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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!wjh12!talcott!harvard!seismo!brl-tgr!wmartin
From: wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin )
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Subject: Commemorative callsigns
Message-ID: <6186@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 29-Nov-84 15:07:51 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.6186
Posted: Thu Nov 29 15:07:51 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Dec-84 06:52:04 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
Lines: 25

I've seen several notices in this newsgroup, and also seen and heard
references in other ham publications and radio programs, referring to
the use and authorization of "commemorative" or "special-event" callsigns.
It seems that these are usually just a replacement of the normal prefix
of a callsign with some other prefix, and effective for a limited time.

My query is, basically, "why?" -- I understand a special callsign for
a special-purpose station, like one at a World's Fair, with a call
like "W85WF" or something for the "1985 World's Fair". But how does
letting hams use an extra letter "F" or something in their calls "honor"
or "commemorate" the sequicentennial of the invention of the combine,
or the state visit of the Maharajah of Ummagumma? Usually the special
prefix doesn't seem to be a mnemonic related to the event or occasion,
even.

Do those of you who are active hams ever use the special calls? I would think
that you are proud of your call as is, you have devised clever acronyms
or phonetic spellings related to it, and you have no real interest in
using a different one for a week or month. Am I right in this?

Are these things really worthwhile or just gimmicks?

Will Martin

USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin     or   ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA