I’ve blogged about special callsigns before because of the R prefix for the Royal Wedding last year and so I think it’s worth posting the news article that’s just been published by the RSGB.
I’m happy with the fact that there are special callsigns available but I’m disappointed to see that one has to apply for a Notice of Variation in order to use these prefixes. It would have been far easier and cheaper to simply post a notice in the London Gazette to announce these special prefixes and then that would give blanket permission for everyone to use them. In 2002 there was simply an announcement from Ofcom which you can read here which said that everyone can use the prefixes. I just don’t understand why it’s not been done the same way again.
However it’s good to see that clubs are allowed to apply for an NoV this time as they were excluded from the Royal Wedding prefix last year (although some used them illegally anyway).
The Radio Society of Great Britain and Ofcom have reached agreement on the optional use of special callsigns for two significant events during 2012.
For the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, all UK amateur stations will have the option of applying for a variation to their licence if they wish, to use a special prefix for a five week period. This will add or substitute the letter “Q” in the place of the Regional identifier in the callsign.
For the period of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, a similar facility will exist for a seven week period, using the letter “O”.
Both the above facilities will also be available to Amateur Club licences.
Furthermore, calls in the series GB2012aaa will be available for Special Event Stations relating to the Olympics and licences will be issued for four “flagship” stations using the prefix 2O12a where “O” is the letter O, and a is a single letter relating to the location of the station.
Further details of these arrangements are on the attached summary, and administrative details will be issued by Ofcom and the RSGB shortly.
In more detail:
The following facilities will be available to holders of the following licences:
Amateur Foundation Licence
Amateur Intermediate Licence
Amateur Full Licence
Amateur Full (Club) Licence
Amateur Full (Reciprocal) Licence
Amateur Full (Temporary Reciprocal) LicenceSpecial prefix to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee:
Period: 00.00 BST 5th May 2012 to 23.59 BST 10th June 2012
Authorisation: To conform to the requirements of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, each licensee must obtain a Notice of Variation . This is an on-line process, and will be available from 1st March 2012.
Callsign: the letter Q will be added to calls, or replace the regional identifier. For example (where “aaa” represents the final alpha block of the callsign):
M3aaa becomes MQ3aaa
G3aaa becomes GQ3aaa
GM3aaa becomes GQ3aaa
2E0aaa becomes 2Q0aaa
2M0aaa becomes 2Q0aaa
GX3aaa becomes GQ3aaaSpecial prefix to celebrate the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games:
Period: 00.00 BST 21st July 2012 to 23.59 BST 9th September 2012
Authorisation: To conform to the requirements of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, each licensee must obtain a Notice of Variation. This is an on-line process, and will be available from 1st March 2012.
Callsign: the letter O will be added to calls, or replace the regional identifier. For example (where “aaa” represents the final alpha block of the callsign):
M3aaa becomes MO3aaa
G3aaa becomes GO3aaa
GM3aaa becomes GO3aaa
2E0aaa becomes 2O0aaa (Two Oscar zero aaa)
2M0aaa becomes 2O0aaa (Two Oscar zero aaa)
GX3aaa becomes GO3aaa
I don’t want an Olympic callsign. Unless it has “white elephant” in it.