Radio operator

A radio operator aboard the RV Polarstern.
An RAF advertisement recruiting “Wireless Operators”, from the 21 December 1923 edition of The Radio Times

A radio operator (also, formerly, a wireless operator in British and Commonwealth English) is a person who is responsible for the operations of a radio system and the technicalities in broadcasting. The profession of radio operator has become largely obsolete with the automation of radio-based tasks in recent decades.[1] Nevertheless, radio operators are still employed in maritime[2] and aviation fields.[3] In most cases radio transmission is now only one of several tasks of a radio operator.[4][5] In the United States, the title of Certified Radio Operator is granted to those who pass a test issued by the Society of Broadcast Engineers.

The role of 'Wireless Operator' aboard aircraft during WWII was often abbreviated to 'WOp' or 'WOP' in official documents or obituaries.[6][7][8]

  1. ^ "Radio Operators". www.bls.gov. Retrieved 2017-07-08.
  2. ^ GMDSS Radio Operator
  3. ^ "Radio Operator: Information About a Career as a Radio Operator". Study.com. Retrieved 2017-07-08.
  4. ^ "Being A Radio Operator: What You Really Do". www.owlguru.com. Retrieved 2017-07-08.
  5. ^ "Agent Radio Operation During World War II — Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. Archived from the original on January 9, 2008. Retrieved 2017-07-08.
  6. ^ "FSGT Roy Edward Brook".
  7. ^ "Handley Page Hampden Mk I AD730, 18 Apr 1941". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. 25 July 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  8. ^ "WOP means Wireless Operator". All Acronyms. Retrieved 16 Apr 2022.