[South Florida DX Association] VK9 C, L, M, N, W & X deleted from DX equation

[Bill]

 From Tony N2MFT

You are hereVK9 C, L, M, N, W & X deleted from DX equation


  VK9 C, L, M, N, W & X deleted from DX equation

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Submitted by Arvadmin on Fri, 23/10/2009 - 01:58

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has decided to 
discontinue the use of a VK9 callsign suffix letter to denote each of 
the six Australian external territories, each a DX entity.

The long-standing prefixes included VK9C for Cocos (Keeling) Island, 
VK9L Lord Howe Island, VK9M Mellish Reef, VK9N Norfolk Island, VK9W 
Willis Island and VK9X Christmas Island.

The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA), under its role of providing 
ham licence examinations and issuing amateur certificates of 
proficiency, also recommends each and every amateur callsign issued by 
the ACMA.

On taking on new roles earlier this year it began to query the practices 
in relation to VK9 callsigns, then consulted the amateur radio community 
and came to the view that it could not support having a suffix letter as 
a geographic identifier in VK9 callsigns.

The ACMA itself has not stuck with the VK9 callsign tradition over the 
years when issuing licences and some DXers requested a callsign contrary 
to the historic or DXCC list suffix block.

VK9Y has also been used for Cocos and VK9Z for Mellish, and often, 
particularly recently, if a VK9 callsign was requested it would be issued.

The ACMA having not rigidly applied its own VK9 callsign policy, and 
wanting to eliminate where-ever possible administrative tasks related to 
the amateur radio service, decided that the historic VK9 callsigns are a 
thing of the past.

 From 1 November, callsigns for the VK9 DX entities will fall in line 
with the practice for issuing callsigns for all other VK call areas, 
with the suffix only to denoting the class of licence issued – Advanced, 
Standard or Foundation.

Licences with a VK9 callsign issued to visiting overseas radio amateurs 
will only be for a short-term if requested or for a maximum 12 months 
period, and not be automatically renewed.

A VK ham or visiting radio amateur does not necessarily require a VK9 
callsign, although most do for DXing, contesting or QSLing purposes.

Under the provisions of the Amateur Licence Conditions Determination, 
portable operation is permitted with a radio amateur using their home 
callsign /VK9 and stating their location.

(Jim Linton VK3PC)