Call sign

A call sign (also station identifier ) is used according to the regulations of the International Telecommunication Union ( ITU) to identify a radio station. In the radio services in which a call sign is used, the call sign nomination in accordance with the Radio Regulations Radio Regulations by the International Buchstabiertafel specified therein Appendix 14 must be made in international radio communications.

• 4.1 callsign of Coast Stations
• 4.2 callsign of ship stations

General

A call sign is a sequence of letters and numbers that are formed according to certain schemes. The first character that ITU prefix used to identify the nationality of the radio station. These prefixes are defined by the ITU and allocated to the States in one or more blocks. They usually consist of two characters, one of which is at least one letter. Some larger countries prefixes are used from only one character, and in exceptional cases three characters are used.

For better distinction and easier handling when assigning the radio stations of different radio services are allocated call sign for specific schemes:

The historical development of the prefixes for the German-speaking countries is shown in the following table:

The callsign will be awarded accordingly by the national administrative authorities, taking into account the given prefixes. In this case, not all possibilities are perceived to callsign education. In Germany, the callsign awarded by the Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway ( FNA ).

In the United States, television stations and radio stations report traditionally associated with their radio call sign instead of the station name.

Callsign in the amateur radio service

Callsign be regularly sent to the amateur service in general. The allocation of rings to the individual radio stations or licensees according to specific schemes that take into account, for example, the license classes, geographical location or the use of the radio station ( for example, as a club station or repeater station).

Radio call sign in aviation

In aviation, a distinction is made between aeronautical stations and aircraft stations.

Callsign of ground stations

The call sign of a ground station consists of a place-name or the name of a ground station and one of the function names listed below.

Call sign of aircraft stations

Call sign of aircraft stations must meet one of the following types:

The call sign of aircraft stations must not be changed during the flight, unless the ground station has been explicitly assigned to another call sign to avoid confusion. Under certain conditions, the use of abbreviated call sign is allowed.

Examples

• The Tower in Munich ( ground station ) is called tower after the above-mentioned scheme ( place name function) in English as Munich Tower or on German Munich.

• An Austrian motor glider with the registration OE - 9315 is Oscar - echo - nine- three-one - five- launched (type a) 1 ). Shortened Callsign: Oscar -one or five Oscar - three-one - five

• A Lufthansa Boeing with the registration D - ABCD flying with the flight number LH- 7810, Delta - Alpha - Bravo - Charlie - Delta could be called ( shortened Delta Charlie Delta ). But is usual type c ), ie Lufthansa -Seven -Eight -One -Zero in scheduled and charter flights.

• Special callsign type d ) are, for example, Christoph -one - nine: German rescue helicopter are prefixed with Christoph followed by a number or the location (eg Christoph Regensburg ) called.
• Air Force One: call sign of an aircraft of the U.S. Air Force, which has the current President of the United States on board. When Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, started the car with the call sign Air Force One from Andrews Air Force Base. The moment when Gerald Ford took off his oath of office and thus Nixon was no longer President, the callsign of this aircraft SAM 26000 was changed ( SAM means Special Air Mission ).

Radio call sign in the maritime

In the maritime mobile service is a distinction between coast stations and ship stations.

Callsign of Coast Stations

Is for the use of Morse code or a coast station has been assigned a call sign, eg DAN for Utlandshörn or DHS for Rügen radio (up to about 1980, then Y5M ). When using radio coast stations are not called with a call sign, but with her name. The name is composed of the place name and followed by the word " radio " or eg "Lock ". Similarly, a coast station is uniquely identified by its call number of the maritime mobile service ( MMSI ) for the global maritime distress and safety system ( GMDSS).

Call sign of ship stations

Each ship station has a distinctive ring, which is composed of more than one letter or combination of letters and numbers. A call sign identifies a ship station clearly, that is, each call is assigned only once.

When entered in the register of ships ships the discrimination signal is the same call sign, eg DRAX for the Gorch Fock.

Ship stations can be called in addition also the name of the vessel on which they are located. Similarly, a ship station is uniquely identified by its call number of the maritime mobile service ( MMSI ) for the global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS ).