In radio communication, how is a pause indicated?

The term typically used to indicate a pause in radio communication is “BREAK.” This term serves to signal to other operators that there is an interruption in the transmission, signaling a brief pause in communication. It is essential for maintaining clarity in radio dialogue, especially in busy airspace or during critical communications.

"STANDBY" means to wait without communicating and is often used to instruct another operator to hold off on their reply or to indicate that an operator will be momentarily unavailable but intends to continue shortly. However, it does not specifically signify a pause within an ongoing communication protocol.

Using "STOP" could be misleading as it is more definitive and implies an instruction to cease communication rather than simply pausing it. "WAIT" is somewhat informal and also does not explicitly denote a pause meant for clarity in radio exchanges.

Thus, recognizing "BREAK" as the formal and standard term used to indicate a pause is crucial for effective and clear communication among radio operators.