Word of the Day
27 February 2026
step on
To interrupt, overpower, or override (another transmission on the same frequency) with one's own transmission.
Why this one
The consequence is not a garbled blend but a disappearance: on FM the stronger carrier captures the receiver, so the quieter station is simply gone and nobody hears that it was there. Studio crews use the same phrase for talking over a live mic.
In use
Wait for the break before you key up, you stepped on the crane op halfway through his load count.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.