Ofcom Release Database of Issued UK Amateur Radio Callsigns

On 20th April 2021, in response to a Freedom of Information request, Ofcom released a database of 96,776 issued amateur radio callsigns for the UK and Crown Dependencies

The database can be useful for people wanting to apply for a specific call sign as it shows calls that are not available for issue.

Download the Issued Callsigns Database from - https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/718728/response/1773383/attach/10/List%20of%20issued%20Amateur%20callsigns.xlsx

The accompanying Ofcom FoI response letter - https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/718728/response/1773383/attach/9/IR%20List%20of%20available%20Amateur%20Radio%20Callsigns.pdf

To determine which callsigns might be available in addition to the database of issued callsigns you should also use the Ofcom database of Forbidden Suffixes - https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/file/0026/165734/allocated-reserved-forbidden-call-sign.csv

North American QSO Parties to Recognize Young Contester Entries

To encourage young radiosport participants, National Contest Journal (NCJ) will recognize their entries in the North American QSO Party (NAQP), starting with the August 2021 NAQP CW and NAQP SSB events. Following the lead of Youth on the Air (YOTA) in International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU), operators 25 years old and younger will be highlighted in the results.

The NAQP log upload app and 3830scores.com will include a “Youth (25 and under)” check box. Initially, the young operator designation will apply only to single-operator entries. This is not a separate category. Participants of any age will compete for awards in the regular single-operator category.

3830 Scores will display the young operator scores as an overlay to the single-operator group. NAQP line scores will note the young operator scores and a separate table of these scores will be included in the results and referenced in the NCJ “NextGen Contesters” column by Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

North American QSO Party (NAQP) - https://ncjweb.com/naqp/

WRTC 2022 Postponed Until 2023

World Radiosport Team Championship 2022 (WRTC 2022) has been postponed for 1 year. At the WRTC 2022 Association Assembly on 23rd April, the event’s Organizing Committee decided to put off WRTC 2022 until 2023 after consulting with the WRTC Sanctioning Committee.

“There have been no changes in the qualification process or to the overall structure of the event and its sponsoring committee. A detailed report on the qualification standings will be prepared and released at a later date. In consideration of the worldwide public health challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe our decision is reasonable.”

— Carlo de Mari, IK1HJS - WRTC 2022 Organizing Committee President

Further announcements will be forthcoming as new arrangements for the event have been made.