[CQ-Contest] Best callsign letters

[Ryan Jairam]

The problem with the phonetic alphabet is that it is based mostly on
English words and English pronunciation, and probably American English
to boot.  Non-English speakers will pronounce words a different way or
may hear some of the words differently.  There's no real way to solve
that issue short of using other phonetics to clear all doubt from
their minds.

For example, I have heard quite a few different pronunciations of the
word "Romeo" ranging from "Row-mee-oh" to "Roh-meh-oh".  At that point
why not use "Radio?" Every ham knows what a "Radio" is, right?

"Papa" - the proper pronunciation is "Puh-paah"  but most people say "Pahpa."

Don't even get me started on "Quebec".  I am just grateful that VE2's
are not offended by how hams mutilate the name of their province.
"Queen" is a far more recognizable word.

Standards are helpful but often standards are not the result of
choosing the best solution. Instead they are often just what a bunch
of people agreed upon.  How else would you explain QWERTY keyboards
which were designed to sell typewriters.

73,
Ryan, N2RJ


On Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 8:01 AM, Mike McCarthy, W1NR <lists at w1nr.net> wrote:
> Tom Haavisto wrote:
>> Hi John
>>
>> Just my two cents worth:
>>
>> Don't use Juliet - use Japan.
>> I would use Germany instead of Golf.  Longer (more syllables, but less
>> confusion)
>>
> This is exactly what should NOT occur, but it has and has resulted in
> the confusion we have today. There is a standard set of phonetics that
> has been in place for as long as I can remember (at least 1960's) and if
> everyone stuck to one standard set then there would not be the problems
> we have today. I think they were developed by the military. Message
> handlers strictly use one standard set them for a reason.
>
> On CW any callsign with E, I, S, H or 5 is a problem. Take the
> following: 5H5/JH1SHV. That is a fistfull and I remember a CW contest
> where there was someone using a call from 5H very similar to that.
>
> Mike, W1NR
>
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-- 
Ryan A. Jairam,