NATO Alphabet

Laney · 05-17-2012, 03:04 AM

My morse code is a little rusty (ie crap) but I use the phonetic alphabet all the time.

BGM · 05-17-2012, 03:26 AM

hmm.. so it seems that it's generally called the phonetic alphabet, i'll switch to calling it that even though i think it's perhaps technically, a bit wrong

anyway, glad to hear i'm not alone in my usage (from a non-forces perspective)

i did a straw poll at work and it seems that most people seem to make it up as they go along though... perhaps its just geeks? yes, that means us

willhollin · 05-17-2012, 03:49 AM

It's more accurate name is the "NATO spelling alphabet."

rsmallwo · 05-17-2012, 05:01 AM

I use it all the time. Anyone that needs to speak over the phone and will be quoting characters in the alphabet in some technical manner. Our call centre people even use it etc. Don't see whats so funny about using it. Stops you saying all sorts of stupid words like H for Hemorrhoids. You can tell when your dealing with a numpty when they don't know what your talking about. No offense to your woman OP.....

MERLIN335i · 05-17-2012, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willhollin

It's more accurate name is the "NATO spelling alphabet."

Will,

See post #15.

M.

kaishang · 05-17-2012, 05:36 AM

I used to live in a place where the postcode ended in "BJ"

Yes, that's BJ. For Blow Job!

F31-340i · 05-17-2012, 05:55 AM

Useful on the phone for reasons above.

Also useful in some social situations for covert comedy swearing, e.g.

E.g.

- He's a bit of a tango whiskey alpha tango.
- What a bunch of whiskey alpha november kilo echo romeo sierras!

Foxtrot Oscar is a well known phrase too.

mowflow · 05-17-2012, 06:15 AM

If I'm on the phone to a call centre and they repeat my postcode back to me like "Papa Alpha one..." I HANG UP IMMEDIATELY. Only the filth speak like that and I'm worried they are on to me.

AlwynMike · 05-17-2012, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hey joe

So does anyone use the phonetic numbers ?

TREE for 3
FOW-ER for 4
FIFE for 5 and
NINER for 9 ??

(And DAY-SIM-AL not decimal !!)

To be smart-arse:
3 = TerraThree
4 = KarteFour
5 = PantaFive
9 = NoveNine

No I don't use the numbers!
But I do use the letters, like others, we use them every day at work.

Haven't used Morse for a while Phil - but it's like riding a bike, you never forget how to.

Mike

BGM · 05-17-2012, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mowflow

If I'm on the phone to a call centre and they repeat my postcode back to me like "Papa Alpha one..." I HANG UP IMMEDIATELY. Only the filth speak like that and I'm worried they are on to me.

lol!

IanS100 · 05-17-2012, 12:27 PM

[QUOTE=BGM;11977217]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanS100

I use the Phonetic Alphabet occasionally but I've never heard of P = penguin, I always use P = papa

Quote:

Originally Posted by BGM

no, P does not equal penguin. Read the OP again, i'm saying it is 'apparnetly' normal to make something up on the spot like p = penguin, s = sofa, d = duck etc.. but i strongly disagree

I should read the OP again because that is not what you said ie

Quote:

Originally Posted by BGM

Um, quick survey..
Apparently, it's not normal.. and normal is "P for Penguin", which imo makes you just sound uneducated

BGM · 05-17-2012, 01:17 PM

Come again?

Desmondo · 05-17-2012, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

.. ..- ... . .. - .- .-.. .-.. - .... . - .. -- .

-- . - --- --- -... ..- - .. - -.-. .- -. -... . .- -... .. - .- -. -. --- -.-- .. -. --. .... .- ...- .. -. --. - --- ..- ... . -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. . -... . -.-. .- ..- ... . -. --- - . ...- . .-. -.-- -... --- -.. -.-- ..- -. -.. . .-. ... - .- -. -.. ... .. - .-.-.-

ZURICH · 05-17-2012, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MERLIN335i

A-Apple, B-bravo etc was in use long long before NATO was even formed !

The current "phonetic Alphabet" was not internationally agreed until well after the Second World War. For military use, British and American armed forces each developed their spelling alphabets before both forces adopted the ICAO alphabet during 1956.

Ex 22 Regiment

ZURICH · 05-17-2012, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlwynMike

To be smart-arse:
3 = TerraThree
4 = KarteFour
5 = PantaFive
9 = NoveNine

No I don't use the numbers!
But I do use the letters, like others, we use them every day at work.

Haven't used Morse for a while Phil - but it's like riding a bike, you never forget how to.

Mike

Smart ass "Fail"

this form was addopted by the French, Spanish and Italians due to difficulty in understanding English spoken numbers

A_P · 05-18-2012, 12:29 AM

In the tourism industry we have to use the phonetic alphabet, especially for naming airports and hotels etc.

My uncle is a travel agent and he does not use phonetic he makes them up as he goes along, but sadly he cannot pronounce "R" and in his mother tongue "Z" is pronounced "JED".

So "run" sounds like "one" and "zoo" sopunds like "jew".

True story.

MERLIN335i · 05-18-2012, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZURICH

The current "phonetic Alphabet" was not internationally agreed until well after the Second World War. For military use, British and American armed forces each developed their spelling alphabets before both forces adopted the ICAO alphabet during 1956.

Ex 22 Regiment

"Current" being the key word, the "A-Apple" "S-Sugar" RAF version I quoted rather than "A-Alpha" "S-Sierra", was in use, long before the Second World War

Cyprio · 05-18-2012, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hey joe

So does anyone use the phonetic numbers ?

TREE for 3
FOW-ER for 4
FIFE for 5 and
NINER for 9 ??

(And DAY-SIM-AL not decimal !!)

TREE for 3! Sounds Jamaican....innit

RagingKileak · 05-18-2012, 03:57 AM

I always use whatever the Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Xray, Zulu, etc alphabet is called, for everything if I need to make clear what I am spelling.

Matt

phil200tdi · 05-18-2012, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desmondo

-- . - --- --- -... ..- - .. - -.-. .- -. -... . .- -... .. - .- -. -. --- -.-- .. -. --. .... .- ...- .. -. --. - --- ..- ... . -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. . -... . -.-. .- ..- ... . -. --- - . ...- . .-. -.-- -... --- -.. -.-- ..- -. -.. . .-. ... - .- -. -.. ... .. - .-.-.-

.. -.. --- -. - ..- -. -.. . .-. ... - .- -. -.. .. - --..-- .. .--- ..- ... - ..- ... . -.. - .... .. ... .-- . -... ... .. - . .... - - .--. ---... -..-. -..-. .-- .-- .-- .-.-.- --- -. .-.. .. -. . -.-. --- -. ...- . .-. ... .. --- -. .-.-.- -.-. --- -- -..-. -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. . .-.-.- .... - --

Sir_Pigley · 05-18-2012, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mowflow

If I'm on the phone to a call centre and they repeat my postcode back to me like "Papa Alpha one..." I HANG UP IMMEDIATELY. Only the filth speak like that and I'm worried they are on to me.

AlwynMike · 05-18-2012, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZURICH

Smart ass "Fail"

this form was addopted by the French, Spanish and Italians due to difficulty in understanding English spoken numbers

It's called the International Code of Signals

05-17-2012, 03:04 AM	#23
Laney First Lieutenant 15 Rep 365 Posts Drives: F32 435dx ms, E90 330d ms Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: York / Nottingham iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 F32 435d xDrive [0.00] 2006 BMW 330d [8.00]	My morse code is a little rusty (ie crap) but I use the phonetic alphabet all the time. __________________ 2006 E90 330d M Sport 6AT 2018 F32 435d xDrive M Sport 8AT
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05-17-2012, 03:26 AM	#24
BGM Colonel 61 Rep 2,398 Posts Drives: F20 M140i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Farnborough, UK iTrader: (0)	hmm.. so it seems that it's generally called the phonetic alphabet, i'll switch to calling it that even though i think it's perhaps technically, a bit wrong anyway, glad to hear i'm not alone in my usage (from a non-forces perspective) i did a straw poll at work and it seems that most people seem to make it up as they go along though... perhaps its just geeks? yes, that means us
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05-17-2012, 03:49 AM	#25
willhollin Major General 269 Rep 9,915 Posts Drives: VW T5 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Worcestershire iTrader: (1) Garage List 2007 BMW E92 330d SE [10.00] 2010 Transporter T5 ... [0.00]	It's more accurate name is the "NATO spelling alphabet." __________________
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05-17-2012, 05:01 AM	#26
rsmallwo Captain 42 Rep 939 Posts Drives: Z4 35i Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Hull iTrader: (0)	I use it all the time. Anyone that needs to speak over the phone and will be quoting characters in the alphabet in some technical manner. Our call centre people even use it etc. Don't see whats so funny about using it. Stops you saying all sorts of stupid words like H for Hemorrhoids. You can tell when your dealing with a numpty when they don't know what your talking about. No offense to your woman OP.....
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05-17-2012, 05:36 AM	#28
kaishang Colonel 56 Rep 2,197 Posts Drives: 2010 E90 330d Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: London iTrader: (0)	I used to live in a place where the postcode ended in "BJ" Yes, that's BJ. For Blow Job!
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05-17-2012, 05:55 AM	#29
F31-340i Colonel 159 Rep 2,475 Posts Drives: BMW 340i Touring Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: ... iTrader: (1)	Useful on the phone for reasons above. Also useful in some social situations for covert comedy swearing, e.g. E.g. - He's a bit of a tango whiskey alpha tango. - What a bunch of whiskey alpha november kilo echo romeo sierras! Foxtrot Oscar is a well known phrase too. __________________ 340i F31
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05-17-2012, 06:15 AM	#30
mowflow Colonel 67 Rep 2,472 Posts Drives: Golf 7R Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Glasgow iTrader: (2)	If I'm on the phone to a call centre and they repeat my postcode back to me like "Papa Alpha one..." I HANG UP IMMEDIATELY. Only the filth speak like that and I'm worried they are on to me.
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05-17-2012, 01:17 PM	#34
BGM Colonel 61 Rep 2,398 Posts Drives: F20 M140i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Farnborough, UK iTrader: (0)	Come again?
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05-18-2012, 12:29 AM	#38
A_P Lieutenant Colonel 57 Rep 1,698 Posts Drives: E46 M3 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: South East iTrader: (0)	In the tourism industry we have to use the phonetic alphabet, especially for naming airports and hotels etc. My uncle is a travel agent and he does not use phonetic he makes them up as he goes along, but sadly he cannot pronounce "R" and in his mother tongue "Z" is pronounced "JED". So "run" sounds like "one" and "zoo" sopunds like "jew". True story.
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05-18-2012, 03:57 AM	#41
RagingKileak Brigadier General 194 Rep 4,655 Posts Drives: M3 CS Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Yorkshire iTrader: (2)	I always use whatever the Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Xray, Zulu, etc alphabet is called, for everything if I need to make clear what I am spelling. Matt
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