Two-letter callsigns

Many amateurs are very aware of the fact that since 19 October 2005 any two-letter callsign becoming available has been quarantined by the ACMA and has not been issued or re-issued. This has included the two-letter callsigns of amateurs who failed to renew their licence on time after that date.

The WIA has released a very important announcement outlining how two-letter callsigns are now proposed to be managed. The statement setting this information can be found on the WIA website and on the ACMA website. The statement and some useful further information are published in the April issue of the WIA’s magazine, “Amateur Radio”.

The statement addresses three matters.

The WIA has been asked to conduct a ballot for available two-letter callsigns and the principles set by the ACMA to be observed by the WIA and the process proposed is set out in the statement and comment is invited from all amateurs.

All amateurs are urged to send their comment by email, letter or fax as requested in the statement to the WIA by not later than 30 April. Comment supporting the process suggested is just as important as an alternative suggestion.

But, importantly for a number of people, the WIA is very pleased to announce that before that ballot process will commence, the ACMA has agreed to the WIA’s request to review those cases where by reason of a failure to renew a licence in time an amateur has lost his or her two-letter callsign.

The ACMA makes it clear that merely forgetting to renew is not a good reason, but do look at the examples given in the statement and, it is suggested, the “Comment” published in the April Amateur Radio Magazine.

To have a case reconsidered, the amateur concerned must lodge an application, preferably with supporting documentation, with the ACMA at the address specified in the statement by not later than 4 pm Wednesday 30 April 2008.

Also, as a part of this process, as set out in the statement, the WIA requests that the WIA office is advised of or reminded of the death of any amateur who has died since 1 March 2006.

The WIA is very anxious to ensure that the attention of all amateurs is drawn to this matter, and so, as set out in the statement, an announcement will be made in at least three VK1WIA News broadcasts.

All amateurs hearing the broadcast, reading the WIA’s magazine Amateur Radio or reading the WIA website are urged to draw the attention of other amateurs who may not have heard of this announcement to the statement.

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