Callsign question - Phonetic alphabet or no?

[WQXG927]

Hi all,

Seeing as I have yet to discover another human on the GMRS channels locally, I was wondering - when you broadcast your sign, should it be done with the phonetic alphabet, or can i just say it like it is? Hopefully one day I will reach another living soul, but it's incredibly dead around here as far as i can tell (other than people using the channels to talk to their kids at the ski resorts).

 

 

[n4gix]

My call is sufficient enough of a tongue-twister not to bother with phonetics...

 

W Q W U 6 2 6

 

I have had a few folks ask me to say It slowly, because at my normal speed it sounds like WQW626. The bloody W and U soft of elide together!

[mainehazmt]

Now if everyone would use just one phonetic alphabet!     its romeo  not radio  lol

[SteveC7010]

Hi all,

Seeing as I have yet to discover another human on the GMRS channels locally, I was wondering - when you broadcast your sign, should it be done with the phonetic alphabet, or can i just say it like it is? Hopefully one day I will reach another living soul, but it's incredibly dead around here as far as i can tell (other than people using the channels to talk to their kids at the ski resorts).

 

It's not necessary and most folks don't bother. This is not ARES or RACES where they are a bit overboard on these things. Even other hams don't use phonetics day to day.

 

As a long time police, fire, and ems dispatcher and instructor of same, I always told my students to use phonetics only when needed. Uncommon spelling of names, interference or background noise, and weak radio links are examples.

 

My advise is to use phonetics only when obviously needed.

[coryb27]

Hi all,

Seeing as I have yet to discover another human on the GMRS channels locally, I was wondering - when you broadcast your sign, should it be done with the phonetic alphabet, or can i just say it like it is? Hopefully one day I will reach another living soul, but it's incredibly dead around here as far as i can tell (other than people using the channels to talk to their kids at the ski resorts).

 

What kind of radio are you using that you dont hear anybody? If you only using a portable your vary limited as to what you are going to hear. Try programing a scanner with all the GMRS channels including the repeater inputs and see if you hear anything. Make sure you do not use any PL or DPL settings when programing your scanner.

 

Corey

[zikada]

In my circle of GMRS operators in my area we do not use the NATO phonetic alphabet when announcing our call signs.  We just use plain english and ID every 15 minutes.  The only time I have ever used the phonetic alphabet was if someone was having extreme difficulty hearing my ID.  Other than that using a phonetic alphabet is mostly in the hamsphere.