Republic of Folk

Hopefully this thread will tell you everything you need to get started using ACRE at V+

So what are these radios I see everyone carrying, what are they called and what do they do?

Essentially at V+ we use three radios, each has its own use and limitations. We also can shout at each other directly but more on that later.

• 343 Personal Radio
  
  Everyone from a rifleman to the mission commander is issued with a 343. It acts as a short range walkie-talkie, allowing you to speak to anyone who is on the same channel. It’s used as a Squad level radio, so the Squad leader can talk to the Fireteam Leaders and vice versa. It should be noted that the 343 can only be used to speak to another 343.
• 148 Command Radio
  
  The mission Commander, Squad Leader, attachment leaders like MMG or MAT and sometimes Fireteam Leaders are issued with the 148. It’s much more powerful than the 343 and is used at the platoon level. Allowing the CO, Squad Leaders and attachments to keep in touch with each other over a greater distance than the 343 would allow.
• 117F Long Range Radio
  
  The 117F is a backpack radio issued to the CO, JTAC and sometimes Squad Leader and attachment leaders. It’s range is much greater than the 148. It is used to coordinate over much larger distances or as a link to air assets. It should be noted the 117F operates on the same frequencies as the 148 allowing someone with a 148 to talk to another person with a 117F.
• Direct Speech - Shouting & Whisper
  
  Using ACRE allows directional speech, by that we mean when you press your Teamspeak push-to-talk your words come from where your soldier is standing. It also gives you control over how loudly they are speaking by adjusting between ‘Whisper’ and ‘Shout’. To do this first you need to bind a key inside Arma 2. Look for ‘talk on direct channel’ and bind a key to that. Save the change and once in game press the key you have bound, it will show a progressive slider controlled by your middle mouse button.
  
  Whisper is used during an Adversarial mission. Your voice will not travel far, allowing you to whisper to someone on your side right next to you, or on your radio. This means you are less likely to be discovered by the opposing side, if you remember to ‘go to whisper’.
  
  Shout doesn’t make your voice louder, it makes it travel a greater distance. Useful for keeping in contact with your Fireteam as you clear a house, or bound between cover. Or tell a story about the last time you wandered into the woods of Celle..

So I’m in-game, lugging around my AK with my fireteam and I’ve just thought of an amusing anecdote, how do I bore everyone in my fireteam with it, without disrupting anyone important?

You, quite simply, hit your Teamspeak Push-To-Talk key and talk. Anything you say over Teamspeak will be broadcast locally, to anyone near to you, so the chances of you annoying anyone doing something important are remote.

I’ve just spotted an enemy contact, and I need to relay that to my entire squad. How do I do that, ideally without shouting very loudly?

If its a matter of life and death, hit your ACRE broadcast key (default is capslock) that will broadcast to your squad over the 343.

If however its not a matter of life and death you can yell at your FTL and let him know, he can then pass it up to the Squad leader.

How does the Squad Leader get his orders from Command then?

Good question Comrade. The Squad Leader talks and receives transmissions from the CO using the longer range 148 radio. Think of it as a super powered 343, with a longer range, and running on a different set of frequencies to the 343 (the squad level radio).

If you’re having trouble understanding how the entire system fits together in practice, take a glance at the diagram below:



You'll note the CO talks to the Squad Leaders on the 148 radio Channel 1. Those squad leaders then talk to their squads on the 343 radio, Alpha Squad on Channel 1 and Bravo on Channel 2. Attachment leaders talk to the CO on the 148 and may be assigned and separate 343 Channel, or if attached to a Squad for the mission use the same Channel as the Squad.

It should also be noted that not all communications need to be given via the radio, if you are standing next to someone you can speak to them directly.

So how do I change channels on my 343?

If you are told to or need to change channels then all you need to do is press these three keys at the same time:

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   'left control' 'left shift' 'X' 

You should now be presented with this radio:



To change the channel simply click on the indicated channel dial. To lower or raise the volume simply click on the indicated volume dial. Once you are done press the same key combination as before to hide the radio.

Help I'm an FTL or Squad Leader, the 148 is lost in my rucksack how so I find to it?

If you've been issued two radios, you will need to switch between them to broadcast on them. To see what radio you have selected you can press these three keys at the same time:

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   'left control' 'left shift' 'X' 

If it looks like the 343 above you will need to hide the radio and press a different three key combination instead.

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   'left control'  'left shift' 'A' 

Hopefully you will be presented with this radio:



This is the 148 Command radio. As you can see it has more buttons than the 343 and can do more things. To change the volume of the radio or switch channels click the buttons at the top.

By default the radio is only powered in its 'short range' mode. You will need to boost the power to communicate over large distances. With the radio in view do the following:

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  click mode twice, click down, click enter 

Your 148 is now boosted to maximum range, congratulations!

Okay Comrade Radio Teacher, I've got all that, but all the voices are making my head hurt, can I do anything about that?

Why yes, you can do two things. If you want every radio you are carrying to be quiet for a short time. You can use your scroll wheel and activate the 'lower headset' option. This will make radios quiet until you 'raise headset' again.

Another solution is to put each radio you have into a different ear, so the 343 is heard in your right ear and the 148 in your left.

To do this select your radio using the keys listed above, then with your radio selected press:

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  'left control' 'left shift' 'left arrow key'

This will put your selected radio into your left ear, you can do the same for your right by using the right arrow key. To return your radio to both ears simply use the up arrow key.

Congratulations Comrade, you've just learnt everything you need to know about V+ and ACRE. Now get out on the battlefield and put that knowledge to good use!