Radio codes and alphabets

In radio communications done for military radio usage, CB radio or Amateur radio or telegraph usage there are certain standards to enable accurate communications.

Phonetic Alphabet

A number of phonetic alphabets exist. The NATO version is most common and can be considered to be the "international" phonetic alphabet.

Letter	Code word	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	GAHLF
H	Hotel	HO TELL
I	India	IN DEE AH
J	Juliet	JEW LEE ETT
K	Kilo	KEY LOH
L	Lima	LEE MAH
M	Mike	MIKE
N	November	NO VEM BER
O	Oscar	OSS CAH
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 or Xray	ECKS RAY
Y	Yankee	YANG KEY
Z	Zulu	ZOO LOO
Number	Code word	Pronunciation
0	Zero	ZE RO
1	One	WUN
2	Two	TOO
3	Three	TREE
4	Four	FOW ER
5	Five	FIFE
6	Six	SIX
7	Seven	SEV EN
8	Eight	AIT
9	Nine	NIN ER

Morse Code

Main articles: Morse code

Morse code is a way to encode text through the generation of a carrier wave (CW). It is used to communicate over long distances or with low power (QRP).

You do not need to learn Morse code to obtain a Amateur radio license or operate an amateur radio station anymore.

The code is composed of 5 elements:

1. short mark, dot or 'dit' (·) — one unit long
2. longer mark, dash or 'dah' (–) — three units long
3. intra-character gap (between the dots and dashes within a character) — one unit long
4. short gap (between letters) — three units long
5. medium gap (between words) — seven units long

Character	Code	Character	Code	Character	Code	Character	Code	Character	Code	Character	Code
A	· —	J	· — — —	S	· · ·	1	· — — — —	.	· — · — · —	:	— — — · · ·
B	— · · ·	K	— · —	T	—	2	· · — — —	,	— — · · — —	;	— · — · — ·
C	— · — ·	L	· — · ·	U	· · —	3	· · · — —	?	· · — — · ·	=	— · · · —
D	— · ·	M	— —	V	· · · —	4	· · · · —	''	· — — — — ·	+	· — · — ·
E	·	N	— ·	W	· — —	5	· · · · ·	!	— · — · — —	-	— · · · · —
F	· · — ·	O	— — —	X	— · · —	6	— · · · ·	/	— · · — ·	_	· · — — · —
G	— — ·	P	· — — ·	Y	— · — —	7	— — · · ·	(	— · — — ·	"	· — · · — ·
H	· · · ·	Q	— — · —	Z	— — · ·	8	— — — · ·	)	— · — — · —	$	· · · — · · —
I	· ·	R	· — ·	0	— — — — —	9	— — — — ·	&	· — · · ·	@	· — — · — ·

See Also

• Amateur radio
• Amateur radio glossary
• Radio communication technologies

• Radio: Radio waves, Electromagnetic wave, Radio frequency, AM/FM, modulation, amplitude, amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), or single-sideband modulation (SSB), Shortwave, Two-way radio, Portable radio, Walkie-talkie, Citizens band radio, Family Radio Service (FMS), General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS), Multi-Use Radio Service (MRS), Motorola, Marine VHF radio, History of radio

• Amateur Radio: Emergency communications, Amateur radio operator, Call sign, Selecting a radio, Amateur radio glossary, Amateur radio repeater, Base station, Amateur radio frequency allocations, Amateur bands, Amateur radio station, UHF (70-centimeter band), VHF (2-meter band), HF, Morse code, Telegraph, Mobile rig, Radio codes and alphabets, QSL card

• Antenna (radio): Antenna theory, Portable operation (amateur radio), Dipole antenna, Antenna tuner, Homebrew antennas, Coaxial cable, Balun, Packet radio, Propagation, Protecting your HT Antenna

• Radio Standards Organization: Radio legalities, FCC, American Radio Relay League, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• Satellite: GPS
• Cellular telephone: Mobile devices: Smartphones and tablets
  • Apple iOS for iPhone-iPod-iPad
  • Android
  • Blackberry
  • Microsoft Windows Phone with Windows 8
  • Cell phone health scare, Mobile phones and brain tumor risk

• Bug-out bag (BOB) and Everday carry (EDC)