Call signs in Oceania are currently voluntary in Australia radio and TV station, and were previously compulsory in New Zealand. In both countries, stations like 2GB and Newstalk ZB continue to use parts of the call signs in their branding.
The International Telecommunication Union has assigned countries in the Oceania the following call sign blocks for all radio communication, broadcasting or transmission:International Telecommunication Union country call sign assignments
History
The conference held in 1927 assigned call prefixes mainly to colonial powers. The only modern Oceanic nation mentioned was an Anglo-French condominium lasting from 1906 until 1980, when the New Hebrides gained their independence as Vanuatu. New Hebrides was assigned YHA–YHZ.
The 1947 Atlantic City ITU Conference reallocated call sign blocks some developing island nations.International Telecommunication Convention Atlantic City 1947 This time New Hebrides was assigned YJA–YJZ. All other islands were assigned call prefixes according to their colonial or protectorate status.
Since 1947 and the various independence movements, new call signs were assigned by the ITU or a new host country. This is particularly true of Japanese territories occupied by the United States following WWII.
Melanesia
Call sign block Melanesia Approx. # hamsCallsign divisions listed by prefix3DN–3DZ Fiji (incl. Conway Reef, Rotuma)384FK New Caledonia (France)266P2A–P2Z Papua New Guinea230H4A–H4Z Solomon Islands91YJA–YJZ Vanuatu121
Micronesia
Call sign block Micronesia Approx. # hamsV6A–V6Z Federated States of Micronesia192AH2, KH2, NH2, WH2 Guam (USA)T3A–T3Z Kiribati57V7A–V7Z Marshall Islands118C2A–C2Z Nauru41AH0, KH0, NH0, WH0 Northern Mariana Islands (USA)121T8A–T8Z Palau201AH9, KH9, NH9, WH9 Wake Island (USA)
Polynesia
Call sign block Polynesia Approx. # hamsAH8, KH8, NH8, WH8 American Samoa (USA)CE0(A, E, F, Y), XQ0Y, XR0(Y, Z) Easter Island (Chile)FO French Polynesia (France)400AH6/7, KH6/7, NH6/7, WH6/7 Hawaii (USA)VP6 Pitcairn Islands (UK)375WA–5WZ Samoa113A3A–A3Z Tonga179T2A–T2Z Tuvalu48
While not directly related to call signs, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) further has divided all countries assigned amateur radio prefixes into three regions; countries and territories in Oceania are located in ITU Region 3. They cover CQ Zones 27, 28, 31, 32 and 12.
Deleted or changed entities
These are the deleted or changed DXCC entities in Oceania since World War II:
Call sign block Deleted entity Changed to New prefixKR6 KR8, JR6, KA6 Okinawa (US military) Japan JR6RAA–JR6ZZZ, JS6KA0 Iwo Jima (US military) Japan JD1KC6 Eastern Carolines Micronesia V6KC6 Western Carolines Palau T8JZ0 7J1 PK5 Netherlands New Guinea Irian Jaya (Indonesia) YB9VR6 Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands VP6KA#, KB6, KC#, KG USA Islands standard US prefix KH#
Amateur radio call signs
Amateur radio or ham radio call signs are unique identifiers for more than 2,500 licensed operators in the western Pacific. Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally by island national entities, some of which are independent countries and others are under colonial administration. For the purposes of this article, Australia, its dependencies and New Zealand are excluded. Also not included are Oceanic Indonesian areas of Irian Jaya and the Maluku Islands.
Since call sign allocation from the International Telegraph Union is administered by national political authorities and international mandates, it is a story of colonial transition within the 20th Century.
References
External links AC6V call sign history page International Telecommunication Union country call sign assignments CQ Zone map