Call signs in Antarctica include a three letter region code and a series of numbers and letters. [1] [2] [3]
| Region code | Call sign | Location |
|---|---|---|
| ATA | CD 55 | Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva |
| ATA | CD 57 | Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva |
| ATA | LRF 374 | Marambio Base |
| ATA | CD 61 | Base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva |
| ATA | LRF 373 | Esperanza Base |
| ATA | AFAN | McMurdo Sound |
Amateur radio or ham radio call signs are unique identifiers for licensed operators in Antarctica. Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally by governing bodies within each country who may have nationals operating in Antarctica. Call signs may also be issued by a local Antarctic authority (i.e. base commander) who chooses from a block reserved by their national body for that purpose. [4] The Antarctic Treaty signed on December 1, 1959 (and entered into force on June 23, 1961), established the legal framework for the management of Antarctica, including allocation of amateur call signs.[ citation needed ]
The International Telecommunication Union does not assign call letter blocks to Antarctica [5] since there is no single government there which can send delegates to ITU conferences. However, some individual countries reserve Antarctic prefixes or call letters from within their own call letter blocks as per this table. [6] In some cases the assignment of call letters is made locally at an Antarctic base and the relevant national body is notified.
| Prefixes | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ATA, ATN, AT0 | India | unofficial allocation, as part of special event designation, see VU, below |
| CE9 | Chile | ITU 67, 69–74; CQ 12, 13, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39 |
| DP0, DP1, DP2 | Germany | expeditionary calls, only for outside of Germany in international territories or in space, other DP numbers used in home country |
| ED, AO | Spain | also used in home country |
| EM | Ukraine | also used for special events |
| FT8Y | France | |
| HL8, DT8 | South Korea | |
| IA0 | Italy | Mario Zucchelli station, Terra Nova Bay |
| KC4AAx, KC4USA–KC4USZ | United States | KC4AAA–AAF for Byrd, McMurdo, Palmer ITU CQ zones 12–13, 30; KC4USA–KC4USZ for US Naval bases |
| LU#Z | Argentina | '#' is any numeral |
| LZ0 | Bulgaria | also for special event stations |
| OA0 | Peru | also for special event and club stations |
| OJ1 | Finland | ABOA suffix. OJ9 rarely used. OJ1 also used for World Radiosport Team Championship |
| OR4 | Belgium | Other OR4 calls have been used in home country |
| RI1A | Russia | usually three letter suffix in the form of Axx. In the past Russian bases used callsigns in the R1A series. |
| VK0 | Australia | also Heard Island and Macquarie Island |
| VP8 | United Kingdom | VP8 also used in Falkland Islands and its dependencies |
| VU | India | not distinctive to Antarctica, see AT above |
| ZL5, ZL9 | New Zealand | ZL9 is for sub-Antarctic territories, operators must have permission to land before call is issued |
| ZS7 | South Africa | |
| ZV0, ZX0 | Brazil | for ZX0, suffixes not starting with F, S, or T |
| 3Y | Norway | also Bouvet Island and Peter I Island |
| 8J1 | Japan | RL suffix from Syowa Station, also used for special events |
Although Antarctica is considered international by treaty, amateur radio operators in Antarctica are often subject to the reciprocal licensing requirements pertaining to the country under which the camp is flagged.
The Worldwide Antarctic Program keeps a list of special event call signs issued from various countries at various times. [7] TM4IPY was issued in 2007 by France to celebrate the International Polar Year as was IA0IPY, IA8IPY, IA7IPY & IP7IPY by Italy, GB4IPY by the United Kingdom, VY0ICE/VE2 in Canada, LZ07IPY in Argentina, EV5IPY in Belarus, CQ4IPY in Portugal, SN0IPY in Poland, YE2IPY in Indonesia, S50IPY in Slovenia, 5D0IPY in Morocco, and others. These callsigns were used by amateurs in their home countries.
The Worldwide Antarctic Program maintains current internet Bulletins as to call sign activity in the south polar region, [8] including 3,100 call signs used since 1945.
The Radio Society of Great Britain assigns islands into seven world districts, including Antarctica. It assigns IOTA Groups and Reference Numbers corresponding to these areas – Antarctic Islands are AN-xxx. Some of these IOTA groups have call signs assigned by a sovereign power, others have call signs assigned according to the Antarctic Treaty. Not all of these islands fall within the Antarctic Treaty area.
| IOTA # | Prefix | Location |
|---|---|---|
| AN-001 | Various Callsigns | Graham Land West (Adelaide Island) group |
| AN-002 | 3Y | Bouvet Island |
| AN-003 | VK0 | Heard Island |
| AN-004 | 3Y | Peter 1 Island |
| AN-005 | VK0 | Macquarie Island |
| AN-006 | Various Callsigns | Graham Land West (Biscoe Islands) group |
| AN-007 | VP8 | South Georgia Island |
| AN-008 | Various Callsigns | South Orkney Islands |
| AN-009 | VP8 | South Sandwich Islands |
| AN-010 | Various Callsigns | South Shetland Islands |
| AN-011 | Various Callsigns | Ross Island group |
| AN-012 | Various Callsigns | Graham Land West (Palmer Archipelago) grp |
| AN-013 | Various Callsigns | Trinity Peninsula group |
| AN-014 | Various Callsigns | Berkner Island |
| AN-015 | Various Callsigns | Queen Maud Land (Prince Harald etc.) group |
| AN-016 | Various Callsigns | Antarctica (Main Island Only) |
| AN-017 | Various Callsigns | Adelie Land group |
| AN-018 | Various Callsigns | Palmer Land West (Alexander Island) group |
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) allocates call sign prefixes for radio and television stations of all types. They also form the basis for, but may not exactly match, aircraft registration identifiers. These prefixes are agreed upon internationally, and are a form of country code. A call sign can be any number of letters and numerals but each country must only use call signs that begin with the characters allocated for use in that country.
Call signs are frequently still used by North American broadcast stations, in addition to amateur radio and other international radio stations that continue to identify by call signs worldwide. Each country has a different set of patterns for its own call signs. Call signs are allocated to ham radio stations in Barbados, Canada, Mexico and the United States.
An aircraft registration is a code unique to a single aircraft, required by international convention to be marked on the exterior of every civil aircraft. The registration indicates the aircraft's country of registration, and functions much like an automobile license plate or a ship registration. This code must also appear in its Certificate of Registration, issued by the relevant civil aviation authority (CAA). An aircraft can only have one registration, in one jurisdiction, though it is changeable over the life of the aircraft.
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assigned by a government agency, informally adopted by individuals or organizations, or even cryptographically encoded to disguise a station's identity.
Call signs in New Zealand are no longer generally used to identify broadcast stations. However, New Zealand's radio stations were once known by their call signs and would usually broadcast their call signs as a number followed by X, Y, or Z, and another letter. Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU and nationally by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), formerly the Ministry of Economic Development. The ministry is also responsible for providing policy advice to Government on the allocation of New Zealand's radio spectrum to support, efficient, reliable and responsive wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure.
Call signs in Australia are allocated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority and are unique for each broadcast station. The use of callsigns on-air in both radio and television in Australia is optional, so many stations used other on-air identifications. Australian broadcast stations officially have the prefix VL- and originally all callsigns used that format, but since Australia has no nearby neighbours, this prefix is no longer used except in an international context.
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Call signs in the Middle East are unique identifiers for telecommunications and broadcasting in the Middle East. Call signs are regulated internationally by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and nationally by local government and international agencies in Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, The Palestinian Authority, occupied territories and other nations or DXCC entities.
Amateur radio call signs in Africa are codes used to identify all radio communications, broadcasts and transmissions. The International Telecommunication Union assigns Africa as ITU region #1. It has assigned call signs prefix blocks to countries including 77 DXCC entities in and off-shore of Africa. Western Sahara is not a DXCC entity but uses SØ as a prefix.
Amateur radio call signs are allocated to amateur radio operators around the world. The call signs are used to legally identify the station or operator, with some countries requiring the station call sign to always be used and others allowing the operator call sign instead.
Call signs in Russia are unique identifiers for telecommunications and broadcasting. Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally by Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation. The latter is responsible for providing policy on the allocation of Russia's radio spectrum to support efficient, reliable and responsive wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure.
Call signs in Mexico are unique identifiers for telecommunications, radio communication, radio broadcasting and transmission. They are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally by the Federal Telecommunications Institute, which regulates broadcast stations, wireless telecommunications and spectrum use.
Call signs in Korea are unique identifiers for telecommunications and broadcasting on the Korean peninsula. Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally in South Korea by the Korea Communications Commission in the Ministry of Information and Communication. Not much is known outside of North Korea how amateur radio is regulated, although a foreign amateur was asked to appear before the "Radio Regulation Board" in 2002. Also, North Korea's Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries recently issued an operating permit, which was countermanded by the Ministry of Telecommunications and Posts.
Call signs in Japan are unique identifiers for telecommunications and broadcasting.
Call signs in Europe are not formally used for broadcast stations.
Call signs in Oceania are currently voluntary in Australia radio and TV station, and were previously compulsory in New Zealand. In both countries, stations like 2GB and Newstalk ZB continue to use parts of the call signs in their branding.
Call signs in Canada are official identifiers issued to the country's radio and television stations. Assignments for broadcasting stations are made by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), while amateur stations receive their call signs from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Conventional radio and television broadcasting stations assignments are generally three, four or five letters long and almost exclusively use "C" call signs; with a few exceptions noted below, the "V" calls are restricted to specialized uses such as amateur radio.
Call signs in Barbados include a three letter country code, and a series of letters and numbers.
Call signs in United Kingdom include a three letter country code, and a series of letters and numbers.
Broadcast call signs are call signs assigned as unique identifiers to radio stations and television stations. While broadcast radio stations will often brand themselves with plain-text names, identities such as "cool FM", "rock 105" or "the ABC network" are not globally unique. Another station in another city or country may have a similar brand, and the name of a broadcast station for legal purposes is normally its internationally recognised ITU call sign. Some common conventions are followed around the world.