Module 3 - Phonetic Alphabet & Prowords
Marine radio phonetic alphabet: Alfa to Zulu
What you will learn
Recall the complete A-to-Z maritime spelling table and use its exact published words for a vessel name or call sign.
The maritime spelling table runs from Alfa to Zulu. Several official spellings differ from common written variants: Alfa, Juliet, Whisky and X-ray are the forms printed in IMO SMCP.
Learn the alphabet as paired letters and code words, not as a chant detached from a task. Retrieval becomes more useful when you practice real vessel names, call signs and awkward letter groups in both directions: letter to word and word back to letter.
The official forms matter because the table is shared. Alfa is not Alpha, Juliet is not Juliett, and Whisky is not Whiskey in the IMO document. Correcting those details prevents the lesson itself from becoming the source of a later error.
Accuracy comes before speed. Leave a short pause between code words and a clearer break between separate words. If the receiving station remains unsure, repeat the requested group rather than racing through the whole sequence again.
| Letter | Code | Letter | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Alfa | N | November |
| B | Bravo | O | Oscar |
| C | Charlie | P | Papa |
| D | Delta | Q | Quebec |
| E | Echo | R | Romeo |
| F | Foxtrot | S | Sierra |
| G | Golf | T | Tango |
| H | Hotel | U | Uniform |
| I | India | V | Victor |
| J | Juliet | W | Whisky |
| K | Kilo | X | X-ray |
| L | Lima | Y | Yankee |
| M | Mike | Z | Zulu |
Spell MISTRAL without looking down
The vessel name Mistral is being confused with Mineral during a weak routine call.
1. Chunk the name
Read the seven letters once before pressing PTT so the sequence is prepared.
2. Transmit the standard words
Mike India Sierra Tango Romeo Alfa Lima.
3. Verify
Release PTT and listen for the requested repeat or confirmation before continuing.
Sense check: The A in Mistral is Alfa. Alpha is a common spelling but not the form printed in the IMO maritime table.
Common mistake or limitation
- Learning Alpha, Juliett or Whiskey from another convention and presenting those as the IMO maritime spellings.
- Substituting an improvised word because the standard code word is momentarily forgotten.
- Reciting so quickly that adjacent code words run together.
Recap
- Use Alfa, Juliet, Whisky and X-ray exactly as published by IMO.
- Practise letter-to-word and word-to-letter recall.
- Apply the table to real names and call signs, not only an A-to-Z chant.
- Repeat the uncertain group at a pace the receiver can write down.
Optional quick check
Section 4 of 7
Which sequence correctly spells MISTRAL using the IMO table?
Sources and factual review
Reviewed 20 August 2026 - Compass Revision editorial review.
Turn the alphabet into radio recall
The phonetic module adds number pronunciation, procedure words and call-sign practice so the alphabet works inside a real transmission.