spelling alphabet

Spelling alphabets are called by various names, according to context. These synonyms include spelling alphabet, word-spelling alphabet, voice procedure alphabet, radio alphabet, radiotelephony alphabet, telephone alphabet, and telephony alphabet. A spelling alphabet is also often called a phonetic alphabet, especially by amateur radio enthusiasts,{{cite web |url=http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Radio%2520Lab%2520Handbook/RLH%2520Unit%25201Lesson%25201_2.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-03-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203051716/http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Radio%2520Lab%2520Handbook/RLH%2520Unit%25201Lesson%25201_2.pdf |archive-date=2013-12-03 }} recreational sailors in the US and Australia,{{cite web|url=http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Safety/Marine-radios.aspx|title=Marine radios|date=31 August 2016|website=www.msq.qld.gov.au|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320052956/http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Safety/Marine-radios.aspx|archive-date=20 March 2012}} and NATO military organizations,{{cite web|url=http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/communications/phonetic-alphabet-military.shtml|title=Phonetic Alphabet (ArmyStudyGuide.com) page 1|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111221104804/http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/communications/phonetic-alphabet-military.shtml|archive-date=2011-12-21}} despite this usage of the term producing a naming collision with the usage of the same phrase in phonetics to mean a notation used for phonetic transcription or phonetic spelling, such as the International Phonetic Alphabet, which is used to indicate the sounds of human speech.

The names of the letters of the English alphabet are "a", "bee", "cee", "dee", "e", etc. These can be difficult to discriminate, particularly over a limited-bandwidth{{explain|date=December 2024}} and noisy communications channel, hence the use in aviation and by armed services of unambiguous substitute names for use in electrical voice communication such as telephone and radio.

A large number of spelling alphabets have been developed over the past century, with the first ones being used to overcome problems with the early wired telephone networks, and the later ones being focused on wireless two-way radio (radiotelephony) links. Often, each communications company and each branch of each country's military developed its own spelling alphabet, with the result that one 1959 research effort documented a full 203 different spelling alphabets, comprising 1600 different words, leading the author of the report to ask:

{{blockquote|Should an efficient American secretary, for example, know several alphabets—one for use on the telephone, another to talk to the telegraph operator, another to call the police, and still another for civil defense?}}

Each word in the spelling alphabet typically replaces the name of the letter with which it starts (acrophony). It is used to spell out words when speaking to someone not able to see the speaker, or when the audio channel is not clear. The lack of high frequencies on standard telephones makes it hard to distinguish an 'F' from an 'S' for example. Also, the lack of visual cues during oral communication can cause confusion. For example, lips are closed at the start of saying the letter "B" but open at the beginning of the letter "D" making these otherwise similar-sounding letters more easily discriminated when looking at the speaker. Without these visual cues, such as during announcements of airline gate numbers "B1" and "D1" at an airport, "B" may be confused with "D" by the listener. Spelling out one's name, a password or a ticker symbol over the telephone are other scenarios where a spelling alphabet is useful.

British Army signallers began using a partial spelling alphabet in the late 19th century. Recorded in the 1898 "Signalling Instruction" issued by the War Office and followed by the 1904 Signalling Regulations[http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/202780?redirectedFrom=toc "toc, n.". OED Online. September 2013. Oxford University Press. (accessed September 14, 2013)] {{dead link |date=December 2013}}. this system differentiated only the letters most frequently misunderstood: Ack (originally "Ak") Beer (or Bar) C D E F G H I J K L eMma N O Pip Q R eSses Toc U Vic W X Y Z. This alphabet was the origin of phrases such as "ack-ack" (A.A. for anti-aircraft), "pip-emma" for pm and Toc H for an ex-servicemen's association. It was developed on the Western Front of the First World War. The RAF developed their "telephony spelling alphabet", which was adopted by all three services and civil aviation in the UK from 1921.

It was later formally codified to provide a word for all 26 letters (see comparative tabulation of Western military alphabets).

For civilian users, in particular in the field of finance, alternative alphabets arose. Common personal names were a popular choice, and the First Name Alphabet came into common use.

{{see also|Radiotelephony procedure}}

Spelling alphabets are especially useful when speaking in a noisy environment when clarity and promptness of communication is essential, for example during two-way radio communication between an aircraft pilot and air traffic control, or in military operations. Whereas the names of many letters sound alike, the set of replacement words can be selected to be as distinct from each other as possible, to minimise the likelihood of ambiguity or mistaking one letter for another. For example, if a burst of static cuts off the start of an English-language utterance of the letter J, it may be mistaken for A or K. In the international radiotelephony spelling alphabet known as the ICAO (or NATO) phonetic alphabet, the sequence J–A–K would be pronounced Juliett–Alfa–Kilo. Some voice procedure standards require numbers to be spelled out digit by digit, so some spelling alphabets replace confusable digit names with more distinct alternatives; for example, the NATO alphabet has “niner” for 9 to distinguish it better from 5 (pronounced as “fife”) and the German word “nein”.

Although no radio or traditional telephone communications are involved in communicating flag signals among ships, the instructions for which flags to hoist are relayed by voice on each ship displaying flags, and whether this is done by shouting between decks, sound tubes, or sound-powered telephones, some of the same distortions that make a spelling alphabet for radiotelephony also make a spelling alphabet desirable for directing seamen in which flags to hoist. The first documented use of this were two different alphabets used by U.S. Navy circa 1908. By 1942, the U.S. Army's radiotelephony spelling alphabet was associated with the International Code of Signals (ICS) flags.{{cite web |title=Phonetic Alphabet and Signal Flags |publisher=Naval History and Heritage Command |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/p/phonetic-alphabet-and-signal-flags.html |access-date=15 February 2025}}

While spelling alphabets today are mostly used over two-way radio voice circuits (radiotelephony), early on in telecommunications there were also telephone-specific spelling alphabets, which were developed to deal with the noisy conditions on long-distance circuits. Their development was loosely intertwined with radiotelephony spelling alphabets, but were developed by different organizations; for example, AT&T developed a spelling alphabet for its long-distance operators, another for its international operators; Western Union developed one for the public to use when dictating telegrams over the telephone;{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraph-office.com/pages/telegram.html|title=How to Write Telegrams Properly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131104336/http://www.telegraph-office.com/pages/telegram.html|archive-date=31 January 2013|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} and ITU-T developed a spelling alphabet for telephone networks, while ITU-R was involved in the development of radiotelephony spelling alphabets. Even though both of these groups were part of the same ITU, and thus part of the UN, their alphabets often differed from each other.

Uniquely, the 1908 Tasmanian telegraph operator's code was designed to be memorized as follows:{{Cite web|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/504886/4-phonetic-alphabets-didnt-survive|title=4 Phonetic Alphabets That Didn't Survive|date=30 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205205046/http://mentalfloss.com/article/504886/4-phonetic-alphabets-didnt-survive|archive-date=2017-12-05|url-status=live}}

{{blockquote|

Englishmen Invariably Support High Authority Unless Vindictive.

The Managing Owners Never Destroy Bills.

Remarks When Loose Play Jangling. Fractious Galloping Zigzag Knights eXpeditely Capture Your Queen.

}}

File:Seneca code instructions.agr.jpg, Seneca edition, with spelling alphabet for telephone and radio use]]

In World War I battle lines were relatively static and forces were commonly linked by wired telephones. Signals could be weak on long wire runs and field telephone systems often used a single wire with earth return, which made them subject to inadvertent and deliberate interference. Spelling alphabets were introduced for wire telephony as well as on the newer radio voice equipment.[https://www.nsa.gov/Portals/75/documents/news-features/declassified-documents/friedman-documents/publications/FOLDER_267/41784809082383.pdf American Army Field Codes In the American Expeditionary Forces During The First World War], William Friedman, U.S. War Department, June 1942

Commercial and international telephone and radiotelephone spelling alphabets.

{{main|Allied military phonetic spelling alphabets}}

The later NATO phonetic alphabet evolved from the procedures of several different Allied nations during World War II, including:

• The United States Navy (multiple versions in 1913, 1927, 1938, and WWII)
• The United States Army (multiple versions in 1916, 1939, 1944, and 1961)
• The United States Army Air Force
• Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet (1941–1956)
• The British Royal Air Force phonetic alphabet (1921 onwards)

For the 1938 and 1947 alphabets, each transmission of figures is preceded and followed by the words "as a number" spoken twice.

The ITU adopted the International Maritime Organization's phonetic spelling alphabet in 1959,{{cite web|title=Documents of the World Administrative Radio Conference to deal with matters relating to the maritime mobile service (WARC Mar) (Geneva, 1967)|url=http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/01/S020100004B4804PDFE.PDF|access-date=26 April 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710081939/http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/01/S020100004B4804PDFE.PDF|archive-date=10 July 2015}} and in 1969 specified that it be "for application in the maritime mobile service only".{{cite web|title=Report on the Activities of The International Telecommunication Union in 1967|url=http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/0A/S020A0000765302PDFE.PDF|access-date=26 April 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710081915/http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/0A/S020A0000765302PDFE.PDF|archive-date=10 July 2015}}

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, there were two international aviation radio spelling alphabets, the "Able Baker" was used by most Western countries, while the "Ana Brazil" alphabet was used by South American and Caribbean regions.{{Cite web|url=http://ininet.org/international-significance-of-icao-alphabet-for-flight-safety.html|title=International Significance of ICAO Alphabet for Flight Safety|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107055354/http://ininet.org/international-significance-of-icao-alphabet-for-flight-safety.html|archive-date=2017-11-07|url-status=live}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c6ZYCwAAQBAJ&q=ICAN+radio+spelling+alphabets&pg=PA4|title=Aviation English: A Lingua Franca for Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers|isbn=9781317339328|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501012134/https://books.google.com/books?id=c6ZYCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA4&lpg=PA4&dq=ICAN+radio+spelling+alphabets&source=bl&ots=GcD6RLAx-7&sig=_QH0tyKYhte8a3bAHEySKYEWNQE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjP8q_Dw6rXAhUQ4WMKHXVJCfg4ChDoAQg-MAQ#v=onepage&q=ICAN%20radio%20spelling%20alphabets&f=false|archive-date=2018-05-01|url-status=live|last1=Estival|first1=Dominique|last2=Farris|first2=Candace|last3=Molesworth|first3=Brett|date=8 January 2016|publisher=Routledge }}

Pronunciation was not defined prior to 1959. From 1959 to present, the underlined syllable of each code word{{whose|date=July 2020}} for the letters should be stressed, and from 1969 to present, each syllable of the code words for the digits should be equally stressed, with the exceptions of the unstressed second syllables of fower, seven, niner, hundred.

After WWII, the major work in producing a better spelling alphabet was conducted by the ICAO, which was subsequently adopted in modified form by the ITU and IMO. Its development is related to these various international conventions on radio, including:

• Universal Electrical Communications Union, Washington, D.C., December 1920
• International Radiotelegraph Convention, Washington, 1927 (which created the CCIR){{Cite web|url=http://www.itu.int/en/history/Pages/RadioConferences.aspx?conf=4.39|title=International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington, 1927|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107023725/http://www.itu.int/en/history/Pages/RadioConferences.aspx?conf=4.39|archive-date=2017-11-07|url-status=live|access-date=2017-10-30}}
• General Radiocommunication and Additional Regulations (Madrid, 1932){{cite web|url=http://handle.itu.int/11.1004/020.1000/4.41.43.en.101|title=General Radiocommunication and Additional Regulations (Madrid, 1932)|access-date=26 April 2015}}
• Instructions for the International Telephone Service, 1932 (ITU-T E.141; withdrawn in 1993)
• The {{circa|1936}} ARRL and 1928 Western Union alphabets likely originated earlier.{{cite web|url=http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/arrl_1936.pdf|title=The Radio Amateur's Handbook|access-date=4 July 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304022140/http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/arrl_1936.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016}}
• General Radiocommunication Regulations and Additional Radiocommunication Regulations (Cairo, 1938){{cite web|url=http://www.itu.int/en/history/Pages/TelegraphAndTelephoneConferences.aspx?conf=4.29|title=General Radiocommunication Regulations and Additional Radiocommunication Regulations (Cairo, 1938)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107031124/http://www.itu.int/en/history/Pages/TelegraphAndTelephoneConferences.aspx?conf=4.29|archive-date=2017-11-07|url-status=live|access-date=2017-10-30}}
• Radio Regulations and Additional Radio Regulations (Atlantic City, 1947),{{cite web|url=http://handle.itu.int/11.1004/020.1000/4.62.43.en.100|title=Radio Regulations and Additional Radio Regulations (Atlantic City, 1947)|access-date=26 April 2015}} where "it was decided that the International Civil Aviation Organization and other international aeronautical organizations would assume the responsibility for procedures and regulations related to aeronautical communication. However, ITU would continue to maintain general procedures regarding distress signals."
• 1959 Administrative Radio Conference (Geneva, 1959){{cite web|url=http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/02/S02020000014502PDFE.pdf|title=Administrative Radio Conference (Geneva, 1959)|access-date=26 April 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215192629/http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/02/S02020000014502PDFE.pdf|archive-date=15 December 2014}}
• Final Acts of WARC-79 (Geneva, 1979).{{cite web|url=http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/01/S02010000394002PDFE.PDF|title=Final Acts of WARC-79 (Geneva, 1979)|access-date=26 April 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108170745/http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/01/S02010000394002PDFE.pdf|archive-date=8 November 2014}} Here the alphabet was formally named "Phonetic Alphabet and Figure Code".
• International Code of Signals for Visual, Sound, and Radio Communications, United States Edition, 1969 (Revised 2003){{citation|title=International Code of Signals for Visual, Sound, and Radio Communications, United States Edition, 1969 (Revised 2003)|url=http://www.seasources.net/PDF/PUB102.pdf|year=1969|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320145733/http://www.seasources.net/PDF/PUB102.pdf|ref=CITEREFICS1969|archive-date=2015-03-20|url-status=live}}

• NATO phonetic alphabet history{{cite web|url=http://memim.com/nato-phonetic-alphabet.html|title=NATO phonetic alphabet|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117170418/http://memim.com/nato-phonetic-alphabet.html|archive-date=17 January 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=26 April 2015}}
• International Telecommunication Union, Radio

The ICAO Radiotelephony Alphabet is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization for international aircraft communications.{{cite web|title=Alphabet - Radiotelephony|url=http://www.icao.int/Pages/AlphabetRadiotelephony.aspx|access-date=27 April 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320140711/http://www.icao.int/Pages/AlphabetRadiotelephony.aspx|archive-date=20 March 2015}}{{cite web|title=Annex 10 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, Aeronautical Telecommunications, Volume II Communication Procedures including those with PANS Status|url=http://www.icao.int/Meetings/anconf12/Document%20Archive/AN10_V2_cons%5B1%5D.pdf|access-date=27 April 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528074253/http://www.icao.int/Meetings/anconf12/Document%20Archive/AN10_V2_cons[1].pdf|archive-date=28 May 2015}}

Defined by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International.{{cite web|title=Public Safety Communications Standard Operating Procedure Manual, (APCO Project Two, 1967)|date=1968 |publisher=U.s.govt.printing Office |url=https://archive.org/details/nationaltraining025505mbp|access-date=27 April 2015}}

The APCO first suggested that its Procedure and Signals Committee work out a system for a "standard set of words representing the alphabet should be used by all stations" in its April 1940 newsletter.{{cite web|title=The APCO Bulletin (April, 1940)|url=http://www.apcohistory.org/pdf/1940-01-jan_pages1-12.pdf|access-date=7 May 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923172555/http://www.apcohistory.org/pdf/1940-01-jan_pages1-12.pdf|archive-date=23 September 2015}}{{cite web|title=Backscatter Journal|url=http://www.tusaconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/november-08-backscatter.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518084556/http://www.tusaconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/november-08-backscatter.pdf|archive-date=2015-05-18}}

Note: The old APCO alphabet has wide usage among Public Safety agencies nationwide,{{Clarify|date=December 2024 |reason=Which nation?}} even though APCO itself deprecated the alphabet in 1974, replacing it with the ICAO spelling alphabet. See https://www.apcointl.org and APCO radiotelephony spelling alphabet.

The FCC regulations for Amateur radio state that "Use of a phonetic alphabet as an aid for correct station identification is encouraged" (47 C.F.R. § 97.119(b)(2){{Cite web|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/97.119|title=47 CFR 97.119 - Station identification.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115015401/https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/97.119|archive-date=2017-11-15|url-status=live}}), but does not state which set of words should be used. Officially the same as used by ICAO, but there are significant variations commonly used by stations participating in HF contests and DX (especially in international HF communications).{{cite web|title=Phonetic Alphabets|url=http://www.hamradioschool.com/phonetic-alphabets/|website=Ham Radio School|date=12 April 2013|access-date=26 April 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702052706/http://www.hamradioschool.com/phonetic-alphabets/|archive-date=2 July 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bckelk.org.uk/menu.html|title=Phonetic alphabets, wordlists, texts, word and letter frequency}}

The official ARRL alphabet changed over the years, sometimes to reflect the current norms, and sometimes by the force of law. In rules made effective beginning April 1, 1946, the FCC forbade using the names of cities, states, or countries in spelling alphabets.{{Cite book|title=ARRL Communications Department Operating Aid No. 1|publisher=ARRL|year=1946}}

Certain languages' standard alphabets have letters, or letters with diacritics (e.g., umlauts, rings, tildes), that do not exist in the English alphabet. If these letters have two-letter ASCII substitutes, the ICAO/ITU code words for the two letters are used.

In Danish and Norwegian the letters "{{lang|da|æ}}", "{{lang|da|ø}}" and "{{lang|da|å}}" have their own code words. In Danish {{lang|da|Ægir}}, {{lang|da|Ødis}} and {{lang|da|Åse}} represent the three letters,{{cite web|url=http://www.glemsom.dk/sprog/fonetisk_alfabet.htm|title=Det fonetiske alfabet|publisher=Glemsom.dk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001824/http://www.glemsom.dk/sprog/fonetisk_alfabet.htm|archive-date=3 December 2013|url-status=live|access-date=2014-08-11|df=dmy-all}} while in Norwegian the three code words are {{lang|no|Ægir}}, {{lang|no|Ørnulf}} and {{lang|no|Ågot}} for civilians and {{lang|no|Ærlig}}, {{lang|no|Østen}} and {{lang|no|Åse}} for military personnel.{{cite web|url=http://www.aktivioslo.no/info/det-fonetiske-alfabetet/|title=Internasjonalt alfabet for radiokommunikasjon|date=2013-01-24|publisher=Aktivioslo.no|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202234054/http://www.aktivioslo.no/info/det-fonetiske-alfabetet/|archive-date=2 December 2013|url-status=live|access-date=2014-08-11|df=dmy-all}}

Estonian has four special letters, {{lang|et|õ}}, {{lang|et|ä}}, {{lang|et|ö}} and {{lang|et|ü}}. {{lang|et|Õnne}} represents {{lang|et|õ}}, {{lang|et|Ärni}} for {{lang|et|ä}}, {{lang|et|Ööbik}} for {{lang|et|ö}} and {{lang|et|Ülle}} for {{lang|et|ü}}.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}}

In Finnish there are special code words for the letters {{lang|fi|å}}, {{lang|fi|ä}} and {{lang|fi|ö}}. {{lang|fi|Åke}} is used to represent {{lang|fi|å}}, {{lang|fi|Äiti}} is used for {{lang|fi|ä}} and {{lang|fi|Öljy}} for {{lang|fi|ö}}. These code words are used only in national operations, the last remnants of the Finnish radio alphabet.{{cite book|url=http://www.puolustusvoimat.fi/wcm/c0acb9804173cfc2934ef78fcb266289/SKK2013_web_small.pdf?MOD=AJPERES|title=Sotilaan käsikirja 2013|publisher=Puolustusvoimat|year=2013|isbn=978-951-25-2463-1|pages=205|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904115355/http://www.puolustusvoimat.fi/wcm/c0acb9804173cfc2934ef78fcb266289/SKK2013_web_small.pdf?MOD=AJPERES|archive-date=4 September 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

File:Buchstabiertafel Österreich ähnlich ÖNORM A 1081.jpg.]]

In German, {{lang|de|Alfa-Echo}} ({{lang|de|ae}}) may be used for "{{lang|de|ä}}", {{lang|de|Oscar-Echo}} ({{lang|de|oe}}) for "{{lang|de|ö}}", {{lang|de|Sierra-Sierra}} ({{lang|de|ss}}) for "{{lang|de|ß}}", and {{lang|de|Uniform-Echo}} ({{lang|de|ue}}) for "{{lang|de|ü}}".

The Greek spelling alphabet is a spelling alphabet for the Greek language, i.e. a set of names used in lieu of alphabet letters for the purpose of spelling out words. It is used by the Greek armed and emergency services.

Malay (including Indonesian) represents the letter "{{lang|ms|L}}" with "{{lang|ms|London}}", since the word {{lang|ms|lima}} means "five" in this language.{{cite web|url=https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/can-you-speak-in-code/?replytocom=39944|title=Can You Speak in Code?|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409043518/https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/can-you-speak-in-code/?replytocom=39944|archive-date=2018-04-09}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vqDTAgAAQBAJ&q=Lima+%22spelling+alphabet%22+london&pg=PT27|title=Essential Indonesian Phrasebook and Dictionary: Speak Indonesian with Confidence! (Revised and Expanded)|first1=Iskandar|last1=Nugraha|first2=Katherine|last2=Ingham|date=27 August 2013|publisher=Tuttle Publishing|isbn=9781462913381|via=Google Books|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409044541/https://books.google.ie/books?id=vqDTAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT27&dq=Lima+%22spelling+alphabet%22+london&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj0kP2QxqvaAhWEZFAKHWovBF4Q6AEIMzAC#v=onepage&q=Lima+%22spelling+alphabet%22+london&f=false|archive-date=9 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.h2g2.com/approved_entry/A8245910|title=h2g2 - The NATO phonetic alphabet - Edited Entry|first=Not Panicking|last=Ltd|website=www.h2g2.com|date=20 February 2006 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409050310/https://www.h2g2.com/approved_entry/A8245910|archive-date=2018-04-09}}

The Russian spelling alphabet is a spelling alphabet for the Russian version of the Cyrillic alphabet.

In Spanish the word {{lang|es|ñoño}} ({{IPA|es|ˈɲo.ɲo|}}, 'dull') is used for {{lang|es|ñ}}.{{cite web|url=https://janecronin.wordpress.com/2016/11/06/the-spanish-phonetic-alphabet/|title=The Spanish phonetic alphabet|date=6 November 2016|website=wordpress.com|access-date=1 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409044608/https://janecronin.wordpress.com/2016/11/06/the-spanish-phonetic-alphabet/|archive-date=9 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.spainbuddy.com/learn-spanish-phonetic-alphabet/|title=Learn Spanish - Phonetic Alphabet|date=22 October 2012|website=spainbuddy.com|access-date=1 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908010058/http://www.spainbuddy.com/learn-spanish-phonetic-alphabet/|archive-date=8 September 2017}}

{{lang|sv|Åke}} is used for "{{lang|sv|å}}" {{lang|sv|Ärlig}} for "{{lang|sv|ä}}" and {{lang|sv|Östen}} for "{{lang|sv|ö}}" in the Swedish spelling alphabet, though the two-letter substitutes {{lang|sv|aa}}, {{lang|sv|ae}} and {{lang|sv|oe}} respectively may be used in absence of the specific letters.{{cite web|url=http://bokstaveringsalfabet.se/svenska|title=Svenska bokstaveringsalfabetet|language=sv|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231190238/http://bokstaveringsalfabet.se/svenska|archive-date=31 December 2016|url-status=live|access-date=30 December 2016|df=dmy-all}}

{{More citations needed section|date=April 2018}}

The PGP word list, the Bubble Babble wordlist used by ssh-keygen, and the S/KEY dictionary, are spelling alphabets for public key fingerprints (or other binary data) – a set of names given to data bytes for the purpose of spelling out binary data in a clear and unambiguous way via a voice channel.

Many unofficial spelling alphabets are in use that are not based on a standard, but are based on words the transmitter can remember easily, including first names, states, or cities. The LAPD phonetic alphabet has many first names. The German spelling alphabet ("Deutsches Funkalphabet" (literally "German Radio Alphabet")) also uses first names. Also, during the Vietnam war, soldiers used 'Cain' instead of 'Charlie' because 'Charlie' meant Viet Cong (Charlie being short for Victor Charlie, the International alphabet spelling of the initials VC).

• NATO phonetic alphabet
• Allied Military Phonetic Spelling Alphabet
• APCO radiotelephony spelling alphabet
• Language-specific spelling alphabets
• Greek spelling alphabet
• German spelling alphabet
• Dutch spelling alphabet
• Russian spelling alphabet
• Swedish Armed Forces' radio alphabet
• Japanese radiotelephony alphabet
• Korean spelling alphabet
• Cockney alphabet

{{Reflist|group=Note}}

{{Reflist|35em}}

• [https://www.bckelk.org.uk/phon.full.html Phonetic/spelling Alphabets for various languages] from Brian Kelk's website
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140103160142/http://thealphabet.info/ Website converting text to telephone alphabet], (non-standard English, NATO, 14 other languages).
• [http://www.digitalcoding.com/tools/phonetic-alphabet-converter.html Website converting text to NATO and several military English-language telephone alphabets]
• [http://www.radioalphabet.com/ Learn the NATO Radio Alphabet (and others) with flash cards game.]
• [http://spellingalphabets.com/ Spelling alphabets from around the world including sound.]

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