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AhaBulb: Stuff Everyone Should Know · ahabulb.com/ham-id-in-english

What language must you use for station identification on voice (phone)?

English.

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  1. Any language recognized by the ITU
  2. English ✔
  3. English, French or Spanish

Why: When you identify by voice, your call sign must be given in English. You may talk in other languages, but the ID itself is in English.

Huh, didn't know that: The FCC encourages, but does not require, a phonetic alphabet for station ID.

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Why did the ham take English class? He wanted to identify better.
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References

Answer: English. When you identify by voice, your call sign must be given in English. You may talk in other languages, but the ID itself is in English.

  1. 47 CFR 97.119 Station identification www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-97/subpart-B/section-97.119
    By a phone emission in the English language.
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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