Why don't all operators use Nato phonetic?

[902]

I try not to use Super Troopers phonetics, but my call sign is 12 syllables to get out in standard phonetics.

I was on this morning trying to work the 13 colonies stations, but by the time I got everything out and unkeyed, the station I was calling was already calling someone else. AND, like N1EN says, the words can rhyme or sound-alike under poor conditions. Using simple words, I can cut that down to 6 syllables. Either that, or I just keep sending the last two letters of my call, which is 5 syllables in standard phonetics.

 

[Ghstwolf62]

I think sometimes its a case of what you know and is native to you.

I make it a point to use only the military alphabet on amateur radio which is I guess what you're talking about. That is what I thought was supposed to only be used so I have always done it.

With that said its not native to me even though I was a pilot and used it in aviation as well. What I first learned as a teenager was the standard law enforcement phonetic alphabet out of LASO.

So each time I need to use the military alphabet I have to translate it in my head which takes a moment or two which leaves some "Uh...Kilo....uh....Juliet...etc..."

Add some memory problems and increased age it is even more difficult and a couple of times I got through some of it and my mind went completely blank.

That is embarrassing to say the least.

So basically I have to take King and translate to Kilo and John and make it Juliet etc.

I'm sure for some its more of a problem and some just don't want to have to deal with learning a brand new way of doing things. Either way I keep with it because practice will eventually make it second nature much as the standard LE one is now.

Its just going to take awhile.

I don't see why it should be a big deal though if standard is used vs military. Everyone knows what "Adam, Mary, Adam, Tom, Edward, Union, Robert" means and afterall its supposed to be a community of people and as long as one of the two standards is used that is what should it matter in the end IMO.

I bet all of you would understand King, John 4, King, Frank, William just as well as Kilo, Juliet 4, Kilo Foxtrot, Whiskey.

 

[AgentCOPP1]

Which phonetics do you use?

I personally use NATO because it's the most standardized one out there. Also because I was first introduced into phonetics in the aviation world, so I just carried what I already learned into the ham world. No sense in learning two separate ones.

Why are you using the phonetics you are?

 

[n5ims]

I generally try to not impose my standards on others so I listen to the system or frequency and let them guide which phonetics I use while on it. While that may cause me a bit more work (not much, but still some) it should make it less work for the majority.

On formal ham nets, it's nearly always the NATO phonetics (Alpha, Bravo, ...).

On various local VHF and UHF repeaters, it will depend on the user group that that repeater has.
* On one populated by several PD, FD, and EMS operators I use the "PD" phonetics (Adam, Boy, ...)
* On where DX chasers hang out it's the DX phonetics (America, Boston, ...)
* Hanging out with some old WWII vets, we use some old phonetics (Able, Baker, Charlie, ...)
* Informal "rag chewing" on VHF/UHF and even HF we use no phonetics, free to use any of them, or even make up our own (we're all smart enough to know that Alpha, Able, Adam, America, Any, Awful, Awesome, or even Achoo - from a ham with the last 3 letters of "ASA" and uses Achoo, Sneezed, Again) all start with A and don't worry that it's not "official".

 

[Soundy]

I didn't know there were actual "official" defined sets of phonetics... is there a list somewhere of which ones constitute which groups?

I use mainly what I used to use on CB, no idea which of the poll options they fall under.

 

[AgentCOPP1]

I didn't know there were actual "official" defined sets of phonetics... is there a list somewhere of which ones constitute which groups?

I use mainly what I used to use on CB, no idea which of the poll options they fall under.

Yes there are different official lists. The NATO is "supposed" to be what everyone uses but of course tradition gets in the way of that. Police use their own, aviation uses NATO, hams uses many different ones, different communities all have their own iteration even though NATO is the international standard.
Well give me some of the letters and I'll tell you.

 

[Soundy]

When I was using the CB a lot, about 20 years ago, I learned Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Michael, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-Ray, Yankee, Zulu... although I also commonly heard Indigo, Mike, and Zebra used, and some other minor variations depending mainly on where the person was from, their age, or background... but mostly it adhered to those.

I suppose in the end as long as you get the intention across, it doesn't matter too much.

Edit: okay, looked up the NATO alphabet, that's pretty much it.

 

[profiledescent]

ITU, which is the same as ICAO, which is the same as NATO.

 

[prcguy]

ITU, ITU, ITU! I had to memorize it to pass a test with the Coast Guard Auxiliary and it seems to be the predominant standard world wide. Here is some info on why its the world standard: NATO phonetic alphabet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
prcguy

 

[robertmac]

Just voted, missed this the first time around. Oscar Kilo.

 

[vagrant]

- I use NATO for HF, but I substitute Radio for Romeo. I do not know why, but it's stuck in my head that way.
- For VHF/UHF repeaters/nets/simplex I do not use phonetics as it is typically not needed.
- On HF I listen to the station working the frequency, and if "they" are changing the NATO phonetics being given by calling stations, I will just go with the phonetics they're using as that is what their ear wants to hear.
- City and country names used for phonetics is just weird to me. I understand it, but it's just odd to hear. Why are they used?

While I would like to say I wish everyone used NATO phonetics, even I substitute one of them. Fortunately, most everyone I have heard uses NATO phonetics which makes working DX fun.

* I die a little on Field Day when others in the club give our ARRL section as pronounced rather than phonetically (San Joaquin Valley)

To anyone that initially says the last three of their call, I will not reply to you and ask for your full call.

 

[k6cpo]

 

[Roodog2k]

On HF, I make the following substitutions if the station is having problems copying my call:
N - Norway
S - Sugar
G - Germany