Operating

What is a call sign ?

Call signs are a unique way of identifying your station. They are issued to individual radio amateurs with their licences. A call sign is a mixture of letters and numbers from 3 characters long. In the UK, the shortest call signs are 4 characters long. Holders of the Radio Amateur Licence in the UK have, previously been issued with call signs with the prefix 'G', however this series has run out and now the 'M' prefix is being used. Some prefixes for other countries are F; France, D; Germany, I; Italy, K,N,W; USA, VK; Australia. National prefixes are allocated by the International Telecommunications Union, an agency of the United Nations. There are secondary prefixes in the UK to determine which part of the UK the station is operating from, and the type of licence. These are shown in the table below.

Following the prefix, the call sign the UK has a number that determines the type of licence, i.e. whether it's an Advanced (Full), Intermediate or Foundation licence. When operating from another UK 'country', the appropriate secondary prefix must be used, e.g. M0KPO would become MM0KPO when operating in Scotland. The sub prefix B is used for special event stations, e.g. GB3XYZ, while X is used to denote a club station.

The latest call signs being issued are in the M0, M1, M3, 2EØ, 2E1 series.

The call sign allocated must be transmitted in accordance with the current licence conditions.

What frequencies am I allowed to use?

The frequency bands allocated to Amateurs in the UK are published in the licence conditions booklet (BR68) that accompanies each licence validation document. The current bands allocated to UK Radio Amateurs are listed in the table below. Many other countries have similar, but not necessarily identical, frequency allocations.

What can I transmit ?

The transmission modes available depend on whether there's sufficient bandwidth on the band you intend to use for that transmission. You would not try to transmit a 6MHz television signal on a 2MHz wide band. Otherwise, all phone, morse (CW), television, fax and data modes are permitted on all bands. There is, however, general agreement in the UK on use of particular modes within each band and these are known as Band Plans.

So far as the content of the transmission is concerned, this does depend on the mode in use. You may not transmit any copyrighted material without the copyright owner's permission, or material of an offensive nature. You cannot (except under emergency conditions) transmit a message that is not from another amateur, however you cannot store-and-forward any message that is not from yourself. This area of licencing is not easy to explain in few words and the licence booklet BR68 should be read. However, in the UK, non licenced persons can send greetings messages, provided it is under the direct supervision of the Licensee who must operate the transmitter and identify the station. Greetings messages can be sent received only within the UK or to and from stations in specified under the terms of their licence. Some other countries may also have similar requirements.

Where can I buy a radio & other equipment?

Many dealers advertise in the Amateur Radio magazines such as RadCom, Practical Wireless and Shortwave Magazine. Local radio amateurs will also be able to advise on the better local emporia, but a lot of business is mail-order, with the usual caveats. You do not usually need to take your licence along when purchasing a radio, but some suppliers may ask for proof of your licence before selling you a radio. A number of dealers also operate a used, or second hand equipment service on the internet, whereby amateurs can place 'For Sale' ads. The retailer is not usually involved in any resulting sale, it is strictly between buyer and seller. eBay, the internet auction, also has amateur radio equipment offered for sale.

An alternative means of comparing and buying radios is at a rally. These are held all over the country between March and October usually, with a few just before Christmas. A rally is a place that Radio Amateurs can meet and talk, and there are usually many trade stands from local and national dealers. There's often a bring & buy stall where you can find a used bargain. Rally information is published in all the Radio magazines and also broadcast on the RSGB 's news service each Sunday.

Can I build my own radio and other equipment?

Advanced (Full) and and Intermediate licencees can build equipment and use it 'on air'. You can design your own, or use a published design. Etch your own boards or build a kit from one the kit suppliers. There is no restriction on 'home-brew', except for holders of the Intermediate and Foundation licences (See below). You'll find many kit and component suppliers at rallies. Many magazines feature construction projects, sometimes tied to a specific kit / component supplier.

Foundation Licence holders are limited to commercial equipment designed for the Amateur Radio market (which does not include PMR equipment of any kind, whether already modified / reprogrammed or not) and approved kits only.

Can I modify a radio ?

Yes, as for building equipment, Advanced (Full) and Intermediate Licencees can. There is a lot of ex-commercial and ex-emergency services radio (PMR) equipment around and plenty of information on modifying it to make it work on amateur frequencies. But, not all of it is suitable, so ask before you buy. Foundation Licence holders are limited to commercial equipment designed for the Amateur Radio market (which does not include PMR equipment of any kind, whether already modified / reprogrammed or not) only.