WHAT ARE PHONETICS?

---

 For clear communications under all conditions, we use a phonetic alphabet for spelling out critical information. Instead of “A B C”, we say “Alpha Bravo Charlie.” Letters such as D, T and V can sound alike during noisy conditions, whereas Delta, Tango and Victor are more distinct. The standard phonetic alphabet for amateur radio comes from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) (see below). This alphabet is also referred to as the NATO or International Aviation alphabet, although the spelling of the words may change slightly. This is the phonetic alphabet that you should commit to memory for ham radio use.