# Use the NATO phonetic alphabet or make up your own? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 3, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002 "2020-06-03T19:54:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/1 "2020-06-03T19:54:12Z")
You know the situation - you need to spell out something like a license plate or someone’s name, etc for clarity. Do you use the official NATO phonetic alphabet (A=Alpha, B=Bravo, C=Charlie, etc) used by the military and air traffic controllers? Or do you just use random words that start with the letters in question (K=Kangaroo, L=Louis, M=Mancy, etc) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/2 "2020-06-03T20:44:03Z")
Well, once I used extremely non-standard words… I was on the phone forEVer with an officious woman who made me repeat every little thing. Then I said “NMK”. I enunciated it well, and was exasperated when I was asked \*“NMK?” \*“Yes, NMK.” _“Can you spelllll that?”_ “N as in Nice, M as in mnemonic, K as in knife.” _“All right, and next…”_ ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/3 "2020-06-03T20:45:52Z")
Well, once I used extremely non-standard words… I was on the phone forEVer with an officious woman who made me repeat every little thing. Then I said “NMK”. I enunciated it well, and was exasperated when I was asked \*“NMK?” \*“Yes, NMK.” _“Can you spelllll that?”_ “N as in Nice, M as in mnemonic, K as in knife.” _“All right, and next…”_ ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/4 "2020-06-03T21:02:17Z")
Well, once I used extremely non-standard words… I was on the phone forEVer with an officious woman who made me repeat every little thing. Then I said “NMK”. I enunciated it well, and was exasperated when I was asked \*“NMK?” \*“Yes, NMK.” _“Can you spelllll that?”_ “N as in Nice, M as in mnemonic, K as in knife.” _“All right, and next…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/5 "2020-06-03T21:02:49Z")
I can never remember the NATO phonetic alphabet so I usually make it up on the fly. Usually common English names. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/6 "2020-06-03T21:07:28Z")
If I can remember the NATO word for the letter I need, I’ll use that. If I can remember the official NATO one right away then I’ll use a random word. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/7 "2020-06-03T21:12:08Z")
I use random words. I was never a member of NATO. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/8 "2020-06-03T21:33:52Z")
NATO usually. To tell the truth, it’s probably more a hash of old systems mixed in with the current one. I say “Able” rather than “Alfa,” for example. “Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot” but also “Fox, Mike, Delta.” I am large, I contain multitudes. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/9 "2020-06-03T21:39:47Z")
My pilot training really imprinted the aviation version thoroughly in my brain. But sometimes I use “A as in Adam, B as in Bob…” for situations where I don’t want to have to explain words like “Lima” and “Quebec”. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/10 "2020-06-03T21:55:26Z")
I used to work for Off-Track Betting and the horses were designated by letters, so we had to avoid confusion. We had our own.set of letters and I still use it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/11 "2020-06-03T21:59:17Z")
That’s PEST. P as in Pneumonia E as in Euphonious S as in Sea T as in Tsunami ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/12 "2020-06-03T22:24:22Z")
I got used to using the NATO alphabet when I used to have to do radio check-in from remote field sites when I was with the New Zealand Wildlife Service. I will generally still use it, although sometimes I’ll forget one of the standard words and make one up. Sometimes when I’m on the phone in Spanish I need to spell things out, and then I usually used Spanish names or words. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/13 "2020-06-03T23:03:59Z")
Former military, NATO only. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2020, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/14 "2020-06-03T23:18:35Z")
Stolen shamelessly from somewhere: A: Aisle B: Bravo C: Cue D: Double-U E: Eye F: Four G: Gnat H: Honor I: Ian J: Jalapeno K: Knight L: Lima M: Mnemonic N: Nine O: Ouija P: Phrase Q: Queue R: Row S: Sea T: Tsunami U: Urge V: View W: Why X: Xylophone Y: You Z: Zena ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2020, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/15 "2020-06-04T00:05:53Z")
I learned NATO phonetics when I got into low power, long distance amateur radio (QRP DX). With my very low powered signal, I’d often have to repeat my call several times. Hams also use alternate phonetics: > **[Phonetic Alphabets](https://www.hamradioschool.com/post/phonetic-alphabets)** > > 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,... Police around here use a different set more centered around common English first names: > **[APCO radiotelephony spelling alphabet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APCO_radiotelephony_spelling_alphabet)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > The APCO phonetic alphabet, a.k.a. LAPD radio alphabet, is the term for an old competing spelling alphabet to the ICAO radiotelephony alphabet, defined by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International from 1941 to 1974, that is used by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and other local and state law enforcement agencies across the state of California and elsewhere in the United States. It is the "over the air" commun... I use NATO phonetics all the time on the phone at work since I frequently talk to people in noisy environments, poor connection or with heavy accents. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2020, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/16 "2020-06-04T00:12:14Z")
I use words with silent or odd first letters. Pneumonia Xerox Aether Chutzpa ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2020, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/17 "2020-06-04T00:51:50Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Stolen shamelessly from somewhere… I can’t help but be reminded of this scene from Monk: [https://youtu.be/rIgJtLrq8Ns](https://youtu.be/rIgJtLrq8Ns) ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2020, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/18 "2020-06-04T04:51:19Z")
I’ve known an international standard one for maybe 40 years, so I just use that. They are mostly the same and people understand whether you say Zebra or Zulu. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2020, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/19 "2020-06-04T05:32:55Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > If I can remember the NATO word for the letter I need, I’ll use that. If I can remember the official NATO one right away then I’ll use a random word. Pretty much this. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2020, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002/20 "2020-06-04T06:42:02Z")
Being a student pilot, I’ve learned the NATO radio alphabet, which is the international standard in aviation. Also used by the military. Note that there is a different standard commonly used by American law enforcement, as mentioned by **jnglmassiv** several posts above. I had occasion to spell my name to a police dispatcher a few months ago. When I said: > [@](#): > > Sierra Echo November Echo Golf Oscar India Delta she asked me if I had been in the military because I had some of the words “wrong”. :smack: Note, by the way, the correct usage is NOT: "S as in Sierra, E as in Echo, N as in November, E as is Echo, . . . " but simply: “Sierra Echo November Echo . . .” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet-or-make-up-your-own/855002.md?page=2)