Phonetic Alphabet
Many letters of the alphabet sound alike, e.g. B, C, D, E, G, P, T and V. To avoid confusion, messages sent by radio often use the phonetic alphabet. Below are examples of just some of the phonetics used in different forces.
| Letter | NATO & Int. Aviation | Telecom B | British A or Int. | NY Police |
| A | Alfa | Alfred | Amsterdam | Adam |
| B | Bravo | Benjamin | Baltimore | Boy |
| C | Charlie | Charles | Casablanca | Charlie |
| D | Delta | David | Denmark | David |
| E | Echo | Edward | Edison | Edward |
| F | Foxtrot | Frederick | Florida | Frank |
| G | Golf | George | Gallipoli | George |
| H | Hotel | Harry | Havana | Henry |
| I | India | Isaac | Italia | Ida |
| J | Juliet | Jack | Jerusalem | John |
| K | Kilo | King | Kilogram | King |
| L | Lima | London | Liverpool | Lincoln |
| M | Mike | Mary | Madagascar | Mary |
| N | November | Nellie | New York | Nora |
| O | Oscar | Oliver | Oslo | Ocean |
| P | Papa | Peter | Paris | Peter |
| Q | Quebec | Queen | Quebec | Queen |
| R | Romeo | Robert | Roma | Robert |
| S | Sierra | Samuel | Santiago | Sam |
| T | Tango | Tommy | Tripoli | Tom |
| U | Uniform | Uncle | Uppsala | Union |
| V | Victor | Victor | Valencia | Victor |
| W | Whisky | William | Washington | William |
| X | X-ray | X-ray | Xantippe | X-ray |
| Y | Yankee | Yellow | Yokohama | Young |
| Z | Zulu | Zebra | Zürich | Zebra |