This course introduces how True Observer uses Zello and PoC radios to coordinate volunteers and agents during online abuse investigations. You’ll learn the basic tools, call-signs and radio discipline needed to join our live channels without adding noise or risking sensitive information.
What you’ll learn
By the end of the course you will be able to:
- Configure Zello and PoC radios for incident response (channels, roles, alerts).
- Use TO_/VLT_ call-signs and clear, concise radio language.
- Follow True Observer channel structure (Alert, Ops, Support, Training).
- Understand what can and cannot be shared over radio for privacy and security.
- Support a full online abuse incident from first alert to escalation using voice comms.
Topics covered
- Zello & PoC radio basics – phones vs dedicated radios, push-to-talk, headsets, notifications.
- Radio discipline – standard phrases (“check”, “copy”, “standby”, “over”), avoiding cross-talk and confusion.
- Operational use at True Observer – how we move from quiet monitoring to “incident mode”, and how handovers between shifts work.
- Security & privacy – device hygiene, lost/stolen radios, and information that must stay off open channels.
- Scenario practice – short simulations where you follow a real-world style alert and keep comms flowing for the team.
Who is it for?
Volunteers and agents who will join the True Observer Zello network, and OSINT practitioners who want a simple, disciplined comms protocol to plug into their own investigations. If you want to be “radio-ready” from day one in our incident response device (phone), this is the course to start with.
