1. SY prefix is not exclusively reserved for Mount Athos
2. I met Monk Apollo last Noevember in Mount Athos.
He told me about his complains about Greek Authorities
because they gave the SY prefix in various amateurs
(SY1D, SY1A, SY7LH) who have not transmit from Mount Athos
and of course count as Greece and not for Athos.
3. Only SY2A counts as Mount Athos and the qsl is via Monk Apollo.
Monk Apollo always reply if someone is ok in log but he is not member of
Greek buro.
Beside this you must know that Greek buro is not returning the qsl cards
for amateurs
who are not members.
Monks in Monastery of Dohiariou, where Monk Apollo lives, have a lot of
work
to do because they rebuild the monastery. They work 12 hours a day
(maybe more)
and they also have the church. Monk Apollo has not too much time for our
hobby.
4. After the Monk Apollo 's contact with the authorities, is very very
difficult this moment for someone to have a license for the SY prefix
but it is still permitted
5. According with a Ministry announce only J4 and SW prefixes is ok for
special prefix now
6. Recently i asked the SX for the upcoming WPX and the Ministry also
refused
7. The SZ prefix is ok only for the clubs now.
8. I think that Monk Apollo has right. SY prefix signifies that
someone is on Mount Athos and the most amateutrs will assume the same
when they hear it. I believe that Greek Authorities must give a prefix
exclusively to Mount Athos (maybe the SY2 ?).
Dont' t forget that this moment is only one active staion from there and
we all know him. I know at least 5 monks that have a radio amateur
license
and live in Mount Athos. There are more. Maybe someday (soon?) have
the license to transmit from there. It will be a confusion for all of us
with
many amateurs sign as /A.
With best regards for a happy new year
Kostas
SV1DPI
wc6dx wrote:
I was amused to read this article in the Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin #544. I was
SV0GC in Athens from 1986-1988 and frequently visited the Ministry of
Communications to apply for special prefixes. I used ALL available Greek
prefix blocks (J40GC, SV0GC, SW0GC, SX0GC, SY0GC, SZ0GC), plus the first
trinomic prefix issued, SV900GC. When I applied for the SY prefix, I asked
if it was reserved for Mount Athos. They said it was NOT exclusively
reserved, just a matter of custom. As an observation, my Greek ham friends
never assumed that an SY station was automatically Mount Athos. DX'ers just
need to get their qsl info correct and not bother Monk Apollo who has enough
legitimate requests, and we prefix hunters can continue to find SY and other
Greek prefixes on the air. 73, Will WC6DX - SV0GC
Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin #544 wrote:
SY (Prefix Confusion). OPDX has been informed by Denny, GW3CDP, that he
has recently received a letter from Monk Apollo, SV2ASP/A (also SY2A),
stating that there has been some confusion by DXers around the world
thinking they are working Mount Athos with the use of the special "SY"
prefix by Greek amateurs. The Greek Communications Authority has been
issuing the "SY" prefix for special event stations in Greece (SV), However,
Monk Apollo reports that he has been receiving QSL requests for these
contacts. He has been returning the QSLs explaining that their contacts
were not from Mount Athos; however, he states many don't believe him.
Monk Apollo has tried tp explain to the Greek authorities that the "SY"
prefix has always been the alternatate PREFIX fo Mount Athos. Some or
many may remember that Monk Apollo used the SY2A callsign for a few months
in 1999 as a special event. Monk Apollo is quite suprised that the powers
in Greece do not understand that the "SY" prefix signifies that he is
on Mount Athos and that radio amateurs world-wide will assume the same
when they hear it. Monk Apollo is still in contact with the Greek Authority
and will continue to try/convince them to stop further "SY" issued
callsigns.
---
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