Amateur radio call signs of Australia

Amateur radio or ham radio call signs are unique identifiers for the 19,500 licensed operators in Australia. Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) which is Australia’s regulator for broadcasting, administering spectrum use through the provisions of the Radio-communications Act 1992. ACMA is also responsible for amateur radio licensing.

The Wireless Institute of Australia has since 2 March 2009 taken responsibility for the management of amateur station call signs.^[1]

Call sign blocks for telecommunication

The International Telecommunication Union has assigned Australia the following call sign blocks for all radio communication, broadcasting or transmission:^[2]

Call sign block
AXA-AXZ	Australia
VHA-VNZ	Australia
VZA-VZZ	Australia

While not directly related to call signs, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) further has divided all countries assigned amateur radio prefixes into three regions; Australia is located in ITU Region 3. It is assigned ITU Zones 55, 58 and 59, with the Pacific Islands in Australian jurisdiction in Zone 60.

Australia is assigned CQ Zones 29 & 30.^[3]

Call sign assignments within Australia

The usual prefix for Australian amateur call signs is VK. The numeral that separates the prefix from the suffix indicates the state/territory in which the operator is licensed.^[4]

Numeral	State/territory
Ø	Antarctica
1	Australian Capital Territory
2	New South Wales
3	Victoria
4	Queensland
5	South Australia
6	Western Australia
7	Tasmania
8	Northern Territory
9	Australian External Territories	VK9C	Cocos Island
		VK9N	Norfolk Island
		VK9W	World
		VK9X	Christmas Island
		VK9L	Lord Howe Island
		VK9M	Mellish Reef

Since 1 Nov 2009 callsigns in the VK9 region have been treated the same as all other call areas, and individual islands are no longer designated by a special letter.^[5]

Operator class call signs

Advanced Licences - indicated by the following structure: VK# xx, VK# Axx, VK# Bxx, VK# Cxx, VK# Dxx, VK# Exx, VK# Fxx, VK# Gxx, VK# Ixx, VK# Jxx, VK# Kxx, VK# Oxx, VK# Sxx, VK# Txx, VK# Uxx, VK# Wxx, VK# Xxx, VK# Yxx, VK# Zxx, VK# RAN, VK2RAS, VK# WIA-WIZ (WIA), VK# GGA-GGZ (Guides Aust), VK# SAA-SDZ (Scouts Assoc.), VK7OTC, VK# IYA - IYZ (International years)

Standard Licences - VK# Hxx, VK# Lxx, VK# Mxx, VK# Nxx, VK# Pxx, VK# Vxx
Foundation Licences - (four-letter suffixes beginning with 'F') VK# Fxxx
Repeater call signs - VK# Rxx
Beacon call signs - VK# RSx, VK# RTx

AX prefix

A special event prefix of 'AX' can be substituted for 'VK' on occasions of national significance (e.g. Sydney Olympic Games) and each year on Australia Day, Anzac day and World Information Society Day.

VI prefix

A special event prefix of 'VI' can be substituted for 'VK' on occasions of state/territory significance.

Overseas visiting amateurs

Visiting amateurs who qualify can use their home call sign, and attach a '/VK' after it. If a visiting amateur is issued an Australian call sign, they can combine both (e.g. VK1AAA/WA7AAA).^[6]

Call sign history

David Burger VK2CZ has written the definitive history of call sign allocation in the country.^[7]

Wireless experimenters were in most states by 1897, and the first list of call signs and licensees is from 1911. In 1912 the first system of a designated range for each state was issued by the PMG Department based on an XAA-XZZ block of letters. When all the three letter call signs were issued, provision was made to expand to four (e.g. XAAA). In 1914 a numeral was inserted after the 'X' to indicate the state (e.g. XAA became X1AA).

In 1927 the Washington Radiotelegraph Conference^[8] decreed that Australia should use the prefix range of VHA-VNZ for communication identification. However, amateur radio itself was not subject to this designation, and 'OA' became effective for amateurs from 1 February 1927. "O" was for Oceania and "A" for Australia. By 1929 Australia began the practice of using 'VK' for amateurs as well.

With a lack of official issuance, though, some radio experimenters continued with various formats such as XA-4CD, OA2-BH, VK.2AK and VK-4SU. There was even VK3D.L. and VK3—H--W.

1947 Atlantic City convention and subsequent

As of 19 September 1947 Australia adopted the ITU international^[9] call sign protocol and recognized amateur radio stations as valid licensees. The ITU issued Australia with the AXA-AXZ, VHA-VNZ and VZA-VZZ blocks.

VK#xx and VK#Axx call signs were issued to amateurs.

Changes within Australia happened according to this table:

Callsign	Date	State/territory/note
VK#Zxx	1954	limited to VHF and above
VKØ	1955?	Antarctica
P29	1972	Papua New Guinea changed from VK9
VK#Nxx	1975	Novice licence
VI, AX	1979	first use, also VL, VM, VN and VZ allowed
VK#Jxx	1995	Intermediate licence
VK#xx	2004	2-letter suffix, advanced operators
VK#Fxxx	2006	4-letter suffix, foundation licence
VK9	2006	individual islands formally identified by suffix
VK9	2009	treated the same as all other call areas

Call sign history in the territories

Christmas Island: ZC3 (pre-1940), Japan (1940 to 1944), 9V (1945 to 1958), VK9X (since 1958).
Cocos Keeling island: ZC2 (pre-1940), VK9Y (1955 to 1992), VK9C (since 1992).
Papua New Guinea: VK4/VK9/P29 (since 1972).
Nauru: VK9 then C2 (since 31 January 1968).

References

External links

Call signs

Africa	amateur South Africa

Asia	amateur China India amateur Indonesia Japan amateur Korea amateur Middle East amateur Pakistan amateur

Europe	amateur Ireland amateur Russia amateur United Kingdom amateur

North America	amateur Barbados amateur Canada amateur Mexico amateur United States amateur

Oceania	amateur Australia amateur television New Zealand amateur

South America	amateur Antarctica amateur Chile Argentina amateur