Nyal Williams wrote:
Our club has always used the standard hand signals
to let the tow pilot know the rope is taut and the
tow can begin.

We are considering short-handed operations in the early
hours of the day and will have just a wing runner.
Is there a standardized phrase or a recommended best
phrase to radio the tow pilot to begin the launch?
We need something that is specific for the tow pilot,
short, unambiguous, and easily understood.

Please don't say 'Go, Go, Go!' It violates almost
all the requirements.
Give the wing runner a signal paddle (like a large ping-pong paddle) to
signal the tow plane. I usually use my floppy hat. We don't use a
launch marshall, but it sounds like your site uses a separate signal
person from the wing runner. Larger mirrors might help. You don't say
what limitations you're facing that prevents the tow pilot from seeing
the wing runner. Personally, if a wing runner can't perform the
hookup, the lookout, signal, and run the wing, I'd find someone else or
launch unassisted.

We've settled on three audio signals for winch launching on the radio,
each spoken three times. Up slack, go, and stop. Just who is giving
the radio signals? If there's no wing runner, but I don't think we've
settled on signals other than communicating with the tow pilot by
closing the canopy and giving a rudder wag.

In the UK we called 'all out' three times instead of 'go' on the winch.
If the problem is really an audio issue, buy some nice noise canceling
headsets.

Frank Whiteley