States Air Force and Marine Corps designate "Air Force One" and "Marine One" as the President's official air transport and helicopter respectively.  "Colonial Heavy 798" assumes the callsign "[[Colonial One]]" after Laura Roslin is sworn in as President following confirmation of the deaths of President Adar during the Cylon attack on the Twelve Colonies.
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