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Subject:Re: Origin of phonetic alphabet From:Dave Prior <triton!dap -at- UUSTAR -dot- STARNET -dot- NET> Date:Fri, 2 Jun 1995 07:08:04 -0500
>Does anyone know the reasoning behind the words that make up the U.S.
>military's phonetic alphabet?
Shelley,
Back when the radio first became a major means of communications on the
battlefield, coded messages were sent by voice and by morse code. The
phonetic alphabet was designed to remove any doubt as to what was being
transmitted. The coded messages were sometime in 5 letter groups like:
rtowe krtgs coens. The sender would speak: romeo tango oscar whiskey echo
kilo romeo tango golf sierra
charlie oscar echo november sierra.
That was, there would be no confusion or missent characters. The coded
messages was then decoded by the receiver. Everything had to match
perfectly.
So, in the heat of battle, with bombs bursting in air, you had to get it right!
Take it from a crusty old retired Army Signal Corps Major!
---------------------------------------
Dave Prior - Product Communications Specialist
STRATA Group, St. Louis, MO
(314) 770 - 9619
triton!dap -at- uustar -dot- starnet -dot- net
"My opinions, not STRATA's"
