[Dx4win] Special event callsigns for UK royal wedding

[Jim Reisert AD1C]

[The Daily DX] Vol. 15 No. 068 - April 13, 2011

NOTE: I will add these calls to DX4WIN after the special event is over
(post-May 9).  If you do work any of these stations, please ask the
QTH, and if it's *not* England, then let me know and I can add it to
the DX4WIN country file.  I should be able to determine countries from
spotted callsigns, especially if they have been spotted in the past.

73 - Jim AD1C

For those who were not invited to the upcoming Royal Wedding (April
29th) of H. R. H. Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton you can
still celebrate the festive event by working United Kingdom stations
with the special GR, MR and 2R prefixes.  These special prefixes will
be available from April 29th to May 9th.  Complete details can be
found at http://www.rsgb.org/operating/weddingcall/.  If you work any
of these GR, MR or 2R prefixes you will definitely want to ask which
DXCC country they are operating from as many logging programs will
automatically default these callsigns as England (G).  Here are some
examples of calls mentioned on the RSGB site:

G0ABC is amended to GR0ABC
GM0ABC is amended to GR0ABC
2E0ABC is amended to 2R0ABC
2W0ABC is amended to 2R0ABC
2J0ABC is amended to 2R0ABC
M1ABC is amended to MR1ABC
MI0ABC is amended to MR0ABC
MD6ABC is amended to MR6ABC
MU3ABC is amended to MR3ABC

It should be noted that callsigns from the UK do have a unique format.
For example G0XYZ can operate from any of the UK DXCC entities merely
by changing the prefix of his call (i.e. GD0XYZ, GI0XYZ, GJ0XYZ,
GM0XYZ, GU0XYZ and GW0XYZ).  There is only one person assigned the
0XYZ call.  There definitely will be some confusion as to which DXCC
Entity you have worked with these new temporary GR, MR and 2R
prefixes.  The easiest way is to drop the R from the prefix and look
up the call in QRZ.COM or Buckmaster.  If that call is not listed then
you will need to do some detective work by substituting the R for the
letters D, I, J, M, U or W (i.e. If GR0XYZ is not G0XYZ it could be
GD0XYZ, GI0XYZ, GJ0XYZ, GM0XYZ, GU0XYZ and GW0XYZ).  "Suffice to say
that serious DXers in UK are dissatisfied with this blurring of DXCC
indicators, and hope that those using the GR prefix will widely
publicise their DXCC country", says G3SXW, Roger Western.  UK DXers
can easily add their GR, MR or 2R callsigns to both QRZ.COM and
Buckmaster.

-- 
Jim Reisert AD1C, <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>, http://www.ad1c.us