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Call signs in Asia are rarely used to identify broadcast stations. In most Asian countries, broadcast stations use other forms of identification. Few countries west of the Pacific Ocean, namely Japan, South Korea, Indonesia (radio only), the Philippines and Taiwan are exceptions to this rule. Amateur radio stations in India, Pakistan, Korea and Japan are allocated call-signs.
The Wireless and Planning and Coordination Wing (WPC), a division of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, regulates amateur radio in India. Amateur radio call-signs of Pakistan are issued by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The PARS operates a QSL bureau for those amateur radio operators in regular contact with amateur radio operators in other countries, and supports amateur radio operating awards and radio contests. The Pakistan Amateur Radio Society represents the interest of Pakistan amateur radio operators before national and international regulatory authorities. PARS is the national member society representing Pakistan in the International Amateur Radio Union.
In Japan, it is regulated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications with the Japan Amateur Radio League acting as a national amateur radio organization. [1]
In South Korea call signs are regulated by the Korea Communications Commission in the Ministry of Information and Communication. [2]
The International Telecommunication Union has assigned China the call sign prefixes B, VR, XS, XX and 3H-3U. Only prefixes B, VR and XX are currently under active use, with all other prefixes under reserves. Domestic commercial broadcasting stations in no part of China uses alphanumeric call signs. The following call sign allocation applies only to amateur radio.
Mainland China uses call sign prefixes BA-BL, BR-BT, BY and BZ for routine operation, and singular B for temporary event stations. The second character for a routine operation call sign indicates the type of the station. Call signs in mainland China are now lifetime assignments, for as long as the station license is valid. It also no longer distinguish individual-owned and institution-owned stations, and no longer reflect the operator's license class. Existing call signs at the time of the rule change are grandfathered.
| Prefixes | Current allocation | Pre-2013 allocation |
|---|---|---|
| BA | Regular stations, 5th assignment series. | Class 1 individual stations. |
| BB-BC | Reserved. | |
| BD | Regular stations, 4th assignment series. | Classes 2 and 3 individual stations. |
| BE-BF | Reserved. | |
| BG | Regular stations, 1st assignment series. | Class 4 individual stations, 1st assignment series. |
| BH | Regular stations, 2nd assignment series. | Class 4 individual stations, 2nd assignment series. |
| BI | Regular stations, 3rd assignment series. | Island stations. |
| BJ | Radio beacons and space-based stations. | |
| BK-BL | Reserved. | |
| BR | Repeaters. | |
| BS | Special stations. (BS7H) | |
| BT | Event stations. | |
| BY | No longer assigned. | Institutional stations. |
| BZ | Reserved. | |
The separating numeral indicates the call area. It along with the first letter afterwards indicates the geographic location the station is registered in.
| Call Area | Provinces |
|---|---|
| 1 | Beijing (B1A-B1X) and Space-based stations (BJ1) |
| 2 | Heilongjiang (B2A-B2H,) Jilin (B2I-B2P) and Liaoning (B2Q-B2X) |
| 3 | Tianjin (B3A-B3F,) Inner Mongolia (B3G-B3L,) Hebei (B3M-B3R) and Shanxi (B3S-B3X) |
| 4 | Shanghai (B4A-B4H,) Shandong (B4I-B4P) and Jiangsu (B4Q-B4X) |
| 5 | Zhejiang (B5A-B5H,) Jiangxi (B5I-B5P) and Fujian (B5Q-B5X) |
| 6 | Anhui (B6A-B6H,) Henan (B6I-B6P) and Hubei (B6Q-B6X) |
| 7 | Hunan (B7A-B7H,) Guangdong (B7I-B7P,) Guangxi (B7Q-B7X) and Hainan (B7Y) |
| 8 | Sichuan (B8A-B8F,) Chongqing (B8G-B8L,) Guizhou (B8M-B8R) and Yunnan (B8S-B8X) |
| 9 | Shaanxi (B9A-B9F,) Gansu (B9G-B9L,) Ningxia (B9M-B9R) and Qinghai (B9S-B9X) |
| 0 | Xinjiang (B0A-B0F) and Xizang (B0G-B0L) |
Hong Kong uses VR as its amateur radio call sign prefix. Currently only the separating numeral 2 is in use, thus all Hong Kong amateur radio stations begin with VR2. [3] In the period of 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023, in celebration of the 25 years of the establishment of the SAR, OFCA temporarily allows operators to use VR25 as the prefix, [4] in addition to the usual VR2.
Macau uses XX as its amateur radio call sign prefix. Currently only the separating numeral 9 is in use, thus all Macau amateur radio stations begin with XX9.
Radio call sign prefixes used in Indonesia:
Private-owned radio station call signs by region are different with amateur radio call letters. The division is based on province area before 1998, so no call prefix are assigned for newer provinces. For example, Banten has the same call number and initial letter with West Java (an em dash "—" is used to indicate provinces that were split after 1998).
Call signs suffixes used in Indonesia:
Special License Callsigns suffixes :
Television call signs are practically unknown in the country, since virtually all TV stations identify themselves with their own brands (e.g. TVRI). Many radio call signs too, are also unknown, due to the previous same reason.
The Japanese station prefix for radio and television stations is JO followed by its own unique two letters; the last letter in the latter part of the callsign identifies the ownership of the station, for example the letter X indicates that it is a commercial TV station such as JOEX-TV for TV Asahi and JOCX-TV for Fuji TV while the letter R indicates that it is a commercial AM radio station such as JOKR for TBS Radio.
FM radio and TV stations have the -FM (FM radio), -TV (analog television), -DTV (digital television), -TAM (audio multiplex), -TCM (analog TV teletext multiplex), -TDM (analog TV data multiplex) and -FCM (FM radio data multiplex) suffixes after their callsigns, similar to the North American practice, except for AM radio stations.
At the greatest extent of the empire during the Second World War, another second letter was used for the empires other possessions besides the Home Islands.
The International Telecommunication Union has assigned Pakistan the cal signs APA through to ASZ. It has divided all countries into three regions; Pakistan is located in ITU Region 3. These regions are further divided into two competing zones, the ITU and the CQ.
The Pakistan Amateur Radio Society (PARS), a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts, does not assigns call signs but call signs are assigned by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The PARS operates a QSL bureau for amateur radio operators in contact with amateur radio operators in other countries, and supports amateur radio operating awards and radio contests. The Pakistan Amateur Radio Society represents the interest of Pakistan amateur radio operators before national and international regulatory authorities. PARS is the national member society representing Pakistan in the International Amateur Radio Union.
The National Telecommunications Commission assigns the following call sign prefixes from the international series to Philippine broadcasting stations depending on the location of their license:
DW is now also used for stations in Luzon. Out of circumstance, DZ is mostly AM band, while DW is FM band. Other call sign prefixes assigned to the Philippines are DU, and DV.
DX1PAR DX- prefix, 1 - amateur district/region, PAR - suffix
The standard format for Philippine callsigns is 2×3 – where 2 stands for the prefix letters (4D-4I or DU-DZ), and 3 stands for the suffix letters, both of which are assigned and regulated by the National Telecommunications Commission. A suffix can have as much as three characters, and as little as one.
Prefixes:
The NTC assigns prefixes depending on the privileges of the amateur license or for special events:
Class A (Extra Class) – DU, 4F, 4E Class B (General Class) – DV, 4I Class C (Technician Class) – DW, 4G Class D (Foundation Class) – DY, 4H Club Stations - DX, DZ
Districts:
A district number is assigned to a station depending on its location. The Philippines is divided into nine separate amateur districts.
-National Capital Region, Region IV -Region I, Region II -Region III -Region V -Region VII -Region VI -Region VII -Region IX, Region XII -Region X, Region XI
A special event station may also be issued a district number different from those listed above (e.x. 100).
Taiwan uses prefixes BM-BQ and BU-BX. It too uses the separating numeral to represent the geographic location of the station.
| Call Area | City and county |
|---|---|
| 1 | Keelung and I-lan |
| 2 | Taipei |
| 3 | Tauyuan and Hsinchu |
| 4 | Miaoli and Taichung |
| 5 | Changhua, Nantou and Yunlin |
| 6 | Chiayi and Tainan |
| 7 | Kaohsiung |
| 8 | Pingtung, Taitung and Hualien |
| 9 | Any other areas outside the Island of Taiwan or temporary station. |
| 0 | Temporary and event station. |
The licensing class and type of the station is represented using the call sign's structure and prefix:
| Prefix | 2x1 structure | 2x2 structure | 2x3 structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-BX | Special stations. | Class 1 stations. | Class 3 stations. |
| BX | Repeaters. | Class 2 stations. |
Event stations do not have to adhere to the structure and location rules.
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.
Station identification is the practice of radio and television stations and networks identifying themselves on-air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name. This may be to satisfy requirements of licensing authorities, a form of branding, or a combination of both. As such, it is closely related to production logos, used in television and cinema alike.
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.
Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communications. The term "amateur" is used to specify "a duly authorized person interested in radioelectric practice with a purely personal aim and without pecuniary interest" ; and to differentiate it from commercial broadcasting, public safety, or professional two-way radio services.
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.
Call signs in Argentina are unique identifiers for communication. Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally by the Comisión Nacional de Comunicaciones of the Argentine government.
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 International Telecommunication Union (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 Europe are not formally used for broadcast stations.
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 the United States are identifiers assigned to radio and television stations, which are issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and, in the case of most government stations, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). They consist of from 3 to 9 letters and digits, with their composition determined by a station's service category. By international agreement, all call signs starting with the letters K, N, and W, as well as AAA-ALZ, are reserved exclusively for use in the United States.
Call signs in Antarctica include a three letter region code and a series of numbers and letters.
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.