6 – Six (SIX)

The standard maritime radiotelephony pronunciation of the digit six.

It is spoken as “SIX” when transmitting figures clearly by voice. Although its pronunciation is unchanged from ordinary English, it forms part of the standard numeral set used for consistent radio communication.

The International Code of Signals also has a numeral pennant for six, shown on this page. That pennant is the visual representation of the digit and is distinct from its spoken pronunciation.

Flag

Number Pennant Six (6)

Nautical or signal flags are used at sea to convey long-range messages. Only black, blue, red, white and yellow are used because these are the only colours readily distinguished at sea. Many different coding schemes have been used, but the International Code is the most common.