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Call signs in Europe are not formally used for broadcast stations.
It is quite common that instead of regular call signs abbreviations of the stations' names are used (e.g. ARD, RTL in Germany, ORF in Austria, BBC and ITV in the United Kingdom, TF1 in France, etc.). In most of Europe, TV and radio stations have unique names.
The amateur radio call signs of Europe are allocated to ham radio stations in United Kingdom, Ireland, Russia and all other European countries. In Ireland, the Commission for Communications Regulation, known as Comreg, is responsible for providing policy on the allocation of Ireland's radio spectrum. In Russia, call signs are used to identify about 34,000 licensed amateur radio operators and are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally by Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation. [1]
In the United Kingdom, call signs are used to identify 60,000 ham radio licensed operators and are managed by 'The Office of Communication', known as Ofcom. [2] It regulates amateur radio in the country as an independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services. However, it is no longer responsible for setting and conducting amateur radio exams, which are now run by the Radio Society of Great Britain on their behalf. [3]
Call signs in Ireland are regulated internationally by the International Telecommunication Union and nationally by the ComReg. The latter is responsible for providing policy on the allocation of Ireland's radio spectrum to support efficient, reliable and responsive wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure. [4]
The International Telecommunication Union has assigned Ireland the EIA–EJZ call sign block for all radio communication, broadcasting or transmission. The Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS) manage examinations for amateur radio licenses on behalf of Comreg, the Irish Telecommunications regulator. Membership of the IRTS is not required to sit the exam or hold a license. While not directly related to call signs, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) further has divided all countries assigned amateur radio prefixes into three regions; Ireland is located in ITU Region 1.
Comreg issues call signs in the EI series for amateur radio stations. This allows for about 175,000 potential, 3-character suffixes to be available to licensed Irish amateurs or others under Irish jurisdiction. The EJ series is assigned for operation in the off-shore islands of Ireland. Operators assigned an EI prefix simply substitute "EJ" prefix (e.g. EI3xxx becomes EJ3xxx) when operating on an off-shore island.
There are six basic types of radio licenses that are sometimes distinguished with call signs: [4]
| Call sign class | Prefix | Numeral | Suffix format (c=numeral or letter. l=letter only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CEPT Class 1 | EI | 2–9 | cl (e.g. EI3cl) |
| CEPT Class 2 | EI | 2–9 | ccl (e.g. EI3ccl) |
| Club call sign | EI | 0–9 | l, cl, ccl, or cccl (e.g. EI3l, EI3cl, EI3ccl, EI3cccl) |
| Visitors | EI | 2–9 | Vcl (e.g. EI3Vcl) |
| Special Event | EI | 0–9 | l, cl, ccl, cccl or ccccl (e.g. EI3l, EI3cl, EI3ccl, EI3cccl, EI3ccccl) |
Call signs are issued sequentially and specific call signs cannot be requested. Automatic stations (e.g. repeaters) are issued call signs with the separating numeral identifying the band on which it works and the last letter indicating the type of transmission.
Ireland makes liberal use of numerals in the suffix to allow for special event call signs. EI25SL is an Irish call sign once used by "Welcome Slovenia to EU Special Event". The separating numeral is "2"; a "5" is first character of the suffix. Scouting Ireland used special event call signs EI100S and EI100SI during 2007 and 2008 to celebrate 100 years of Scouting internationally and 100 years of Scouting in Ireland. The Limerick Radio Club has operated as EI60LRC and EI70FOY.
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.
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 India are unique identifiers for telecommunications and broadcasting in India. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology regulates call signs nationally, and the International Telecommunication Union regulates call signs internationally.
Amateur radio or ham radio is practised by more than 22,000 licensed users in India. The first amateur radio operator was licensed in 1921, and by the mid-1930s, there were around 20 amateur radio operators in India. Amateur radio operators played an important part in the Indian independence movement with the establishment of illegal pro-independence radio stations in the 1940s. The three decades after India's independence saw only slow growth in the number of operators until the then Prime Minister of India and amateur radio operator, Rajiv Gandhi (VU2RG), waived the import duty on wireless equipment in 1984. Since then, numbers have picked up, and as of 2007, there were more than 16,000 operators in the country. Amateur radio operators have played a vital role during disasters and national emergencies such as earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, floods, and bomb blasts, by providing voluntary emergency communications in the affected areas.
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.
The Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS) is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Ireland. Key missions of the IRTS include promoting amateur radio experimentation and representing the interests of Irish amateur radio operators before Irish and international telecommunications regulatory authorities. In particular, since 2005 in agreement with Communications Regulator (Comreg), the IRTS supports the entire examination process for the Experimenter's Licence including setting, organising, and correcting examinations for the Irish amateur radio license. The organization has no paid employees, and all tasks are performed by volunteers. IRTS is the national member society representing Ireland in the International Amateur Radio Union.
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 Japan are unique identifiers for telecommunications and broadcasting.
Call signs in Asia are rarely used to identify broadcast stations. In most Asian countries, broadcast stations use other forms of identification. Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan are exceptions to this rule. Amateur radio stations in India, Pakistan, Korea and Japan are allocated call-signs.
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 Antarctica include a three letter region code and a series of numbers and letters.
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.