• Light/Dark

Reading out a code to someone - ABC or Alpha Beta Charlie?

Pankratous

Pankratous

Member
Oct 26, 2017
9,892
When you are reading out a code to someone do you say the actual letters or speak out the words i.e alpha beta Charlie?

Cos man it's fuckin annoying in work when I'm expecting the good old A-B-C and they hit me with some words.
 

scotdar

Banned
Dec 10, 2017
580
The codes of course, they are proven to be less error prone. I don't care what code you use just use them.
 
marrec

marrec

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
6,775
I just replace specific error prone letters.

Like Frank for F, Echo for E, and Mancy for M.
 
Dougald

Dougald

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,937
Phonetic. My postcode is difficult to hear down a bad line, and I used to call Microsoft India all the time for license activation, so I ended up learning the NATO alphabet
 
Futureman

Futureman

Member
Oct 26, 2017
10,070
what do you mean "reading out a code?" I'm guessing it is something specific to your job but just kind of sounded funny like you are a secret agent or work for a videogame magazine in the 90s telling people cheat codes for NES games.

only example I can think of is spelling out my email address to someone on the phone. I just say the letters. Communications technology has progressed enough where they can clearly understand what I'm saying. It's not 1924.
 
Dokkaebi G0SU

Dokkaebi G0SU

Member
Nov 2, 2017
5,922
did you say B, C, E or F, S, X... A or eight? M or N?

now put in an accent that's not relative to your region and you'll ask that over and over. lol when reading old ESN numbers dealers had it down to a T and i appreciated them so much id get their swap done within a minute. hated the job and so glad i dont work there anymore.
 

Deleted member 14089

Oct 27, 2017
6,264
NATO-Alphabet.jpg
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

print it out and stick it on your toilet door.
EDIT: too big
 
Leynos

Leynos

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,082
As a pilot, I definitely am accustomed to using the NATO phonetic alphabet. In regular usage, I will say the letter (A, B, C, etc.,) but will say the code word for easily confused letters (Charlie, Mike, November, Zulu, etc.) It also depends on how important the situation is. Very little importance? I will stick to just the letters. Critical importance? I will use code words.

Edit:
VISION said:
The fuck is mancy? And if youre distinguishing from N, what about Nancy?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I have the same question. What in blue blazes is Mancy? I've heard of "N for Nancy," and "M for Mike," but Mancy? Is this a joke?
 
CrankyJay

CrankyJay

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
11,318
Leynos said:
As a pilot, I definitely am accustomed to using the NATO phonetic alphabet. In regular usage, I will say the letter (A, B, C, etc.,) but will say the code word for easily confused letters (Charlie, Mike, November, Zulu, etc.) It also depends on how important the situation is. Very little importance? I will stick to just the letters. Critical importance? I will use code words.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Do you ever say niner?
 
ClamBuster

ClamBuster

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,207
Ipswich, England
alpha
bravo
charlie
delta
echo
foxtrot
golf
hotel
india
juliette
kilo
lima
mike
november
oscar
papa
quebec
romeo
sierra
tango
umbrella
victor
whiskey
x-ray
yankee
zebra (i know it's zulu)

off the top of my head... i'm sure some are slightly incorrect, or there are more local variances
 
Captain Goodnight

Captain Goodnight

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
765
up up down down left right left right B A B A START

The only code that you will ever have to read. If it isn't that code, it's the wrong code.
 
Number45

Number45

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,047
If I need to clarify, I'll use the phonetic alphapet.

Leynos said:
As a pilot, I definitely am accustomed to using the NATO phonetic alphabet. In regular usage, I will say the letter (A, B, C, etc.,) but will say the code word for easily confused letters (Charlie, Mike, November, Zulu, etc.) It also depends on how important the situation is. Very little importance? I will stick to just the letters. Critical importance? I will use code words.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Why would you need to use Zulu, when there's no other letter in the alphabet that sounds like "zed" when spoken?

:p
 
Egg0

Egg0

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,689
When I worked tech support, I'd say it phonetically. Customers didn't give a fuck though.
 

Deleted member 4247

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,896
Just the letters, of course. I'm not in the military or in aviation where it's critically important to get it right, nor am I a big douche.
 
Addie

Addie

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,142
Earth
ClamBuster said:
alpha
bravo
charlie
delta
echo
foxtrot
golf
hotel
india
juliette
kilo
lima
mike
november
oscar
papa
quebec
romeo
sierra
tango
umbrella
victor
whiskey
x-ray
yankee
zebra (i know it's zulu)

off the top of my head... i'm sure some are slightly incorrect, or there are more local variances
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
U as in Uniform, but yes. Also, Zebras are better than Zulus.

Anyway -- phonetic alphabet, always, but I'll do "C as in Charlie" so as not to confuse people.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.