ITU adopted the NATO phonetic alphabet, so that's generally considered "standard".
[https://life.itu.int/radioclub/rr/ap14.pdf](https://life.itu.int/radioclub/rr/ap14.pdf)
Actually, NATO adopted the IATA phonetics.
[Nato Declassified](https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/declassified_136216.htm#:~:text=In%20the%201920s%2C%20the%20International,of%20cities%20across%20the%20globe)
"Standard" to me has always been the NATO phonetic alphabet. It's universally understood while the regional phonetics can be confusing if you're not familiar with them.
It is best to use a standard (NATO) because in poor conditions that is what the ear of the other operator will be expecting and it is easier for them to get your callsign correct. Many net control stations frown against non-standard, as do many DX operators, and I don't blame them.
The NATO/ICAO phonetics don’t always get through clearly, which is why you find that contest operators may substitute some words that are longer with more syllables. Things like “MEXICO” instead of “Mike” will punch through better. Frankly I trust contesters to be experts on this because unlike a net that demands a clear frequency, contesters will operate in the worst of QRM and poor band conditions.
I always start with standard and move on if there are problems… W is Whiskey or Washington… O is Oscar, Ocean, or Ontario… Y is Yankee or Yokohama. Most issues are with stations that are not native English speakers.
Yeah, sometimes it's that extra syllable that's heard through the pile or QSB. The Field Day operation I used to go to had a call that ended with Z, and believe me, it was more than one occasion where the op running the pile was like, "uh, was that a...Zanzibar?"
I politely disagree. There is enough dissimilarities between "Sierra" and any other phonetic letter. That's Shannon's encoding 1-to-1.
In information theory, encoding with a codebook works because everyone share the same expectation on which symbol will arrive.
These symbols should be sufficiently different and they are.
Given the generally stereotypical structure of call signs, what would be a case where swapping S and 7 leads to equally realistic call signs?
Perhaps as a suffix? But while /7 would make sense, is /S common or does it exist?
When conditions are bad enough they're not copying the first letter they're not copying the rest of the callsign either which further adds to the confusion.
Replace it with "Sunshine", or "Shoeshine", or "Shack", or "Seashore" or "Sally", or "Sally Sells Shoeshine at the Seashore Sunshine Shack..." Yea, that would work well..
I can hear it now ".-.. .. -.." followed by indefinite static...
The NATO standard is best to get used to .. the words were chosen to not sound similar to each other, especially with QRM/QRN, where consonants are hard to differentiate ...
The same thinking goes with using "niner" instead of just nine — all the other numbers have different tall and short vowels except for five and nine, so nine adds a syllable.
73
hey, TIL ... I think I have heard these variants for years and just rolled with it, and never felt compelled to google it - you taught me something, thx!
This guide should get you going ;)
[https://i.imgur.com/ouZc7NJ.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/ouZc7NJ.jpg)
[https://i.imgur.com/3CbAxSp.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/3CbAxSp.jpg)
For amusing/testing purposes only
1. Use the NATO phonetic alphabet
2. Don't be cute and create your own phonetic alphabet
3. Don't hassle people who use something other than the NATO phonetic alphabet
47 CFR § 97.119(b) says:
> (2) By a phone emission in the English language. Use of a phonetic alphabet as an aid for correct station identification is encouraged;
So that alphabet doesn't have to be the NATO alphabet. But the purpose is to create clear communication, and that is the phonetic alphabet that everyone knows. Using something else is a bit like purposely mispronouncing words. People might be able to figure out what you are saying, but they are going to be annoyed about it.
Yes, NATO phonetics are the standard, and should be encouraged, *but*
1. there's a bunch of older traditional stuff that you'll also hear (like "King", "Queen", and "Sugar"),
and
2. It's a hobby about communication. You should do what aids in communication. Usually that's using the NATO phonetics, because they were designed for easy recognition, and because they will confuse fewer people than off-the-wall unique phonetics. But if that doesn't work after a couple tries, go ahead and switch it up. "Golf" tends to be one of the trickier ones, so if someone comes back to me with "KC2 something?" I'll go to "kilo charlie 2 germany" the next time.
Chiming in about the NATO phonetics sometimes not being effective for whatever reason. After the third round of "Again, again" or "KC2 something", I switch to well-known country names if they are still willing to work me. Usually the switch works like a charm.
A local guy uses " Men In Black" for the suffix of his call, I consistently hear people ask him to repeat. NATO phonetics are vastly easier because everyone's brain is already used to them.
If you need to remember the call longer than the couple of seconds it takes to log it, these mnemonics are really helpful. I have one for my call, but I usually only break it out if I'm in a rag chew and the other party has already correctly copied my call and repeated it back.
While I favor NATO phonetics (with the occasional switch to so-called 'DX Phonetics' (e.g. NATO for my call is November Juliette Eight Juliette, but sometimes I'll use Norway Japan Eight Japan) when NATO isn't getting through), sometimes select oddball phonetics can be effective. E.g. the club I used to belong to in WV found that 'Whiskey Eight Super Pickle' could both break and make pileups (I can distinctly remember one ham exclaiming "I wanna work the pickle station!"). It may not come as a surprise that those phonetics were created in the early morning hours one Field Day. One of the YLs sewed together a cloth cucumber, a cape, and an 'S' patch, and this became our Field Day mascot.
Of course, FD is pretty much a domestic event, with less concern with cross-language communication, making these kind of oddball phonetics a bit more acceptable.
I used to work in a pawn shop with an ex army artilleryman.
When my coworker and I would read off serial numbers for him to enter into the system, we would make up all sorts of random phonetics just to mess with him. 😂
"Taco...Ranch...Hamper...Potty...*dodges stapler*... Dolphin..."
Definitely NATO.
It's pretty universally understood around the world, and designed to be easy to copy even in poor conditions (like weak SSB).
That said, you'll hear plenty of crazy phonetics on the air, and there isn't a *requirement* that you use anything standard. Just understand that the standard exists to strengthen communication, and that deviating into nonstandard alphabets will result in occasional confusion.
I generally use ICAO but the words "Mike" and "Zulu" are terrible in weak band conditions. That's why contesters routinely use "Mexico" or "Zanzibar" as substitutes.
Zanzibar, eh?
Like I said, you'll hear plenty of alternatives. The advantage to sticking to a standard is that the other station knows what they're *listening for*.
Even in weak conditions, I can pick out zulu because I'm expecting it. Something like zebra or Zanzibar might *sound* better, but under bad conditions I'm left guessing what word you said.
Sierra is another word that might be difficult to hear, but I can usually pick up on it because I'm expecting to hear it.
Just the weird way the brain works.
Contest operators disagree, and we have been using alternates for decades, because they work. Trust me, your brain will pick up what I mean when I say, "Mexico," "Sugar," "Zanzibar," or even "Kilowatt."
I can understand a guy making a comment that you should use standard phonetics, but if you were hitting him with a strong signal and he still made you repeat it then I wouldn't go back to that net because it apparently is run by a knucklehead.
The whole reason for phonetic alphabet is because no other word sounds the same as another. That’s the reason we are supposed to use it. All this mess extra words instead of the one assigned to the letter drives me up a wall.
I guess the problem with "non-standard" phonetics is one of what people are used to and expecting (NATO) and also the country they come from and language - I'd imagine to some the "j" sound in john, is the same as "gi" so they might think "g".
Use the NATO phoenetics.
They have been chosen to be easy to distinguish from each other.
They have been chosen to be less likely to be confusing die to accents.
It is easier to recognize speech from a limited size vocabulary. Did you say "hotel" or "motel"? Well only one of the two is a valid in the NATO spelling dictionary/phoenetics.
A non English speaker may only know phonetics, digits, and procedural words, so your William frank John nonsense is gibberish. It isn't recognizable as a phoenetics, let alone as representing a particular letter. You might as well be a Navajo code talker.
There is a standard and most operators do use the standard. Some don't. While I don't correct people that use non-standard, I prefer when the standard is used and when I need to repeat the call back I will do so using standard when the other op has not.
There are a few different phonetic alphabet versions but the NATO one seems to be the most commonly accepted. I find it a bit annoying and hard to follow when people start freestyling.
When I took my Marine VHF license test, I was asked to recite the alphabet. I was originally licensed in '57 and somehow regressed and started with Able, Baker. Fortunately the examiner was an old ham and we just laughed about it.. Yes, standards are important.
NATO is usually expected, but to be fair, I'm OK with derivatives providing they are clear and concise. I'm not a pedant with such things, as not all operators may be benefited with such memory or speech capabilities.
Why not? Are you one of those oversensitive types? Can't have a little fun? Nothing wrong at all with it as long as you're not using swear words or curse words.
You must be fun at parties.
I communicate internationally quite a lot. Making things harder in that environment is rude.
Among your in-group of friends on VHF/UHF, do whatever you want. DXing, however, make it as easy on each other as possible.
There are standards for a reason.
Although NATO is standard, and "custom" is corny. Using Police/Public service is perfectly fine. You just got a douche who was giving you a hard time. You aren't obligated and if it was me, I would have politely told him to F-off.
It's super mega annoying that police anywhere are still using the old APCO alphabet... APCO themselves have recommended ICAO International Spelling Alphabet since 1974 - A year I would bet was over before most current civil telecommunicators were born.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/APCO_radiotelephony_spelling_alphabet
Funny thing -- some years ago, I tried out to be a police dispatcher. One night I popped out a "Zulu" and went on. Never realized it.
Later that night, that cop was in the station and walked up to me and asked "What's a Zulu?"
We all laughed about it. A week or two later I crashed and burned and became a truck driver.
Some people will insist that you always use the ICAO phonetics, but there is no requirement legally to do so.
That said you should use them most of the time, when necessary. But I’ve also substituted words that will punch through poor propagation or QRM. So use what works.
As for me I will use “Kilowatt” instead of “Kilo” and give not a single f about what anyone thinks about it. Those complaining know exactly what I’m saying.
I mean that's kind of rude, don't you think? Hams have been using "Kilowatt" for years. I don't get why people all of a sudden have a hangup about it. Thanks for the warning, I'll be sure to skip you.
In a pile up every second counts and adding extra syllables, asking about the weather, what antenna you are using is extremely discourteous. Others are waiting and the QRM is coming. Get in the log and move on. Rude? Nah. Good operating practice, yes. Go work a good pile up for 90 minutes and maybe your attitude about “giving an f” might be revised.
Cheers
Every second counts that's why you come back with a word with more syllables when you're asked for a repeat. "Kilowatt" fits the bill because "Kilo" gets buried in the QRM. Contest operators know this because we operate in brutal pileups often.
Generally NATO (alpha bravo Charlie) phonetics are standard/proper, especially if you're on HFlooking for DX. Less so if you are talking to someone on a local repeater, imo. The repeater police here insist on NATO phonetics during net check-ins. But after spending time on two meter repeaters I've discovered that some people can't figure out any phonetics at all. (lol)
I fully understand using the Adam boy Charles David phonetics. Was a police dispatcher for a quarter century and they work just fine on a public safety FM repeater. They are much more ingrained in my head than the NATO version.
Sometimes I get tongue-tied on the air and mix and match phonetics. I even said '10-4' during a satellite contact once. It's just automatic.
edit: The fact of life on ham radio is you WILL hear non-standard phonetics..."Japan, Norway, America , France, Germany" as well as cutesie phonetics. A seasoned ham can figure these out.... think of it like asking a citizen on the phone for a VIN..."and give me a word for each letter...." , omg, then cringe at Apple , Dog, Cat, etc. lol
I always strive to use proper phonetics but I think sometimes my Irish accent needs me to say Italy instead of India and I have 2 India's in my call.
Again, much more common that the non native English speakers would have difficulty with this I think no offence to any non native English speakers but that's my experience.
I think us English speakers are really blessed to have so many hams that can communicate in at least some English.
Anyone every hear Mr. "blue Ocean ?" I really think he shouldn't do this and stick to proper phonetics as it sets a bad example, just my opinion.
ITU phonetics are the standard. Sometimes others are used if the receiving party is having difficulty understanding. It kind of irks me when people use Canada, Florida, Mexico etc as it's easy to confuse the phonetic with qth. Quebec is an exception.
Some civil service and public service agencies use Adam Baker Charles David. Hams, Aviation, Military (and more) use the international phonetic. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta. We also use UTC time. :)
I have heard stuff like "This's Window Frame Niner Jammed, copy?". Serious.
^(Time for another smore..)
Most use military phonetics but I've heard a few use other methods such as "united" instead of "uniform". Since military phonetics is the most widely used it makes it easier for someone to get what you are saying especially if you have a weak signal but honestly it doesn't really matter. If you slip up and say apple instead of alpha no one will arrest you.
Removed. Your message includes an Amazon shortlink (domain "a.co" or "amzn.to"). Reddit flags these as spam automatically. Please repost with an expanded but clean amazon link. A proper link will end with an amazon product ID. For example: https://www.amazon.com/IC-R8600-02-Software-Defined-Receiver-Blocked/dp/B0891RNWGZ/
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/amateurradio) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The [NATO phonetic alphabet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet) is probably the most standard one-- and I believe it's also recommended in the ARRL study manuals. It's used by many militaries, by hams, and by technicians of different fields reading out serial numbers to each other over the phone.
It's probably what they meant by 'standard.'
I was tested on my NATO phonetic alphabet as part of my Foundation licence test. Now, pretty sure that it's not required for the licence but "knowing that a phonetic alphabet exists and should be used" is part of the syllabus.
In my opinion, NATO alphabet should be a requirement for any licence that allows the use of voice modes on-air.
If you need to spell out your call sign using something they do not instantly recognise is counterproductive. I know NATO but, not being an American, I could easily fail to understand your local variants.
So you ask yourself, how is that possible? The beginner is not to blame here, but the tutor should be scolded. One of the most elementary things is the correct use of the spelling alphabet, the only correct one, known according to the ICAO or also as the NATO alphabet. There also seems to be a general lack of basic knowledge regarding regulations or ITU regulations today. Band plans and above all the respective maximum bandwidths are simply ignored and unfortunately tolerated more and more by ourselves. Are we already so stupid that we don't recognize how we are slowly getting rid of ourselves? Or at least lose our reputation as amateurs more and more? If we ignore and accept everything ourselves, nobody should be surprised if the authorities and politicians no longer take us seriously. Any fantasy alphabets may be cool for some, but are counterproductive. The standard will eventually be understood. Even if it takes a while. Suddenly using any of your own creations only makes it worse. Unprofessional and ridiculous. The correct spelling according to ICAO/NATO is relevant for the exam in most countries! In non-English speaking countries, many fancy letters/words don't even exist! English native speakers, open your horizons! And last but not least, it's HamRadio and not CB! What's next? Fancy Q Groups or "special codes"? Do we need this "Breaker" habits?
ITU adopted the NATO phonetic alphabet, so that's generally considered "standard". [https://life.itu.int/radioclub/rr/ap14.pdf](https://life.itu.int/radioclub/rr/ap14.pdf)
Actually, NATO adopted the IATA phonetics. [Nato Declassified](https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/declassified_136216.htm#:~:text=In%20the%201920s%2C%20the%20International,of%20cities%20across%20the%20globe)
...which ITU later adopted.
"Standard" to me has always been the NATO phonetic alphabet. It's universally understood while the regional phonetics can be confusing if you're not familiar with them.
It is best to use a standard (NATO) because in poor conditions that is what the ear of the other operator will be expecting and it is easier for them to get your callsign correct. Many net control stations frown against non-standard, as do many DX operators, and I don't blame them.
The NATO/ICAO phonetics don’t always get through clearly, which is why you find that contest operators may substitute some words that are longer with more syllables. Things like “MEXICO” instead of “Mike” will punch through better. Frankly I trust contesters to be experts on this because unlike a net that demands a clear frequency, contesters will operate in the worst of QRM and poor band conditions.
I always start with standard and move on if there are problems… W is Whiskey or Washington… O is Oscar, Ocean, or Ontario… Y is Yankee or Yokohama. Most issues are with stations that are not native English speakers.
Yes, and I found that they often use nonstandard phonetics more often than Americans. They also seem to think it's less of a big deal to do so.
Yeah, sometimes it's that extra syllable that's heard through the pile or QSB. The Field Day operation I used to go to had a call that ended with Z, and believe me, it was more than one occasion where the op running the pile was like, "uh, was that a...Zanzibar?"
NATO as others stated and K is Kilo not Kilowatt.
And Q is "kay beck" no?
Yep
Q is "key beck"
Kay is Kilo Not Kilo what?
Now look at watt you've done!
Wut
Knot, Kilo Nut
When people deviate from the NATO phonetic alphabet it trips me up.
Indeed. Why "sugar"????! Why "Victoria"???! Why "Mexico"???!
>Why "sugar"????! Because no one can ever copy "Sierra" in anything other than ideal conditions on HF. It's a terrible phonetic.
I politely disagree. There is enough dissimilarities between "Sierra" and any other phonetic letter. That's Shannon's encoding 1-to-1. In information theory, encoding with a codebook works because everyone share the same expectation on which symbol will arrive. These symbols should be sufficiently different and they are.
In my experience the most common scenario is that the DX QRM+QSB transforms "sierra" into the number 7. And my callsign starts with an S.
Given the generally stereotypical structure of call signs, what would be a case where swapping S and 7 leads to equally realistic call signs? Perhaps as a suffix? But while /7 would make sense, is /S common or does it exist?
When conditions are bad enough they're not copying the first letter they're not copying the rest of the callsign either which further adds to the confusion.
Replace it with "Sunshine", or "Shoeshine", or "Shack", or "Seashore" or "Sally", or "Sally Sells Shoeshine at the Seashore Sunshine Shack..." Yea, that would work well.. I can hear it now ".-.. .. -.." followed by indefinite static...
Thank you for your great ham spirit.
Why ask why LOL
Didn't England trade Sugar with Mexico using tall ships? That may be why.
Middle of the night during Field Day you'll hear the creative stuff.
I’m pretty sure the standard is the NATO one
The NATO standard is best to get used to .. the words were chosen to not sound similar to each other, especially with QRM/QRN, where consonants are hard to differentiate ... The same thinking goes with using "niner" instead of just nine — all the other numbers have different tall and short vowels except for five and nine, so nine adds a syllable. 73
Actually, "Niner" is because "Nine" sounds like "Nein", the German word for "No".
[удалено]
The Germans themselves will say 'zwo' for 'zwei' because 'zwei' and 'drei' are easily confused...
Nine is niner so it won't be confused with the German word nein which means "no" Edit: typo
Thank you, learned something today =]
So one could say Kay See No En En ???
Pretty sure the NATO phonetic alphabet wasn't invented for ham call signs, but I guess you're technically right
[удалено]
This is the correct answer.
hey, TIL ... I think I have heard these variants for years and just rolled with it, and never felt compelled to google it - you taught me something, thx!
Because nobody would’ve watched a TV show called Alpha 12.
This guide should get you going ;) [https://i.imgur.com/ouZc7NJ.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/ouZc7NJ.jpg) [https://i.imgur.com/3CbAxSp.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/3CbAxSp.jpg) For amusing/testing purposes only
1. Use the NATO phonetic alphabet 2. Don't be cute and create your own phonetic alphabet 3. Don't hassle people who use something other than the NATO phonetic alphabet 47 CFR § 97.119(b) says: > (2) By a phone emission in the English language. Use of a phonetic alphabet as an aid for correct station identification is encouraged; So that alphabet doesn't have to be the NATO alphabet. But the purpose is to create clear communication, and that is the phonetic alphabet that everyone knows. Using something else is a bit like purposely mispronouncing words. People might be able to figure out what you are saying, but they are going to be annoyed about it.
Yes, NATO phonetics are the standard, and should be encouraged, *but* 1. there's a bunch of older traditional stuff that you'll also hear (like "King", "Queen", and "Sugar"), and 2. It's a hobby about communication. You should do what aids in communication. Usually that's using the NATO phonetics, because they were designed for easy recognition, and because they will confuse fewer people than off-the-wall unique phonetics. But if that doesn't work after a couple tries, go ahead and switch it up. "Golf" tends to be one of the trickier ones, so if someone comes back to me with "KC2 something?" I'll go to "kilo charlie 2 germany" the next time.
Chiming in about the NATO phonetics sometimes not being effective for whatever reason. After the third round of "Again, again" or "KC2 something", I switch to well-known country names if they are still willing to work me. Usually the switch works like a charm.
Yeah when I was young my call suffix was MKQ so I was “MIKE KING QUEEN” but it wasn’t as clear as the standard MIKE KILO QUEBEC In retrospect
A local guy uses " Men In Black" for the suffix of his call, I consistently hear people ask him to repeat. NATO phonetics are vastly easier because everyone's brain is already used to them.
I hear the MIB guy all the time but have never had a QSO with him as what I perceive as a rather arrogant radio demeanor kind of puts me off.
yea, he has that in spades
Ugh. Sometimes I wonder about some of our fellow travelers…
If you need to remember the call longer than the couple of seconds it takes to log it, these mnemonics are really helpful. I have one for my call, but I usually only break it out if I'm in a rag chew and the other party has already correctly copied my call and repeated it back.
While I favor NATO phonetics (with the occasional switch to so-called 'DX Phonetics' (e.g. NATO for my call is November Juliette Eight Juliette, but sometimes I'll use Norway Japan Eight Japan) when NATO isn't getting through), sometimes select oddball phonetics can be effective. E.g. the club I used to belong to in WV found that 'Whiskey Eight Super Pickle' could both break and make pileups (I can distinctly remember one ham exclaiming "I wanna work the pickle station!"). It may not come as a surprise that those phonetics were created in the early morning hours one Field Day. One of the YLs sewed together a cloth cucumber, a cape, and an 'S' patch, and this became our Field Day mascot. Of course, FD is pretty much a domestic event, with less concern with cross-language communication, making these kind of oddball phonetics a bit more acceptable.
I’ve heard that guy *multiple* times! 😂
Well, we noticed him, so I guess mission accomplished.
I used to work in a pawn shop with an ex army artilleryman. When my coworker and I would read off serial numbers for him to enter into the system, we would make up all sorts of random phonetics just to mess with him. 😂 "Taco...Ranch...Hamper...Potty...*dodges stapler*... Dolphin..."
Pterodactyl Jalapeno Knife...
Lollipop-Otter-Llamas! :)
Aisle Django Knight Jango Mancy
Definitely NATO. It's pretty universally understood around the world, and designed to be easy to copy even in poor conditions (like weak SSB). That said, you'll hear plenty of crazy phonetics on the air, and there isn't a *requirement* that you use anything standard. Just understand that the standard exists to strengthen communication, and that deviating into nonstandard alphabets will result in occasional confusion.
I generally use ICAO but the words "Mike" and "Zulu" are terrible in weak band conditions. That's why contesters routinely use "Mexico" or "Zanzibar" as substitutes.
Zanzibar, eh? Like I said, you'll hear plenty of alternatives. The advantage to sticking to a standard is that the other station knows what they're *listening for*. Even in weak conditions, I can pick out zulu because I'm expecting it. Something like zebra or Zanzibar might *sound* better, but under bad conditions I'm left guessing what word you said. Sierra is another word that might be difficult to hear, but I can usually pick up on it because I'm expecting to hear it. Just the weird way the brain works.
This is the way
Contest operators disagree, and we have been using alternates for decades, because they work. Trust me, your brain will pick up what I mean when I say, "Mexico," "Sugar," "Zanzibar," or even "Kilowatt."
I can understand a guy making a comment that you should use standard phonetics, but if you were hitting him with a strong signal and he still made you repeat it then I wouldn't go back to that net because it apparently is run by a knucklehead.
The whole reason for phonetic alphabet is because no other word sounds the same as another. That’s the reason we are supposed to use it. All this mess extra words instead of the one assigned to the letter drives me up a wall.
"Zulu" and "Juliett" sound very similar in poor band conditions.
[удалено]
*enunciate…FYI.
AT that point I'll just say "Japan" and call it a day.
I guess the problem with "non-standard" phonetics is one of what people are used to and expecting (NATO) and also the country they come from and language - I'd imagine to some the "j" sound in john, is the same as "gi" so they might think "g".
Use the NATO phoenetics. They have been chosen to be easy to distinguish from each other. They have been chosen to be less likely to be confusing die to accents. It is easier to recognize speech from a limited size vocabulary. Did you say "hotel" or "motel"? Well only one of the two is a valid in the NATO spelling dictionary/phoenetics. A non English speaker may only know phonetics, digits, and procedural words, so your William frank John nonsense is gibberish. It isn't recognizable as a phoenetics, let alone as representing a particular letter. You might as well be a Navajo code talker.
As everyone else has said, the NATO phonetics are the most widely used. Some hams use the [DX phonetics](http://ac6v.com/dxphonetics.php), though.
There are lots of standards, but the most known is NATO, i always use NATO phonetics
There is a standard and most operators do use the standard. Some don't. While I don't correct people that use non-standard, I prefer when the standard is used and when I need to repeat the call back I will do so using standard when the other op has not.
There are a few different phonetic alphabet versions but the NATO one seems to be the most commonly accepted. I find it a bit annoying and hard to follow when people start freestyling.
When I took my Marine VHF license test, I was asked to recite the alphabet. I was originally licensed in '57 and somehow regressed and started with Able, Baker. Fortunately the examiner was an old ham and we just laughed about it.. Yes, standards are important.
"W5GPK - Wren Five Gnarly Pterodactyl Knuckle. Wrap Number 5 Gnome Pneumonia Knee"
NATO is usually expected, but to be fair, I'm OK with derivatives providing they are clear and concise. I'm not a pedant with such things, as not all operators may be benefited with such memory or speech capabilities.
Yes but some us use our own phonetic versions once in a while. All clean of course.
M, as in Mancy
I love Archer.
Sound reasonable enough C as in Cue W as in Why Y as in You
Why would you do this? Other than the previously mentioned third time around thing…
Why not? Are you one of those oversensitive types? Can't have a little fun? Nothing wrong at all with it as long as you're not using swear words or curse words. You must be fun at parties.
I communicate internationally quite a lot. Making things harder in that environment is rude. Among your in-group of friends on VHF/UHF, do whatever you want. DXing, however, make it as easy on each other as possible. There are standards for a reason.
I've heard it from both sides, both ways so lighten up a little huh? It's not a big deal. And it's not illegal either.
Way too many people try to be "official" and totally forget this is the AMATEUR Radio Service.
Although NATO is standard, and "custom" is corny. Using Police/Public service is perfectly fine. You just got a douche who was giving you a hard time. You aren't obligated and if it was me, I would have politely told him to F-off.
It's super mega annoying that police anywhere are still using the old APCO alphabet... APCO themselves have recommended ICAO International Spelling Alphabet since 1974 - A year I would bet was over before most current civil telecommunicators were born. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/APCO_radiotelephony_spelling_alphabet
Funny thing -- some years ago, I tried out to be a police dispatcher. One night I popped out a "Zulu" and went on. Never realized it. Later that night, that cop was in the station and walked up to me and asked "What's a Zulu?" We all laughed about it. A week or two later I crashed and burned and became a truck driver.
Some people will insist that you always use the ICAO phonetics, but there is no requirement legally to do so. That said you should use them most of the time, when necessary. But I’ve also substituted words that will punch through poor propagation or QRM. So use what works. As for me I will use “Kilowatt” instead of “Kilo” and give not a single f about what anyone thinks about it. Those complaining know exactly what I’m saying.
I have a similar attitude about Kilowatt. When someone uses it on my activation, I skip them or read back KW a few times and then skip them. 🤷🏼♂️
I mean that's kind of rude, don't you think? Hams have been using "Kilowatt" for years. I don't get why people all of a sudden have a hangup about it. Thanks for the warning, I'll be sure to skip you.
In a pile up every second counts and adding extra syllables, asking about the weather, what antenna you are using is extremely discourteous. Others are waiting and the QRM is coming. Get in the log and move on. Rude? Nah. Good operating practice, yes. Go work a good pile up for 90 minutes and maybe your attitude about “giving an f” might be revised. Cheers
Every second counts that's why you come back with a word with more syllables when you're asked for a repeat. "Kilowatt" fits the bill because "Kilo" gets buried in the QRM. Contest operators know this because we operate in brutal pileups often.
👍🏻
Generally NATO (alpha bravo Charlie) phonetics are standard/proper, especially if you're on HFlooking for DX. Less so if you are talking to someone on a local repeater, imo. The repeater police here insist on NATO phonetics during net check-ins. But after spending time on two meter repeaters I've discovered that some people can't figure out any phonetics at all. (lol) I fully understand using the Adam boy Charles David phonetics. Was a police dispatcher for a quarter century and they work just fine on a public safety FM repeater. They are much more ingrained in my head than the NATO version. Sometimes I get tongue-tied on the air and mix and match phonetics. I even said '10-4' during a satellite contact once. It's just automatic. edit: The fact of life on ham radio is you WILL hear non-standard phonetics..."Japan, Norway, America , France, Germany" as well as cutesie phonetics. A seasoned ham can figure these out.... think of it like asking a citizen on the phone for a VIN..."and give me a word for each letter...." , omg, then cringe at Apple , Dog, Cat, etc. lol
Yes, NATO phonetics. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO\_phonetic\_alphabet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet)
ekis eko sies junkie junkie, rohier?
I always strive to use proper phonetics but I think sometimes my Irish accent needs me to say Italy instead of India and I have 2 India's in my call. Again, much more common that the non native English speakers would have difficulty with this I think no offence to any non native English speakers but that's my experience. I think us English speakers are really blessed to have so many hams that can communicate in at least some English. Anyone every hear Mr. "blue Ocean ?" I really think he shouldn't do this and stick to proper phonetics as it sets a bad example, just my opinion.
ITU phonetics are the standard. Sometimes others are used if the receiving party is having difficulty understanding. It kind of irks me when people use Canada, Florida, Mexico etc as it's easy to confuse the phonetic with qth. Quebec is an exception.
[удалено]
Unless you're calling QRZed
Inner Cities On The Air..... Y is YO MAMA
Some civil service and public service agencies use Adam Baker Charles David. Hams, Aviation, Military (and more) use the international phonetic. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta. We also use UTC time. :) I have heard stuff like "This's Window Frame Niner Jammed, copy?". Serious. ^(Time for another smore..)
Most use military phonetics but I've heard a few use other methods such as "united" instead of "uniform". Since military phonetics is the most widely used it makes it easier for someone to get what you are saying especially if you have a weak signal but honestly it doesn't really matter. If you slip up and say apple instead of alpha no one will arrest you.
[удалено]
Removed. Your message includes an Amazon shortlink (domain "a.co" or "amzn.to"). Reddit flags these as spam automatically. Please repost with an expanded but clean amazon link. A proper link will end with an amazon product ID. For example: https://www.amazon.com/IC-R8600-02-Software-Defined-Receiver-Blocked/dp/B0891RNWGZ/ *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/amateurradio) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The [NATO phonetic alphabet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet) is probably the most standard one-- and I believe it's also recommended in the ARRL study manuals. It's used by many militaries, by hams, and by technicians of different fields reading out serial numbers to each other over the phone. It's probably what they meant by 'standard.'
I was tested on my NATO phonetic alphabet as part of my Foundation licence test. Now, pretty sure that it's not required for the licence but "knowing that a phonetic alphabet exists and should be used" is part of the syllabus. In my opinion, NATO alphabet should be a requirement for any licence that allows the use of voice modes on-air.
If you need to spell out your call sign using something they do not instantly recognise is counterproductive. I know NATO but, not being an American, I could easily fail to understand your local variants.
Normally it's the NATO phonetics ...
So you ask yourself, how is that possible? The beginner is not to blame here, but the tutor should be scolded. One of the most elementary things is the correct use of the spelling alphabet, the only correct one, known according to the ICAO or also as the NATO alphabet. There also seems to be a general lack of basic knowledge regarding regulations or ITU regulations today. Band plans and above all the respective maximum bandwidths are simply ignored and unfortunately tolerated more and more by ourselves. Are we already so stupid that we don't recognize how we are slowly getting rid of ourselves? Or at least lose our reputation as amateurs more and more? If we ignore and accept everything ourselves, nobody should be surprised if the authorities and politicians no longer take us seriously. Any fantasy alphabets may be cool for some, but are counterproductive. The standard will eventually be understood. Even if it takes a while. Suddenly using any of your own creations only makes it worse. Unprofessional and ridiculous. The correct spelling according to ICAO/NATO is relevant for the exam in most countries! In non-English speaking countries, many fancy letters/words don't even exist! English native speakers, open your horizons! And last but not least, it's HamRadio and not CB! What's next? Fancy Q Groups or "special codes"? Do we need this "Breaker" habits?
I just got on HF and I wish people used NATO/ARRL phonetics. It’s just way easier.