As mostly we have different native languages there is often a problem with pronounciation. As answer for my "sierra papa three papa whiskey" is often "sierra papa what?" or "whiskey" is not always clear, as in many languages "W" is normally not pronounced as "dabl-yoo" but rather "voo" or "vee" instead... Then improvisation skills are needed to get this QSO. Sometimes it helps when I repeat callsign in the speaker native language, but I cannot know them all Sometimes it is really frustrating...
I became licensed May 2018. I took a course through the Georgian Bay Amateur Radio Club in Owen Sound Ontario. I am pleased to note that the club took no short cuts making the class do the work needed to firmly get a grasp on the basics. Since that time I've learned a lot about radio, basically through my own study, but have had help from a couple of informal Elmers I know. I like learning new things so picking up additional information is something I like and find to be fun. The fun keeps me coming back to radio over and over. As being new to the hobby, one of the more comforting things about Amateur Radio is shared standards of operation. I actually like using a standardized, internationally recognized phonetic alphabet, and will continue doing so. I'm not sure why there's been a deviation away from that standard, but commonly hear other operators using their own version of phonetics all the time. Common variations include Sugar, Mexico and Ocean, etc. This non-standard seems now to almost be a new, if informal standard, widly adopted and often used. I'd be curious to know what happened to cause the shift away from what seemed a pretty well established standard for the use of phonetics? Is this a social trend, a radio revolution or just laziness? Is Sugar easier to day or understand than Sierra? Does Ocean really communicate O better than Oscar? Is Mexico more clear on the air than Mike? I'm not judging anyone, just wondering aloud why such a change is being made by some but not everyone?
I was on a 2 meter net recently where a station identified with what I heard as a "P" in the suffix. Later when someone else spoke that call sign did I realize the 'P" was actually a "T". This is why a Net control will and sould ask for check ins to be spoken phonetically.
What shift? My experience is that most of the time hams use standard phonetics. I do, except when the other station can't understand them after several tries. (see post #309). Some contesters and DXers use other phonetics because they think it makes them stand out.
Absolutely. Phonetics are meant to make things easier, but we can't expect everyone gets familiar with them all of the sudden. When I just got started I heard other hams using different terms than usual, and everything went just fine anyway. I think I agree with that.
I don't think a "shift" is being discussed here, the NATO phonetics are very good and widely understood. But they are not perfect, and not everyone in the whole entire ham radio world is proficient with them. There have been several examples of this given, "Japan" is often better understood than "Juliet" with JA's, for example. To force the use of NATO phonetics is silly, and impedes effective communications. Flexibility is something we have in this hobby, and is not appropriate in other areas, such as ATC, as has also been pointed out. If I am trying to bust a pileup, and I hear, "The Six Ocean station, again again?", am I helping the situation by using "Oscar", or "Ocean"? This is my point. Adapt to your audience.
