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UK call signs have two parts:
- licence level and regional locator
- three letters unique to the operator
The prefixes for licence level are as follows:
| Prefix | Level | Example |
|---|---|---|
| M7 | Foundation | M7ABC |
| 2x0 | Intermediate | 2E0ABC |
| M0 | Full | M0ABC |
Note that for intermediate (and intermediate only), you must include the regional locator. The second character ("x") is a placeholder for the country code
The regional locators are as follows. Their inclusion is mostly optional, particularly if you are in England and contacting others in England, unless you hold an intermediate licence in which case inclusion is mandatory.
| Code | Region | Pneumonic |
|---|---|---|
| E | England | |
| W | Wales | |
| M | Scotland | Think "Macdonald" |
| I | Northern Ireland | Think "Ireland" |
| D | Isle of Man | Think "Douglas", the capital |
| J | Jersey | |
| G | U | "U" is the second letter of Guernsey |
Some examples:
| Call sign | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ME7ABC | Foundation, England |
| 2M0ABC | Intermediate, Scotland |
| MD7ABC | Foundation, Isle of Man |
| 2J0ABC | Intermediate, Isle of Man |
| MU0ABC | Full, Guernsey |
| MI0ABC | Intermediate, Northern Ireland |
| MW7ABC | Foundation, Wales |
Suffixes indicating operation type
These are also optional but can be useful - indicated by a slash after the call sign.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| /M | mobile: car, pedestrian, inland waters |
| /A | alternate postal address |
| /P | temporary: a field or rally event with no postcode |
| /MM | maritime mobile (vessel at sea) |
For example: MM7ABC/M would mean "Foundation, Scotland, mobile" and 2E0ABC/A would mean "Intermediate, England, alternate address".
When to give your call sign
You should state your call sign as "frequently as is practicable". Good occasions:
- calling CQ
- making contact with someone you've found from CQ
- changing frequencies
- changing supervision
Supervision
You can let other people transmit using your call sign under your "direct supervision". Anyone doing this must understand the conditions and limitations of the licence they are transmitting under and operate in accordance with them.
Emergency use
In cases of disaster or emergency, you may allow a member of a user service (emergency services, St. John Ambulance, Red Cross, government department) to transmit using your equipment.