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<H1>VK9C, L, M, N, W & X deleted from DX equation</H1>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
has decided to discontinue the use of a <STRONG>VK9 callsign suffix
letter</STRONG> to denote each of the six Australian external territories, each
a DX entity.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA), under its role
of providing ham radio licence examinations and issuing amateur certificates of
proficiency, also recommends each and every amateur radio callsign issued by the
ACMA.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>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. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>A VK ham or visiting radio amateur does not necessarily
require a VK9 callsign, although most do for DXing, contesting or QSLing
purposes.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma> </FONT></P>
<P><EM><STRONG><FONT face=Tahoma>Jim Linton
VK3PC</FONT></STRONG></EM><BR><BR></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>