What Makes a Good CW Callsign?

The advantage of M0OOO is that you will be instantly recognised when activating (think G4SSH - whom everybody knew instantly!!). If you visit up here you would be able to put a brick on the key and prepare a brew (MM0OOO) :joy:

Other than that I would take the very sage advice of G3WGV

Edit: Incidentally, my callsign sucks even on SSB!

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Hi John

Congratulations and don’t worry too much about the callsign. Whatever you choose and the more you use it, it will become known and people will recognise you anyway.

73
Nick G4OOE

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Yes but only if you specialise in SOTA Nick will your call get known. We have to think of the wider general amateur radio world if John wishes to diversify from SOTA. Like you and others we had no choice when our calls were issued in 1980s and before, but as a DXer I always liked callsigns ending in DX, so when I had the chance to choose I did that.

Good luck with the CW, practice, practice practice is the key John!

73 Phil
G4OBK / OK8CDX

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Thank you everyone for all the replies. Much food for thought. I wouldn’t have thought about the potential confusion a C/S ending in K might create. Similarly one ending in TU might be problematic. M0IMI isn’t on QRZ and might be free but I suspect IMI might get confused with a question mark. :slight_smile:

I’ve had a quick check and the OFCOM website has opened a window, so to speak, for me to apply for the new licence but I’ll drink a cup of coffee or two first before making a choice.

Thanks again to everyone. :slight_smile:

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Not sure about the M0 being fixed as I believe that some of the old G4 calls which are no longer in use are being re-issued.

73 Victor GI4ONL / OK8VM / EI7KP

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If I were to apply for an English callsign, I’d no doubt prefer a G4 rather than a M0.
Cheers,

Guru

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Yes a very good point Phil. I was just thinking of the SOTA arena. When I was in Cyprus I was able to choose and I chose ZC4EE because at that time I was competing in cw contests and it was the briefest option available.

Nick
G4OOE ex ZC4EE

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Yes, I agree Guru John could go for a seemingly older G3 or G4 callsign, which is what I would do if in the same position. G would be preferable to me than M as the first letter.

There has been talk in the UK of “dead man’s calls” as some call them being reissued to new licencees after three years or more has elapsed since the orginal callsign holder has passed away. There must be some really good CW sounding G3 callsigns available but in my opinion if this practice is happening 3 years is too soon after a callsign may have been used to reissue it without the express permission of the deceased amateurs family.

73 Phil

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I agree Phil that three years is too soon to re-issue a deceased amateur’s callsign. I just couldn’t imagine, say another G4SSH after such a short period especially if the call was used in the SOTA world!

Cheers
Nick

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Bluntly, it’s nothing to do with the family, many of whom wont even know the callsign.

It is a government issued station ID and the fact we associate faces to calls is emphasised in the UK where calls are not reissued. Reissuing makes sense as there isn’t an infinite number of combinations.

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Well mine do, and my XYL wouldn’t wish the call be issued again in their own lifetime, she would find it upsetting. So do they do it for aircraft callsigns?

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The deed, for better or worse, is done and I am now M0WIV. :slight_smile:

M7WIV was my first callsign which I chose simply because I live in a place called Wiverton and I knew no better. When I first tried CW I struggled with the V and would send a U or a 4 instead but I’ve marginally improved since then and I think I can cope.

I was tempted by M0MOO which is available, but for once common sense prevailed. :slight_smile: None of my other choices, such as DDM, which I thought had a nice ring to it were available. Online there was no option to choose a G callsign. You are only invited to enter the three letter suffix. I guess you have to contact OFCOM for one of these but as I’m so very new to all this I’m not sure I want to give the impression of being a Ham Radio Elder. :slight_smile:

Rather than start a new thread I wonder if I could ask here if the MT could kindly change my username to M0WIV? @MM0FMF

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Congratulations on your new call and keep at the CW.

73 Victor

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If Ofcom are still issuing previously unissued calls from the G3/G4 group for example, then you need to contact them by phone, check the availability and normally they will keep it for a week, you fill in the form and then they send you the call and bill you £20 which you pay online in arrears. It’s what I had to do get M0TA.

I was under the impression they has stopped all the issuing of short calls and unissued old calls sometime back as it was a policy mistake but they were leaving the calls issued under the policy as valid.

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Done. You probably need to log out and log back in. And remember to type M0WIV!

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Many thanks! :slight_smile:

WIV that callsign John you should work a lot of stuff!

Good luck
Phil G4OBK/OK8CDX

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I feel for the guy that got EI5HH, I remember looking and it was issued, probably not a CW op.

Some of the EI guys might know. :slight_smile:

John VK6NU/EI8KU

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Brilliant John, I look forward to working you in cw soon!

All the best
Nick

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Congrats on your nice new callsign!

You may have to even Work In Vacations… :wink:

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