XPost: rec.radio.amateur.policy, uk.radio.amateur
From: nomail@example.com
Ian Jackson wrote:
> While I can't immediately see any callsigns that I know were once
> issued, and are marked available for re-issue, it appears that some
> might be:
> "The QRZ.com site shows that one of the short calls issued recently was
> G2NV on August 6, 2019. This call was originally issued around 1920 but
> it ceased being renewed in the 1960's. Ofcom's 2016 database had showed
> it was unallocated so available for issue."
This has caused controversy here as well. For many years it was not
possible to get a PA0 callsign although any other prefix was available.
The mentioned reason was that the old hats did not want that a PA0
callsign that was previously issued would be re-issued again, and there
apparently was no conclusive list of previously issued callsigns.
On the other hand, callsigns with any other prefix could be obtained
provided they had been unused for 5 years, and that same "it had been
issued to a deceased old friend before" argument apparently wasn't valid.
About a year ago, that whole regime was changed and a list of previously
issued PA0 callsigns was compiled as well as possible (I don't know how),
and now the new regime is that you can obtain any callsign (including
with a PA0 prefix) that has not been issued before. Previously issued
callsigns with other prefixes are now locked as well. So now you can
find many newly issued PA0 callsigns, with 1, 2 or 3 letters.
Personally I would have added that this "never to be issued again" rule
should not have applied to single-letter suffix callsigns, but apparently
that was too complicated to negotiate with the authorities and implement
in their systems. There are so few of those single-letter options
available that of course they all have been taken quickly and future
amateurs no longer have that option.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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