XPost: rec.radio.amateur.policy, uk.radio.amateur   
   From: phister@inbox.com   
      
   "Ian Jackson"  wrote in message   
   news:eC9fyDBDofpXFwca@g3ohx.demon.co.uk...   
   > In message , Rob    
   > writes   
   >>Ian Jackson  wrote:   
   >>> But in this case, it looks like OFCOM have simply started re-using any   
   >>> available callsign that has lapsed or is otherwise no longer current -   
   >>> apparently without any consultation with the RSGB (who I hope would have   
   >>> vigorously opposed it).   
   >>   
   >>Here in the Netherlands, the callsigns were originally issued in some   
   >>series, first PA0 then PA2 and PE0 then PA3 PE1 and PD0, later also PB0.   
   >>The latter 4 were assigned sequentially from AAA up, from 1976.   
   >>   
   >>Later, the associations asked for "vanity" callsigns, and it became   
   >>possible to apply for any available callsigns in the PA-PH series,   
   >>with digit 0-5 or 7-9 a 1 to 3 letter suffix, but curiously not from   
   >>the PA0 series.  The digit 6 was and is reserved for temporary callsigns.   
   >>   
   >>Of course there was inequality in that a new amateur could not get a   
   >>PA0 callsign but those who had one could keep it, and there was also   
   >>the issue that one could get a callsign from the series that earlier   
   >>were used sequentially, e.g. when the previous user of that callsign   
   >>changed to a shorter or more mnemonic callsign.   
   >>   
   >>It is confusing, because you sometimes hear callsigns that were previously   
   >>used by someone else.   
   >>   
   >>The current proposal by the associations (not yet implemented) is to lock   
   >>callsigns to persons, so it will only be possible to obtain a callsign   
   >>that has not been used by someone else before.   
   >   
   > Many old fogies (like me) feel that your callsign is as personal as (say)   
   > your fingerprints, and you should not be able to acquire amateur's   
   > callsign except in exceptional circumstances (such as from a father or an   
   > uncle) - but not for reasons like a possibly justifiable "He taught me all   
   > I know" or a less-justifiable "I used to take his dog for a walk").   
   > Despite this being the policy of OFCOM and their predecessors, over the   
   > years a few old callsigns do seem to have been re-issued.   
   >   
   > Obviously, an all-time policy of never re-issuing would result in   
   > callsigns running out, and a compromise would be to at least wait until   
   > the generations of amateurs associated with the various 'generations' of   
   > callsigns were and truly dead, and the person to whom a callsign was   
   > re-issued could no longer be confused with its previous owner.   
   > --   
   > Ian   
      
      
   Would you have liked to have been assigned a dedicated car number plate that   
   you transfer to different vehicles.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)