Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- uk-callsigns [2025/11/01 12:08] – [Ofcom Licence Database] g3aka
+++ uk-callsigns [2025/11/27 14:05] (current) – [Ofcom Licence Database] g3aka
@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
   * Full  G0, G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7, G8, M0, M1, M5 + three letter suffix, two letter suffix calls issued prior to 2020
   * Short Contest Callsign with single character suffix, format Gnx or Mnx where n=0-9 and x=A-Z
-  * Special Event Station GBn, MBn where n= 0-99999 suffix may be 1-4 characters or no suffix at all e.g. GB50 issued in 2002
+  * Special Event Station MB5 issued in 2015 now format is GBnccccl, MBn where n=numeral, c=numeral, letter or null, l=letter suffix may be 1-4 characters or no suffix at all e.g. GB50 issued in 2002
   * Analog Voice Repeaters GB3 + two letter suffix
   * Digital Voice Repeaters GB7 + two letter suffix
@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 In 2014 Ofcom proposed making it clear in the licence that the RSL was optional, this generated opposition from the RSGB so Ofcom decided not to add clarity to the licence at that time but Ofcom continued to consider that amateurs with M or G callsigns could either omit the RSL or give the RSL for the region they were visiting if they wished.
-In 2014/15 an attempt was made by Cornish amateurs to get the "K for Kernow" RSL issued for use in Cornwall. While Ofcom appeared to be supportive of the idea and issued a temporary "K" RSL during 2016 the RSGB did not support a permanent "K" RSL and it did not happen
+In 2014/15 an attempt was made by Cornish amateurs to get the "K for Kernow" RSL issued for use in Cornwall. While Ofcom appeared to be supportive of the idea and issued a temporary "K" RSL during 2016 but the RSGB did not support a permanent "K" RSL and it did not happen
 [[https://web.archive.org/web/20160408145201/https://gb2gm.org/k-for-kernow/ : Poldu report on RSL]]
@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 In 2023 Ofcom again proposed changing the licence words to make it clear the RSL was optional.
-In August 2025 RSGB Director Stewart Bryant G3YSX posted an explanation:
+In August 2025 RSGB Director Stewart Bryant G3YSX posted this explanation:
 {{ :2025-08-15_steward_bryant_g3ysx_rsls_and_suffixes.jpg?nolink&750 |}}
@@ Line 90: / Line 90: @@
 From 1 September 2009 to 20 October 2010, special event stations commemorating the centenary of the Girl Guide movement could request callsigns in the GG100xx or GG100xxx series.
-From 29 April 2011 to 09 May 2011 the prefixes "GR", "MR" & "2R" were allowed, via pnline application for an NoV, to be used by individuals as special temporary calls to celebrate the Royal Wedding of H.R.H Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton.
+From 29 April 2011 to 09 May 2011 the prefixes "GR", "MR" & "2R" were allowed, via online application for an NoV, to be used by individuals as special temporary calls to celebrate the Royal Wedding of H.R.H Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton.
 Club special calls for this event were of the standard "GB" type, although, due to administrative errors, some Clubs applied and were issued the NOV but were not allowed to use it.
+From 9-11 October 2015 special event station MB5RC was run by Kenwood UK at the RSGB Convention
 Source: [[https://web.archive.org/web/20140909091215/http://highfields-arc.co.uk/call/callfacts.htm | Highfields Amateur Radio Club]]
@@ Line 103: / Line 105: @@
 Ofcom will no longer issue callsigns with the suffixes listed in the Forbidden Suffixes spreadsheet, however, in the past some of them have been issued
   * {{ :2024-12-05_forbidden_callsign_suffixes.zip | Ofcom Forbidden callsign suffixes 5 December 2024}}
+Callsign spreadsheet issued on 11 November 2025 four weeks after the release of Intermediate M8/M9 callsigns and all categories of amateur being able to change their callsign. Callsign changes supposedly could take place from the 13 November 2025 but Ofcom's software glitches meant Foundation were unable to do so for another two weeks
+  * {{ :2025-11-11_amateur_callsigns_sorted.zip | Ofcom Callsign Spreadsheet 11 November 2025}}
 Callsign spreadsheet issued prior to the release of M8/M9 callsigns, gives Status, Last Modified Date and Original Start Date
@@ Line 110: / Line 115: @@
   * {{ :2024-09-17_every-radio-callsign-spreadsheet.zip | Ofcom Callsign Spreadsheet 17 September 2024}}
-Callsign spreadsheet issued before the February 2024 re-issue of all licences. Ofcom's licence re-issue forced an update of the Last Modified Date Field for all valid licences. Sorting on the Last Modified Date field can give you an indication of how many amateurs had actually revalidated their licences since 2006 as revalidation forces a change to Last Modified Date
+Callsign spreadsheet issued before the February 2024 re-issue of all licences. Ofcom's licence re-issue forced an update of the Last Modified Date Field for all valid licences. Sorting on the Last Modified Date field can give you an indication of how many amateurs had actually revalidated their licences since 2006 (~63,000) as revalidation forces a change to Last Modified Date
   * {{ :2024-01-11_amateur_callsigns_sorted.zip | Ofcom Callsign Spreadsheet 11 January 2024}}
@@ Line 118: / Line 123: @@
 A list showing the approximate issue year of amateur radio callsigns up until 2000 is available at
   * [[https://web.archive.org/web/20250723200622/https://ukspec.tripod.com/rf/ukcalls.html|RF-Man Amateur Radio Callsigns]]
-The Original Start Date for callsigns issued after 1977 is available in the Ofcom Callsign Spreadsheet dated 11 September 2025. Due to an administrative glitch by the then Regulator that date field is not reliable prior to 1977
+The Original Start Date for callsigns issued after 1977 is available in the Ofcom Callsign Spreadsheet dated 11 September 2025. Due to an administrative glitch by the then Regulator that date field is not reliable prior to 1977.
+====== Licence Revocation ======
+**For failure to revalidate every 5 years**
+As of November 2025 Ofcom had only ever revoked amateur licences on one occassion for failure to revalidate in the previous 5 years.   It occurred in October-November 2015 when Ofcom did a test run of their month-long revocation procedure.  For the test a small batch of licences that had not been revalidated in the previous 8 years were put into the 30-day revocation appeals process, the licence holder was contacted and if after 30 days they hadn't said they wished to keep the licence then Ofcom revoked it.  In total 530 licences were revoked out of the aproximately 14,500 licences that had not been revalidated in the previous 8 years - {{ :2015-12-04_list_of_revoked_amateur_callsigns.pdf | list of the callsigns that were revoked}}
+Ofcom found the revocation procedure was labour-intensive and expensive they never repeated the exercise, no further licences were revoked.
+In the May 2017 issue of Practical Wireless the Editor Don Field G3XTT mentioned that Ofcom had quietly dropped the idea of revoking unvalidated licences.
+{{ :2017-05_pw_revalidation_g3xtt_editorial.jpg?nolink&400 |}}
+In 2024 Ofcom signalled an intent to revoke licences that hadn't been revalidated in the previous 5 years.  It the same year Ofcom automatically revalidated every single licence, this meant no licence would need revalidation until 2029 at the earliest.
+In January 2024 there had been some 63,000 unvalidated licences, many hadn't even been validated once in the previous 18 years. If Ofcom do what they have indicated then there will be a sudden drop in licence numbers in 2029/30.
+**When there's a licence upgrade or a Callsign change**
+As of October 2025 if you upgrade or change your callsign then your lower-level licences will be put into the 30 day revocation procedure during which time should you wish to keep the licence you can appeal the decision to revoke. At the end of that period if no appeal is submitted the licence will be revoked.
 ====== ITU Radio Regulations for Amateur Callsigns ======