People will add all sorts of cute (to them) suffixes which will be ignored by everyone who doesn’t think the suffix is cute (mostly everyone else). And it will stop being a thing as soon as the novelty wears off.
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Perhaps it would have been better if Ofcom had used the term “extension” rather than suffix, but we all know what they meant.
Yes this new “feature” can be abused but I see the possibilities as well - for example for a club station at a particular event, rather than having the delay of applying for a NoV for a special event call sign for a (perhaps) one-day event, they could use the standard club call sign Slash event indication. So for example (Normal club callsign)/JOTA when supporting the Scouts Jamboree on the air event.
Just my 2-pfennig worth.
Ed.
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Special event callsign are managed online Ed. Go to website, fill in details, NoV available instantly.
Everyone was invited to comment on the change. Approx 1000 out of 100000 (but that could really about 30000) could be bothered of which the majority who were bothered supported the change. People had a chance and did nothing so it’s too late to complain now. If you didn’t voice a concern when specifically invited too then I, personally, have no sympathy if you don’t like the result.
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What issue?
We currently have to use RSLs when appropriate. In the near future we will be able to choose whether we want to use them. There are many issues in my life, but this isn’t one of them. And as for the suffixes; if they are optional to use, I will make it optional whether I log them.
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By that logic you will make logging RSLs optional, too!
As far as I can tell the main story is that OfCOM are not really interested. The “value” of the HF and possibly VHF parts of the RF spectrum has (in my opinion) decreased. It isn’t that long ago that MW and LW were full of broadcast stations, and the rest of the HF spectrum was fairly packed, and it appears that there are less users - and in the case of broadcast many less listeners. I believe that as far as possible OfCOM would like us to do as much of the management of the amateur bits as we can - probably as it doesn’t have capacity to do much even if it wanted to…
I would also guess that OfCOM has rather got its hands full, it does not seem very effective at managing devices that emit RF noise, and I believe that one of their projects - the shared rural network which was supposed to improve mobile phone signals in rural areas has rather failed to keep to its timescale (https://totaltele.com/shared-rural-network-facing-two-year-delay/). There is also the issue of the roll out of FTTP and the provision of broadband to contend with…
…my prediction (which I hope does not come true) is that the HF / VHF spectrum will continue to be less useful as more is done by microwave / satellite / fibre until there is a significant problem (Ransomware attack, Problem with GPS timekeeping or a really big solar storm like the Carrington Event) and suddenly the authorities will rediscover how useful HF / VHF analogue systems are in that they require no external time source, work without a satellite and suddenly there will be much more interest in the spectrum….and OfCOM will look again at the rules …
de G(E?)4IPB
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Those two would go together!
Recent investigations have revealed two Carrington type events have occurred since the original one in 1859, both probably less intense, causing few problems at the time but capable of causing extensive damage to modern infrastructures, so such events are more likely than previously considered. I think your comments are prophetic.
This is spot on.
We tend to see things through the lens of our hobby but Ofcom have their hands full elsewhere. The hint was when they scrapped the UK licence fee. Obviously, the revenue was less important than reducing the administrative overhead. Also, the cynics among you [like me] will conclude making us non-fee-paying weakens our influence in future decision making.
I read that that licensing authorities like the FCC and Ofcom view radio amateurs as rules abiding, self policing and technically competent so Ofcom trust us to get on with it. Long gone are the days when they funded staff to drive round in detector vans trying to locate schoolboys building and operating 5W AM pirate stations [Halcyon days!]
The license changes (increased privileges, optional rather than mandatory designations, simplification of bureaucracy, etc) are consistent with that.
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Fraser hit the nail on the head - it’s a big fuss about very little. Of course the consultation has all been about handing more control over so that we can regulate ourselves. We’ve been given more privileges at all licence levels, so there’s little to complain about. There’s greater opportunities, but then we can carry on as normal too.
Paul IPB is probably right, services via old school RF are diminishing as we stream more and more. Even my car streams music from the internet. My TV signal is so weak at home that it’s easier just to stream via the internet than get a bigger and better antenna for the roof.
I think the novelty of callsign appendages will wear off quickly and it will be very much business as normal. I also don’t see a massive rush to go out and buy amplifiers, those that have them will run them at the same levels as before!
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If it were up to me, you would be MM/M0EFI/P
You’re a British amateur, so we should all just do away with the secondary identifier!
If a Dutch station came to Scotland, they would be MM/PA, in Wales they would be MW/PA, in England M/PA
So why don’t we just follow the same rule?
Very much tongue in cheek!
As most say, it does not really matter!! Just get on with walking up hills and playing radio!
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In the days when I was only active on V/UHF, the secondary identifier was very useful. If I heard a GM/MM I turned the beam north, if I heard GW/EI I turned the beam west, if I heard GI/GD I turned the beam northwest, if I heard GJ…but you get the picture! Indeed, I was initially active only on 70cms with relatively primitive valve equipment, and believe me, GM was rare DX! As for the British bit, we are in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, UK for short, comprised of several different countries, each with their own languages and traditions, and the secondary identifier respects that.
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Then there are the others GJ, GU and GD none of which are UK therefore a good reason to retain regional identifiers.
In fact, I have great difficulty remembering to drop the “M” when not in GM; but then I sometimes have difficulty remembering 
After 16 years living in Scotland [where I got my ‘A’ license, MM0ALC) I had the same problem for a while when moving south.
I wonder if anyone has driven (or more safely, been driven) down the A74(M) whilst having, say, a 2m QSO with GM prefix, and crossed the Anglo-Scottish border and completed the QSO with G prefix. Or, even more perversely, stood at the border having a QSO and deliberately crossed and recrossed to switch between prefixes.
BTW: don’t get me started on why the M74 isn’t designated “M74” for its entire length.
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Oh, you mean the M6 to its junction with the M8 in Glasgow. Once the missing link was finished between the Scottish Border and the start of the then M6 (heading south) at Carlise (now in place - bashed about for many years between Transport Scotland & Highways England as to was going to pay for it) this name change was suppose to happen, but so far has-nae!
Sorry for being way off the Posting Topic - hi!
(;>J
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As a off topic note, check out Auto Shinagins/Secrets of the motorway on YouTube - I think he covered this
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Me!
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And me!
Re the M74. Yes, it should be M6 all the way to Glasgow!
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I activated Peel Fell (G/SB-004) as G4IPB/P but the AZ is on both sides of the border so it would be possible to activate using two different calls on the same summit… Any Welsh ones on the border?
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GW/SW-041 Black Mountain was originally G/CE-001 but they moved the summit.
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