APPENDIX I
EVOLUTION OF THE PHONETIC ALPHABET
Radio communication by voice can be very frustrating under noisy conditions and more so if there is an emergency and details are important. The phonetic alphabet was developed as a tool to assist with voice communications. Over the years, there were continuous refinements to improve clarity of the phonetics.

In 1955, another version of the phonetic alphabet was developed for use by the ICAO and NATO. It closely resembled the alphabet used today with the exception of a few words. In 1957, Coca, Metro, Nectar and Xtra were changed to Charlie, Mike, November and Xray respectively. The alphabet shown in the 1957 column is the one in use today.
 

GENERAL
1929
GENERAL
1947
RCN
1945-1955
NATO/ICAO
1955
NATO/ICAO
1957 >
PRONUNCIATION
A
 Able  Adam  Able  Alpha Alfa AL FAH
B 
 Boy Baker Baker Bravo Bravo BRAH VOH
C 
 Cast Charlie Charlie Coca Charlie CHAR LEE or
SHAR LEE
D
 Dog  David Dog Delta Delta DELL TAH
E
 Easy  Edward  Easy Echo Echo ECK OH
F
 Fox Frank Fox Foxtrot Foxtrot FOKS TROT
G
 George George  George Golf Golf GOLF
H
 Have  Harry  How Hotel Hotel HOH TELL
I
 Item Ida Item India India IN DEE AH
J 
 Jig John Jig Juliette Juliette JEW LEE ETT
K
 King King King Kilo Kilo KEY LOH
L
 Love  Lewis  Love Lima Lima LEE MAH
M
 Mike Mary  Mike Metro Mike MIKE
N
 Nan Nancy Nan Nectar November NO VEM BER
O 
 Oboe Otto Oboe Oscar Oscar OSS CAH
P 
 Pup Peter Peter Papa Papa PAH PAH
Q
 Quack Queen Queen Quebec Quebec KEH BECK
 R
 Rot Robert Roger Romeo Romeo ROW ME OH
S
 Sail  Susan Sugar Sierra Sierra SEE AIR RAH
T
 Tare Thomas Tare Tango Tango TANG OH
U
 Unit Union Uncle Uniform  Uniform YOU NEE FORM or
OO NEE FORM
V
 Vice Victor Victor Victor  Victor VIK TAH
W
 Watch  William  William Whiskey Whiskey WISS KEY
X
 Xray Xray Xray Xtra Xray ECKS RAY
Y
 Yoke Young Yoke  Yankee Yankee YANG KEY
Z
 Zed Zebra Zebra Zulu Zulu ZOO LOO
Note: The bold faced syllables are emphasized.
Taken from the International Code of Signals, 1969 edition

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