| A Alfa | H Hotel | O Oscar | V Victor |
| B Bravo | I India | P Papa | W Whiskey |
| C Charlie | J Juliett | Q Quebec | X X-ray |
| D Delta | K Kilo | R Romeo | Y Yankee |
| E Echo | L Lima | S Sierra | Z Zulu |
| F Foxtrot | M Mike | T Tango | |
| G Golf | N November | U Uniform |
Numbers are spoken as digits: "one seven three", never "one seventy-three".
Why standard phonetics
They were chosen to be maximally distinguishable through noise, across languages and accents. Cute substitutions ("King Xylophone Four…") defeat exactly the property that makes them work, and they force operators whose first language is not English to translate. In a pileup or an emergency net, use the standard set.
The exception worth knowing: DX operators sometimes use unusual phonetics deliberately when a standard word is being lost in QRM — a legitimate tactic, not a habit.