Every security operative uses the radio, and every radio message with a name, a registration plate or a postcode in it depends on the phonetic alphabet. It is assessed on the Door Supervisor, Security Guard and Refresher courses as part of the communications practical, and it is the first thing a control room will notice if you get it wrong. This page has the whole alphabet, the numbers, the procedure words, and a tool that spells anything you type.
Why the phonetic alphabet exists
Over a radio, "B", "D", "P", "T" and "V" all sound the same. "M" and "N" are hard to tell apart on a phone. The International Civil Aviation Organization settled on a set of code words in the 1950s that are hard to confuse with each other in any accent and over bad reception. NATO adopted it, and so did the police, the emergency services and the private security industry. When you say "Papa Alpha Papa Alpha" nobody writes down "BABA".
Try it: spell a name, a plate or a postcode
Practice mode hides the words so you can test yourself: say the word for each letter, then hover or tap the card to check.
The full NATO phonetic alphabet
| Letter | Code word | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| A | Alpha | AL-fah |
| B | Bravo | BRAH-voh |
| C | Charlie | CHAR-lee |
| D | Delta | DELL-tah |
| E | Echo | ECK-oh |
| F | Foxtrot | FOKS-trot |
| G | Golf | GOLF |
| H | Hotel | hoh-TELL |
| I | India | IN-dee-ah |
| J | Juliet | JEW-lee-ETT |
| K | Kilo | KEY-loh |
| L | Lima | LEE-mah |
| M | Mike | MIKE |
| N | November | no-VEM-ber |
| O | Oscar | OSS-cah |
| P | Papa | pah-PAH |
| Q | Quebec | keh-BECK |
| R | Romeo | ROW-me-oh |
| S | Sierra | see-AIR-rah |
| T | Tango | TANG-go |
| U | Uniform | YOU-nee-form |
| V | Victor | VIK-tah |
| W | Whiskey | WISS-key |
| X | X-ray | ECKS-ray |
| Y | Yankee | YANG-key |
| Z | Zulu | ZOO-loo |
A note on spelling: the official ICAO and NATO documents spell two of the words "Alfa" and "Juliett", so that speakers of languages where "ph" and a single "t" are pronounced differently still say them the same way. In the UK you will see "Alpha" and "Juliet" on almost every radio card, and that is how we write them here. Say them as shown.
Saying numbers over the radio
Numbers are said one digit at a time, never as a whole: a registration ending 22 is "two two", not "twenty-two", and 150 is "one five zero". Radio tradition pronounces some digits distinctly so they cannot be confused: "fife" for five, "niner" for nine, "tree" for three and "fower" for four. On a UK security net, "five" and "nine" said clearly are fine, but you will hear "niner" and should know what it means. Zero is always "zero", never "oh", because "oh" is the letter O.
The procedure words you will use every shift
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Over | I have finished speaking and expect a reply |
| Out | I have finished and do not expect a reply. Never say "over and out" |
| Roger | I have received and understood your message |
| Wilco | I understand and will comply. It already includes "Roger" |
| Say again | Repeat your last message. Never say "repeat", which has a different meaning in military use |
| Standby | Wait, I will come back to you |
| Affirmative / Negative | Yes / No |
| Radio check | Can you hear me, and how clearly? Answered with a strength and clarity, for example "loud and clear" |
| Go ahead | I am ready to receive your message |
| Correction | I made a mistake; the correct version follows |
| Urgent / Priority | Clear the channel, I need to pass an urgent message |
A good message is short and in a fixed order: who you are calling, who you are, the message, then "over". "Control, this is Door Two. One male refused entry, no further action, over." Think before you press the button, press, pause, then speak, and release the button when you have finished. Do not use names of members of the public on an open channel; describe them.
Where you are assessed on it
The communications part of the practical assessment on the Door Supervisor, Security Guard and both Refresher courses includes using a radio properly: a radio check, call signs, the phonetic alphabet for anything that has to be spelt, and the procedure words. Learn the alphabet before the course and that part of the assessment is the easiest ten minutes of your week. Course dates and current prices are on the calendar.
FAQ
Is the NATO phonetic alphabet the same as the police phonetic alphabet?
Yes. UK police, the emergency services and the security industry all use the NATO (ICAO) alphabet: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and so on. Older local versions such as "A for Apple" are not used on professional radio.
Do I need to know the phonetic alphabet for the SIA course?
You use it in the communications practical on the Door Supervisor, Security Guard and Refresher courses. It is not a written exam question in itself, but you cannot pass a radio assessment without it.
Is it Alpha or Alfa?
Both are the same word. The official ICAO spelling is "Alfa", chosen so speakers of other languages pronounce it the same way, and "Juliett" has a double t for the same reason. UK radio cards almost always print "Alpha" and "Juliet", and either is correct.
How do I say a car registration over the radio?
Letter by letter and digit by digit, with a pause between groups: LB22 XYZ is "Lima Bravo two two, X-ray Yankee Zulu".
Ready to book your course?
Current prices and dates are on our calendar. Everything about A Security Academy, the SIA-approved training centre in Hayes, West London, is on the home page.