Phonetic Alphabet - in GMDSS communication

The phonetic alphabet is used to spell out parts of a message or call sign that are critical or otherwise hard to recognize during voice communication.

The phonetic alphabet assigns code words to the letters of the English alphabet so that code words can be pronounced and understood by those who transmit and receive voice messages regardless of their native language.

The phonetic alphabet is a part of INTERCO (International Code of Signals).

A - Alfa
B - Bravo
C - Charlie
D - Delta
E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H - Hotel
I  - India
J- Juliet
K- Kimo
L - Lima
M - Mike
N- November
O - Oscar
P - Papa
Q- Quebec
R - Romeo
S - Sierra
T - Tango
U- Uniform
V- Victor
W- Whisky
X- X-ray
Y - Yankee
Z - Zulu


0 - Nadazero
1- Unaone
2- Bissotwo
3 - Terrathree
4- Kartefour
5- Pantafive
6- Soxisix
7- Setteseven
8- Oktoeight
9- Novenine

Before spelling out part of a message or call sign are used the words "I SPELL". For example, the message "this is S5L12" could be transmitted as "THIS IS S5L12, I SPELL Sierra Pantafive Lima Unaone Bissotwo".

Some parts of a message are almost always spelled:

• Position (Latitude and Longitude), for example "Position 45⁰ 36' North 013⁰ 32' East" is transmitted as "Position Kartefour Pantafive degrees Terrathree Soxisix minutes North, Nadazero Unaone Terrathree degrees Terrathree Bissotwo minutes East";
• Position (Bearing and Distance to a point), for example “ Position 240⁰ from Koper Castle, 2 miles” is transmitted as “Position Bissotwo Kartefour Nadazero degrees from Koper Castle, Bissotwo miles;
• Course, for example "My course is 095⁰" is transmitted as "My course is Nadazero Novenine Pantafive degrees";
• Speed, for example “My speed is 14 knots” is transmitted as “ My speed is Unaone Kartefour knots";
• Time, for example "at 0810" ( LT at 8:10 AM) is transmitted as "at Nadazero Oktoeight Unaone Nadazero Local Time".