Thursday, November 23, 2006

Bravo Alpha Charlies...

One thing I have realised since joining this team is that everyone here speaks in the International Radio Operator's Alphabet.

Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta.... etc

(*They use this in an attempt to make ourselves clearer over the phone when trying to convey server names or directories).

Which is all fine, except I don't know it.

So on a typical day when I pick up a request call over the phone, I will hear this guy starting off by saying... "User is somehow getting denied access to November, Sierra, Alpha, Uniform, Victor, Charlie ..... ". While I am on the other end trying to frantically write down what he is referring to by decoding his words. Sierra caught me a couple of times, for some reason, I thought Sierra started with a 'C'.

It kinda feels like I'm working in a airport control radio tower... :P

Previously when I've tried to spell out stuff over the phone, I just say something along the lines of "M for Monica, P for Peter, J for Jeremy, B for Boy, U for Umbrella....". It seemed so much easier when I was just using my friend's names and throwing in the occasional 'B for Boy'. But now, the people around me doesn't seem to understand if I say 'P for Peter' instead of just 'Papa'.

But as they say, When in Rome, do as the Romans do. So if you would excuse me for now, I've got to go and learn some alphabets.

4 comments:

mon1ca said...

hahaha!!! I had the same problem back in my old roll as well. I learnt to take down the alphabet without any problems but I had a problem reciting them out. I ended up using country names...

Australia
Brazil
China
Malaysia
England
Singapore

Anonymous said...

but country names some of those got so many silly-bo (syllibal? dunno how to spell... hahahah) takes a long time for 1 letter...

but ya... i always wanna learn those Alpha Bravo Charlie stuff... (NERDDDDDddddd) but too lazy... hahahah
Well, i guess if i learnt 1337, then learning this is just similar... :P

takumi said...

Mon... what would X be then ?

Chi sin.. lets learn together... we can sound like total geeks and start walking to each other in radio speach... :P

mon1ca said...

X... some how only X-ray and Xena comes to my mind straight away! :P