Training: ITU Phonetics
-
- -In amateur radio communications,
we often make use of phonetics to clarify when conditions are less than
favorable. Over the years, various sets
of phonetics have been in existence.
-
- -Even on the bands today, you will hear
leftovers from some of the older sets of phonetics. “Z” can be Zulu, Zebra or Zanzibar
-
- -If you listen to local public safety
frequencies on a scanner, you will hear a set of phonetics based mostly of
first names. It is one set that has been used for many years now in local law
enforcement and it works for them. E.g. Nora=N, A=Adam
-
- -The ITU (International Telecommunications
Union) standard has been adopted by the ARRL and other international amateur
groups as the official standard on the amateur bands. In ARES activities, I would recommend adopting and using the ITU
set of phonetics.
-
- -Access the ARRL website at www.arrl.org/ and
type in “FSD-220” into the Search box.
FSD-220 is the document that has
all this information. This is a handy
operating reference that has the ITU phonetics, RST system, Time Conversion
Chart and Communications procedures.
In the back of the ARRL log book, the ITU phonetics are listed. So what is the official set of
phonetics? You have heard most of them
at one time or another
