Radio Alphabet (by Ken Jenks)
The phonetics we use in flying aircraft today are the phonetics
recommended by the International Telecommunication Union, or ITU.
"The origins of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) trace
back to the invention of the telegraph in the 19th century. To establish
an international telegraph network, it was necessary to reach agreement
on uniform message handling and technical compatibility. ... This
eventually led to the creation of the ITU at Paris in 1865 by the first
International Telegraph Convention..."
Note: The ITU has since grown and changed and since 1947, has been a
specialized agency of the United Nations.
Thus, they are usually known as the ITU Recommended Phonetics, or the ITU
Standard Phonetics.
The List
A complete list of the phonetics WITH THEIR APPROPRIATE PRONOUNCIATIONS (by Ken Jenks):
(Capital letters indicate which syllable to stress.)
A - Alpha (AL fah) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
B - Bravo (BRAH voh) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
C - Charlie (CHAR lee *or* SHAR lee) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
D - Delta (DELL tah) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
E - Echo (ECK oh) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
F - Foxtrot (FOKS trot) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
G - Golf (GOLF) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
H - Hotel (hoh TELL) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
I - India (IN dee ah) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
J - Juliett (JEW lee ETT) (NOTE SPELLING: 2 T's) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
K - Kilo (KEY loh) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
L - Lima (LEE mah) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
M - Mike (MIKE) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
N - November (no VEM ber) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
O - Oscar (OSS cah) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
P - Papa (pah PAH) (NOTE STRESS IS ON THE 2ND SYLLABLE) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
Q - Quebec (keh BECK) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
R - Romeo (ROW me oh) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
S - Sierra (see AIR rah) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
T - Tango (TANG go) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
U - Uniform (YOU nee form *or* OO nee form) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
V - Victor (VIK tah) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
W - Whiskey (WISS key) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
X - X-ray (ECKS ray) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
Y - Yankee (YANG kee) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
Z - Zulu (ZOO loo) |
aiff |
wav |
snd
The information in this post quoted from The American Radio Relay League
Operating Manual (1990 edition), published by the American Radio Relay
League, Newington CT USA, 06111.
--
Nathan N. Duehr - nduehr@netcom.com
Pvt. Pilot, N0NTZ (ham), Pikes Peak 120 (CAP), AOPA 01119032-9 (Joined 1992)
Colorado Wing CAP Net Control Station, 76 Senior Sqdn. Comm. Officer.
Member: Natl. Weather Service "SkyWarn" Severe Weather Spotting Team,
Amateur Radio Emergency Services, and the Rocky Mountain Radio League. | 
