Clarification prowords are used to clarify or emphasize something that was just said.

  • They are ALWAYS spoken AFTER the relevant group

  • Usually used for a single group

  • Use proactively to avoid confusion and repeats

The clarification prowords are:

I SPELL

  • ALWAYS spoken IMMEDIATELY AFTER the group to be spelled

  • Use to indicate you are going to phonetically spell the group just voiced

  • Use with ONE GROUP AT A TIME

  • Use more liberally during bad radio conditions

  • Use proactively with words that the receiving station might have difficulty spelling
    • Examples: unique words, chemical names, long or complicated words, ...
  • Use proactively with words that may sound the same under noisy conditions
    • Examples: he/she/we/fee/bee/sea/...; five/fire; ...
  • ALWAYS use with words that sound like other words but are spelled differently
    • Examples: to/too/two; be/bee; for/fore/four; see/sea; ...
  • ALWAYS use with proper names
    • Examples: John Smith (use I SPELL on both)
  • ALWAYS use with misspelled words
  • ALWAYS use with all-letter groups that are not real words, but would be spoken like a word in normal conversation
    • Examples:
      • “Quik” would be voiced like “quick”, then spelled phonetically
      • “PackItForms” would be voiced as it sounds, then spelled phonetically
        • In this case, capitalization should also be used (see UPPERCASE and LOWERCASE on Qualification Prowords) because it makes it more readable.
  • May be used with mixed groups that contain letters and symbols and are either real words or are normally pronounced like a word
    • Contractions: “they’re”, “aren’t”, “couldn’t”, ...
    • Possessive: “Jone’s”, “Jones’”, ...
    • Hyphenated words: “well-being”, “set-up”, “twenty-two”, ...
      • The “-“ symbol is spoken as “hyphen” when used in words
  • ALWAYS use for prowords that are part of the message
  • ALWAYS use standard ITU phonetics

Note: I SPELL is not used with unpronounceable, non-word groups (abbreviations, acronyms, amateur call signs, email addresses, etc.). Use the appropriate introductory proword instead. (See Introductory Prowords.)

I SPELL Examples

  • You need to arrive at ...
    • Spoken: “You need to I SPELL tango oscar <pause> arrive at ...”
  • John Smith
    • Spoken: “John I SPELL juliet oscar hotel november <pause> Smith I SPELL sierra mike india tango hotel”
  • Spelling misstake (mistaken or uncommon spelling)
    • Spoken: "Spelling misstake I SPELL mike india sierra sierra tango alpha kilo echo"
  • Go to the Quik Stop ("Quik" isn't a word, but it is spoken like one)
    • Spoken: "Go to the Quik I SPELL quebec uniform india kilo <PAUSE> stop"
  • The figures are correct ("figures" is a proword)
    • Spoken: "The figures I SPELL foxtrot india golf uniform romeo echo sierra <pause> are correct"
  • They're close (sounds like "their")
    • Spoken: "They're I SPELL tango hotel echo yankee apostrophe romeo echo <pause> closed"
  • Twenty-two units
    • Spoken: "twenty-two I SPELL tango whiskey echo november tango yankee hyphen tango whiskey oscar <pause> units"
  • PackItForms (portmanteau, capitalization helps with clarity)
    • Spoken: "PackItForms I SPELL UPPERCASE papa LOWERCASE alpha charlie kilo UPPERCASE india LOWERCASE tango UPPERCASE foxtrot LOWERCASE oscar romeo mike sierra"

I SAY AGAIN

  • Use # 1: To Repeat for Clarity

    • Used to clarify or emphasize or to help ensure receipt of what was just said
    • Say the group(s), then "I SAY AGAIN", then repeat the group(s), and then continue
    • Often, voice inflection is also used to communicate emphasis
    • Usually, limit repeats for clarity to on group at a time to aoivd confusion.  However, in very bad radio conditions, repeating phrases or whole lines of a message can increase the chance for correct copy
  • Use # 2: To Correct an Error
    • When you recognize you have made an error, stop, say "I SAY AGAIN", go back to the last group (or proword) sent correctly, and continue, starting with that correct group or proword

I SAY AGAIN Examples

  • Do NOT go in there
    • Spoken: "Do not I SAY AGAIN not go in there"
  • ... to bring water ...
    • Spoken: "... to water I SAY AGAIN to bring water ..."