Expressing Numbers and Time on VHF Marine Radio

Numbers Expressed in Words

0 – ZERO

1 – ONE

2 – TWO

3 – THREE

4 – FOUR

5 – FIVE

6 – SIX

7 – SEVEN

8 – EIGHT

9 – NINE

. – DECIMAL

?,000 – THOUSAND

All numbers except whole thousands should be transmitted by pronouncing each digit separately. Whole thousands should be transmitted by pronouncing each digit in the number of thousands followed by the word THOUSAND.

10 becomes ONE ZERO

75 becomes SEVEN FIVE

100 becomes ONE ZERO ZERO

5,800 becomes FIVE EIGHT ZERO ZERO

11,000 becomes ONE ONE THOUSAND

68,009 becomes SIX EIGHT ZERO ZERO NINE

Time

The twenty-four hour clock system should be used in expressing time in the Maritime Mobile Service. It should be expressed and transmitted by means of four figures, the first two denoting the hour past midnight and the last two the minutes past the hour.

Some examples of time using the twenty-four hour clock system are shown below.

Some Times as Expressed by VHF Procedures

Time Expressed as

12:45 a.m. 0045 ZERO ZERO FOUR FIVE

12:00 noon 1200 ONE TWO ZERO ZERO

12:45 p.m. 1245 ONE TWO FOUR FIVE

12:00 midnight 0000 ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO

1:30 a.m. 0130 ZERO ONE THREE ZERO

1:45 p.m. 1345 ONE THREE FOUR FIVE

8:30 p.m. 2030 TWO ZERO THREE ZERO

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