Club Calls and SOTA

The MT would like to remind everyone about the rules concerning club call signs and club accounts.

Operation using a club callsign is allowed. How these QSOs are logged depends on how the operation took place.

When you operate using a club call sign you must ensure you are not using extra privileges of that club callsign you do not have on your own licence. If you do use those privileges then the points go to the club call sign holder not you. What this means is as long you operate using the same power, frequency and mode limits of your own licence then you can use the club call sign. You log the QSOs in your own account but the call sign used will be the club call.

An example. I have a UK full licence with all the privileges and also hold a club licence with the call G3PYU. I can allow anyone with a UK licence to use G3PYU. I am allowed to use up to 400W and so is anyone using the club licence. I can use it and the points I earn go to me. I can allow someone with a UK Foundation Licence (10W power limit) to use the club call. They could operate at any power level up to 400W even though their personal limit is 10W.

If they operate at 10W and use G3PYU the QSOs get logged in their account. If they use more power then they cannot log QSOs in their own account… they gained an advantage using the club licence and so the points go to me in this case.

In the US, differing licence levels have frequency limits. Fred KT5X is an Advance Extra and holds club call WS0TA. If he allows someone with a US Technician licence to use WS0TA then the QSOs go to their account as long as they only used US Technician powers and sub-bands.

This applies to club call signs and not personal call signs. If you operate using someone else’s personal call sign for whatever reason, the points go to the call sign holder not the operator.

One last point, clubs are not allowed to have an account on the database, the QSOs made using the club callsign either go to the operator or to the holder of the club call sign. Whenever I find a club account, I contact the person who set it up and help them move the QSOs to the correct place.

2 Likes

Hi Andy,
Spot of clarification, the Foundation or Intermediate Licence holder may only operate Amateur Radio equipment using a Full Club Call under the direct supervision of the licensee, or under the supervision of another Club member holding a Full licence and authorised to do so by the licensee. See Licence 3(2) and 3(4)

Regards
David

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the clarification - I have deleted one “chase” that I claimed whilst operating in a contest under someone else’s personal call sign. Happily not too traumatic! :smile:

Adrian
G4AZS

We (MT) assume you are doing everything legally for your licence/country. If the UK says “under supervision” we assume that was taking place. Likewise if The People’s Republic of Elbonia says you don’t need direct supervision, then we accept that for Elbonian stations.

What we want to do is allow club station use AS LONG AS the person using the club licence doesn’t get an effective free licence upgrade by running on frequencies they can’t normally use for example. Or access to more power.

Just an insignificant point of clarification.

The top license class in the U.S. is Amateur Extra. Then we still have about 45,000 grandfathered currently licensed Advanced Class operators in the FCC database. The FCC is just too stubborn to grant Advanced operators a path to an automatic Extra “upgrade”. Just do it already!!! Extra really is not all that special to deserve such an exclusive club.

There is not now and never has been an “Advance Extra” license class. But who knows what the future will bring.

In that case, surely it would not be too difficult for you to do the 50-question (Element 4) exam? Problem solved! If you have an unexpired Advanced Class License, you already have credit for Elements 2 and 3.

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

Guys, leave it there. This is off-topic to both this thread and SOTA, and is the sort of material that causes acrimonious discussions on the Zed or eham so port it there!

Brian (wearing Moderators hat)