Differences

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

--- uk-callsigns [2026/07/05 12:15] – [UK Callsigns] g3aka
+++ uk-callsigns [2026/08/03 11:51] (current) – [Find Available Callsigns] g3aka
@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 Call signs that may be available for issue include all valid format individual callsigns that **don't appear** in the [[https://wiki.oarc.uk/uk-callsigns#ofcom_licence_database|Ofcom Callsign Spreadsheet]] and whose suffix doesn't appear in the Forbidden Suffixes Spreadsheet [[https://wiki.oarc.uk/uk-callsigns#ofcom_licence_database|Forbidden Suffixes Spreadsheet]].
-In addition all those callsigns that have been in the Reserved state for more than 5 years as indicated by the Last Modified Date field in [[https://wiki.oarc.uk/uk-callsigns#ofcom_licence_database|Ofcom's callsign spreadsheet]] (A blank date field also means it's more than 5 years old). **are Available for issue**.  To get one of these Reserved callsigns amateurs may need to ring Ofcom and ask them to change the status to available, they can do this almost instantly.
+In addition all those callsigns that have been in the **Reserved** state for more than 5 years as indicated by the Last Modified Date field in [[https://wiki.oarc.uk/uk-callsigns#ofcom_licence_database|Ofcom's callsign spreadsheet]] (A blank date field also means it's more than 5 years old). **are Available for issue**.  To get one of these Reserved callsigns you may need to ring Ofcom and ask them to change the status to available, they can do this almost instantly.
 Ofcom Spectrum Licensing Tel: 0300 123 1000  -  [[https://x.com/ofcom|Ofcom are also on X]]
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 An easy way to see at a glance which amateur radio callsigns are available for issue is to use the M0PYL Callsign Lookup.
-Use ? As a wildcard, e.g. entering P?? in the suffix will highlight all Available callsigns with a suffix starting with P.
-Note: All callsigns marked as Reserved with a Last Modified Date of either blank or more than 5 years old are available for issue, you just need to ring Ofcom Spectrum Licensing (0300 123 1000) and ask them to change it to Available status.  The Last Modified Date can be obained from the [[https://wiki.oarc.uk/uk-callsigns#ofcom_licence_database|Ofcom Database Spreadsheet]]
+First select the required callsign type e.g. Foundation, Intermediate or Full, then enter the suffix using the ? character as a wildcard, e.g. entering P?? in the suffix will highlight all Available callsigns with a suffix starting with P.
+Note: All callsigns marked as Reserved with a Last Modified Date of either blank or more than 5 years old are available for issue, you just need to ring Ofcom Spectrum Licensing (0300 123 1000) and ask them to change it to Available status.  The Last Modified Date for a callsign can be obtained from the [[https://wiki.oarc.uk/uk-callsigns#ofcom_licence_database|Ofcom Database Spreadsheet]]
   * [[https://m0pyl.lorier.net/callsigns/|M0PYL Callsign Lookup]]
@@ Line 71: / Line 72: @@
 In 2000 Short Contest Callsigns with MZ and GZ prefixes were introduced for use in the Shetland Islands, {{ :2000-12_radcom_new_z_rsl.jpg?linkonly | RSGB December 2000 RadCom announcement}}
-In 2008 Ofcom said they did not regard the RSL as being part of the core UK callsign and in 2013 stated the words in the licence actually meant the Main Station RSL should be used when visiting other regions but they were happy for amateurs to continue with existing practice of changing RSL if they wished.  RSGB published this explanation by Ofcom on their website [[https://web.archive.org/web/20150928061916/http://rsgb.org/main/archive/consultation-archive/ofcom-consultations/licence-review-preparation/regional-secondary-locator/|External Link]]
+In 2008 Ofcom said they did not regard the RSL as being part of the core UK callsign and in 2013 stated the words in the licence actually meant the Main Station RSL should be used when visiting other regions but they were happy for amateurs to continue with existing practice of changing RSL if they wished.  RSGB published this explanation by Ofcom on their website [[https://web.archive.org/web/20150928061916/http://rsgb.org/main/archive/consultation-archive/ofcom-consultations/licence-review-preparation/regional-secondary-locator/|Snapshot of the then RSGB website]]
 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.
@@ Line 124: / Line 125: @@
 The spreadsheet shows Individual, Club and Temporary Reciprocal licence call signs that are either Allocated or Reserved along with a few call signs marked as Available but any call sign that **does not** appear in the spreadsheet (or in Forbidden) is also Available.
-None of the callsigns are shown with an RSL so 2E0ABC would appear as 20ABC but Ofcom has been transitioning "2" prefix callsigns to M8 or M9 prefixes and Ofcom will no longer issue any "2" prefix callsign.  When viewed in Excel a few spreadsheet rows may display a **date** instead of the call sign, the result of a formatting issue, 20JAN appears as 20-Jan, 21DEC as 21-Dec.
+None of the callsigns are shown with an RSL so 2E0ABC would appear as 20ABC but Ofcom has been transitioning "2" prefix callsigns to M8 or M9 prefixes and Ofcom will no longer issue any "2" prefix callsign.
+**Note:** When Ofcom's Open Data .CSV spreadsheets are viewed in Excel a few spreadsheet rows may display a **date** instead of the call sign, the result of an Excel formatting issue it only appears to affect the legacy 2 series call signs - 20JAN appears as 20-Jan, 21DEC as 21-Dec.
-Note the Foundation M3 call series shows thousands of callsigns with Reserved status despite having been in that state for well over the required 5 years.   They are in fact Available for issue but those who've passed their Foundation exam will need to ring Ofcom, or use Ofcom's Online Chat facility, to ask them to change the status to Available which Ofcom can do almost instantly for you.
+**Note:** The Foundation M3 call series shows thousands of callsigns with Reserved status despite having been in that state for well over the required 5 years.   They are in fact Available for issue but those who've passed their Foundation exam will need to ring Ofcom Spectrum Licensing (0300 123 1000) to ask them to change the status to Available which Ofcom can do almost instantly for you.
 The spreadsheet released in June 2026 included the missing "Z" callsigns although it's known a valid licence callsign M7FMI is still missing. This was believed to be because Ofcom had used an incorrect record Type field of blank instead of "Call sign - Amateur" in the main licence database as a result M7FMI isn't extracted to the spreadsheet.   This spreadsheet shows almost 106,000 Allocated call signs for Individual, Club and Temporary Reciprocal licences: