3-letter calls for all Advanced, Standard and FOUNDATION licensees..

[VK4ADC]

Well it is finally happening.  An email from the ACMA today contains the following link : :

https://acma.cmail19.com/t/d-l-clijdiy-tlidalhdr-t/


Changes to call signs

We are making changes that will facilitate access to a wider range of digital modes for foundation licensees, and provide a ‘call sign for life’ for all licensees by:  

•  allowing all amateurs to obtain a three-letter call sign
  
  
• removing the association between call sign suffixes and qualifications. 
  
  

If you have a foundation, standard or advanced licence, you can apply to the AMC for any available three-letter call sign. 

You can also keep your current call sign if you wish, including if you get a new qualification (for example, going from foundation to standard, or standard to advanced).

Two-letter call signs remain available to advanced licensees only. 

Call signs and state/territory identifiers

Call signs traditionally indicated the state or territory where an amateur resides—for example, VK3 indicates that the licensee resides in Victoria.

Applying for new call signs

If you’re applying for a new call sign, you’ll continue to be issued with a call sign that indicates your state or territory of residence. 

Moving interstate or changing location

It has been long-standing operational policy that amateurs moving interstate must get a new call sign. However, it is no longer a requirement to get a new call sign when you move interstate, although you can get one if you wish. 

Under the LCD, if you’re going to operate an amateur station at a different location for a continuous period longer than four months (or seven days for a repeater or beacon), you should ask the ACMA to consider varying the licence to change the location. 

[VK4SMJ]

$35 a pop... nice little earner. But glad it's finally arrived.

[VK4ADC]

From AMC info sheets released as PDFs on 30/7/2020 :


NEW CALLSIGN TEMPLATE - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Effective 30 July 2020 there will be no new four-letter callsigns issued.
Q: I like my 4-letter F-callsign. Can I keep it?
A: Yes
Q: I prefer the 4-letter F-callsign. Can I apply for a new one of these?
A: No
Q: I am an FL, upgrading to Standard – can I keep my 4 letter callsign?
A: No – you must apply for a 3 letter callsign.
Q: I am an FL with a 4-letter callsign. Do I have to pay for a new 3-letter callsign?
A: Yes. The AMC Fee and the relevant ACMA fee apply.
Q: I have a Standard licence, I would like to change my callsign. Do I have to pay a fee?
A: Yes. The AMC Fee and the relevant ACMA fee apply.
Q: I need a new repeater or beacon callsign. Does anything change?
A: No – you will be issued with a R series callsign as per normal.
Q: I have an advanced Licence and would like to apply for a 2 x 1 callsign. What contests can I use the callsign in?
A: Any local or international contest.
Q: My club would like to apply for a 2 x 1 callsign. What grade of licence do we need?
A: Your club needs an Advanced licence.
Q: I would like to apply for two 2 x 1 callsigns.
A: 2 x 1 callsigns are limited to one per licencee and one per club.


...and....

NEW AMATEUR CALLSIGN TEMPLATE
The amateur callsign template has been revised as follows.
Licence class
Callsign Format (Note 1)
Advanced
VK$aa,
VJ$a, VK$a, VL$a (Note 2)

Advanced
Standard
Foundation
VK$aaa-VK$zzz (Note 3)

Repeater
Beacon
VK$Raa-VK$Rzz
(no change)
Notes:
1. The current State/territory numeric indicator ($) remains, i.e.:
0 = Antarctica
1 = Australian Capital Territory
2 = New South Wales
3 = Victoria
4 = Queensland
5 = South Australia
6 = Western Australia
7 = Tasmania
8 = Northern Territory
9 = Australian External Territories
2. 2 x 1 callsigns are to be used for contest operation only and are limited to one per licencee (individual or club).
3. No further Fxxx series callsigns will be issued.
IMPORTANT NOTICES
1. Due to the high volume of requests to change callsigns our priority will be new callsigns. Changes to callsigns will be processed as the team is able to get to them and we would ask for your understanding if there is a delay.
2. We are currently amending our systems and forms for the new 2 x 1 callsign template (e.g. VK1Z). We will advise when we are ready to issue these callsigns.


Editor PS :  Note bold format prefixes for 2X1 issues.  New options !

[VK5TM]

I see AMC are overstepping their authority again viz:

Q: I am an FL, upgrading to Standard – can I keep my 4 letter callsign?
A: No – you must apply for a 3 letter callsign.

And from the ACMA website:

If you have a foundation, standard or advanced licence, you can apply to the AMC for any available three-letter call sign. 

You can also keep your current call sign if you wish, including if you get a new qualification (for example, going from foundation to standard, or standard to advanced).

[VK5PJ]

One question that comes from this, is how does a repeater owner with a linked UHF system deal with the need for a foundation call not to appear on a band they are not licensed for? This thorny one came up for Novice calls and was current for Foundation calls but now if there is no way to tell, how do you know to advice an OP not to use that system?

[VK3RX]

As we are all required to operate within the terms of our particular level of license, one would assume that a FL holder would find out what band(s) a linked repeater outputs on, and not operate on one that outputs on a band they aren't permitted to use.

If in doubt, a check of the ACMA register would indicate the level of license held?

[VK7HH]

Also it's not an amateurs job to police who is allowed on what bands etc, so I don't really see an issue. That's the ACMA's job to do.

If someone suspects someone is on a band they are not allowed on, a simple check on the ACMA database will either confirm or deny that and the relevant user can be reported to the ACMA if they continue to be uncompliant.