Definition
A radio transmission that is partially or completely blocked because two or more stations transmit on the same frequency at the same time. The overlapping signals interfere with one another, producing a squeal, distortion, or unreadable audio so that neither transmission is received clearly.
Plain English
When two people press their radio button and talk at the same time on the same frequency, their voices clash and the message gets garbled. That clash is called a stepped-on transmission.
Context Anchor
Used in aviation radio communications when a pilot or controller hears overlapping calls on the same frequency.
Derivation
From the everyday phrase 'stepping on someone' — interrupting or talking over them. In radio use, one transmitter literally overrides the other on the shared frequency, so the image of one voice 'stepping on' the other carries directly into pilot slang.
Why Pilots Care
Overlapped calls can hide critical instructions, leading to missed clearances, runway incursions, or loss of separation.
Analogy
It is like two people speaking to you at the same time. Even if both are saying something important, the overlap can make neither message clear.
Intuition Check
“Stepped-on” does not mean the radio was physically damaged or that someone pressed the wrong button. It means another radio call covered the message because the transmissions overlapped.
Example Sentence 1
The tower's landing clearance was stepped on when another pilot keyed up at the same moment, so the controller had to repeat it.
Example Sentence 2
I always listen for a clear break before transmitting to avoid creating a stepped-on transmission on the frequency.