NATO phonetic alphabet
The standard phonetic alphabet used in amateur radio, aviation, military, and maritime communications.
The international standard phonetic alphabet for clear voice communication over radio.
The alphabet
| Letter | NATO phonetic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| A | Alfa | AL-FAH |
| B | Bravo | BRAH-VOH |
| C | Charlie | CHAR-LEE |
| D | Delta | DELL-TAH |
| E | Echo | ECK-OH |
| F | Foxtrot | FOKS-TROT |
| G | Golf | GOLF |
| H | Hotel | HOH-TEL |
| I | India | IN-DEE-AH |
| J | Juliett | JEW-LEE-ETT |
| K | Kilo | KEY-LOH |
| L | Lima | LEE-MAH |
| M | Mike | MIKE |
| N | November | NO-VEM-BER |
| O | Oscar | OSS-CAR |
| P | Papa | PAH-PAH |
| Q | Quebec | KEH-BECK |
| R | Romeo | ROW-ME-OH |
| S | Sierra | SEE-AIR-RAH |
| T | Tango | TANG-GO |
| U | Uniform | YOU-NEE-FORM |
| V | Victor | VIK-TAH |
| W | Whiskey | WISS-KEY |
| X | X-ray | ECKS-RAY |
| Y | Yankee | YANG-KEY |
| Z | Zulu | ZOO-LOO |
Numbers
| Number | Spoken as |
|---|---|
| 0 | ZE-RO |
| 1 | WUN |
| 2 | TOO |
| 3 | TREE |
| 4 | FOW-ER |
| 5 | FIFE |
| 6 | SIX |
| 7 | SEV-EN |
| 8 | AIT |
| 9 | NIN-ER |
Why it matters
The NATO phonetic alphabet exists because letters sound similar over radio: B/D/E/G/P/T/V are easily confused, M/N are nearly identical on a noisy channel, and S/F are indistinguishable with static. Using the phonetic alphabet eliminates ambiguity.
Amateur radio operators use the phonetic alphabet for callsign exchanges, signal reports, and any information where letter accuracy matters. It is the same alphabet used by aviation, military, maritime, and emergency services worldwide.
Usage
Callsigns: "W1AW" is spoken "Whiskey One Alfa Whiskey"
Signal reports: "Your signal is five nine" means readability 5 (clear), strength 9 (very strong)
Spell anything: "Your name is spelled: Mike India Kilo Echo"