Call signs in Australia

Call signs in Australia are allocated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority and are unique for each broadcast station.

[citation needed] The International Telecommunication Union has assigned Australia the following call sign blocks for all radio communication, broadcasting or transmission:[1] While not directly related to call signs, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) further has divided all countries assigned amateur radio prefixes into three regions; Australia is located in ITU Region 3.

All radio call signs begin with a single-digit number indicating the state or territory, followed by two or three letters.

There is an urban myth that call signs were based on Australian military districts but this incorrect as the following list of military districts show: 1 = Queensland; 2 = New South Wales; 3 = Victoria; 4 = South Australia; 5 = Western Australia; 6 = Tasmania; 7 = Northern Territory; 8 = New Guinea, and Papua.

The Wireless Institute of Australia had the responsibility for the management of amateur station call signs from 2 March 2009 until February 2019 .

[10] Since 1 November 2009 callsigns in the VK9 region have been treated the same as all other call areas, and individual islands are no longer designated by a special letter.

[11] With the exception of repeaters and beacons, the ACMA removed the relationship between the first letter of a call and the type of licence as of July 29, 2020.

Advanced class operators had the option to apply for a limited number of special 2x1 call signs.

[13] Visiting amateurs holding a "full" callsign from a CEPT agreement (TR61/01) signing country PREFIX their home callsign with VKn/ (where n is the number for the state or territory they are in) and may operate for up to 3 months within Australia after which time application for a reciprocal licence under CEPT agreement TR61/02 is required.

In 1912 the first system of a designated range for each state was issued by the PMG Department based on an XAA–XZZ block of letters.

and VK3H-W. As of 19 September 1947 Australia adopted the ITU international[16] call sign protocol and recognised amateur radio stations as valid licensees.

Changes within Australia happened according to this table: Letters and numbers used by Australian stations: * Originally, radio callsigns in the ACT had the format 2xx(x), like those in New South Wales.