Hi Robert.
>> Ah! That could cause a problem. However, there is one
>> possibility that could deal with that for you, as a side-effect
>> of the British licensing system: Remember that ANY of the
>> following would be valid as your German callsign:
>> DC/G8JVM <= If you leave from England
>> DC/GD7JVM <= If you leave from the Isle of Man
>> DC/GI7JVM <= If you leave from Ireland
>> DC/GJ7JVM <= If you leave from Jersey
>> DC/GM7JVM <= If you leave from Scotland
>> DC/GU7JVM <= If you leave from Guernsey
>> DC/GW7JVM <= If you leave from Wales
>> As a result, you only need to cross the relevant internal border
>> before heading to Germany and you have two distinct callsigns
>> that can be used at opposite ends of your travels, both of which
>> are assigned to you.
>> For those interested, the above is a consequence of the text in
>> note (w) to BR68 which states the regional locator to be used
>> depending on precicely where within the UK one is, and the fact
>> that as far as one's licence is concerned, one is not required
>> to notify either the RA or SSL that one has crossed the said
>> border.
> Funny stuff you got there, just swapping your prefix.
It's a result of the fact that they have separate legal systems, but
are all administered from the same place.
As an example, let's take a virtual tour of the UK.
1. Home for me is Hillhead, Aberdeen, Scotland, where I have the
callsign GM7GOD. This is a Full Class B licence, or VHF+.
2. I get in my car and drive to Aberdeen Docks. I therefore have
the callsign GM7GOD/M.
3. I get out of my car and walk around the docks. Confusingly, I
have the callsign GM7GOD/M whilst doing so.
4. I get back in my car and drive to Cairn O'Mount, where the
local ham radio club has a contest station in action. On the
way there, I'm GM7GOD/M.
5. On arriving there, I get out and spend time on one of the VHF
contest station posts. I therefore become GB1ABN/P.
6. I finish my stint on the said post, and walk over to the kids
area, where a JOTA station is operating on UHF. I spend some
time operating that station whilst the regular operator has a
break, becoming GM7GOD/P whilst doing so.
7. I drive home and get a good night's rest.
8. I drive to Aberdeen Airport, being GM7GOD/M on the way.
9. I board a flight from Aberdeen to Bristol. At this stage, I
temporarily lose all amateur radio privelidges since the UK
licence does not permit Aero Mobile operation.
10. I get off the plane at Bristol airport and collect the hire car.
Since Luton is in England, I am now G7GOD/M.
11. I drive from Luton to Cardiff. Whilst in England, I remain as
G7GOD/M but the moment I cross the Welsh border, I become
GW7GOD/M. I drop the hire car off in Cardiff.
12. I visit a friend in Cardiff with a Full Class A (All band)
licence, and operate his station under her supervision. I
therefore become MW0QSO whilst doing so. No, my voice does
not sound anything like hers!
13. I go sailing in the Bristol Channel with her and her husband.
I therefore become GW7GOD/MM when operating on VHF, but when
operating their ship-borne HF rig under her supervision, I
become MW0QSO/MM instead.
14. We sail round the coast of Wales and up the Irish Sea. This
means that I remain as GW7GOD/MM or MW7QSO/MM depending on
which band I am operating on.
15. We call at Douglas, where they have a second, holiday home.
This being on the Isle of Man, I become GD7GOD/M and we stay
there for a few days before sailing on.
16. We sail into Belfast Harbour to pick up some supplies. Since
this is in Ireland, I become GI7GOD/MM or MI0QSO/MM based on
which band I am using.
17. I leave them at Belfast Harbour to visit some Irish hams I
made contact with on the way. I therefore become GI7GOD/M.
18. After a few days staying with them, I fly to St Peter Port.
Again, whilst in the plane, I am without ham privelidges, but
on arrival at St Peter Port, I become GU7GOD/M.
19. After a week's holiday in St Peter Port, I sail across to
St Helier. On the journey over, I am GU7GOD/MM, but on my
arrival, I become GJ7GOD/M as St Helier is on Jersey.
20. I spend three days with my sister near St Helier, which I
have registered with the RA as an Alternate Station Address,
during which time I am GJ7GOD.
21. I fly back from St Helier to Aberdeen, again losing my ham
privelidges in the air, and becoming GM7GOD/M on arrival
back in Aberdeen.
22. I get in my car and drive home, becoming GM7GOD on arrival.
Count the callsigns I had the pleasure of using on that trip...
> The last time I tried to get a British (reciprocal) license,
> they told me I couldn't, since I wasn't fourteen at that time...
> so I collected a few others ;-)
That has been part of the UK licence for many years, but I vaguely
remember hearing that the said clause has been rescinded. Certainly,
the UK novice licence has no minimum age clause.
> German born, then 9 years USA, now 14 years DL... I can't say
> that I've had problems with either country.
UK born, 10 years living in just about every country in the world,
then the next 30 years primarily living in the UK. Never had problems
in any country...
> I think I'd even survive the
> land-where-people-drive-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road. ;-)
You're presumably referring to Italy, where they drive in the centre
of the road?
Best wishes from Riley.
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| There is something frustrating about the quality and speed of Linux |
| development, ie., the quality is too high and the speed is too high, |
| in other words, I can implement this XXXX feature, but I bet someone |
| else has already done so and is just about to release their patch. |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
* ftp://ftp.MemAlpha.cx/pub/rhw/Linux
* http://www.MemAlpha.cx/kernel.versions.html
