Module 3 - Phonetic Alphabet & Prowords
Marine radio phonetic alphabet: Alfa to Zulu
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 |
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.