The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) allocates call sign prefixes for radio and television stations of all types.[1] They also form the basis for, but may not exactly match, aircraft registration identifiers. These prefixes are agreed upon internationally, and are a form of country code. A call sign can be any number of letters and numerals but each country must only use call signs that begin with the characters allocated for use in that country.
With regard to the second and/or third letters in the prefixes in the list below, if the country in question is allocated all callsigns with A to Z in that position, then that country can also use call signs with the digits 0 to 9 in that position. For example, the United States is assigned KA–KZ, and therefore can also use prefixes like K1 or K9.
While ITU prefix rules are adhered to in the context of international broadcasting, including amateur radio, it is rarer for countries to assign broadcast call signs to conventional AM, FM, and television stations with purely domestic reach; the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Argentina are among those that do. Canada presents one notable exception to the ITU prefix rules: Since 1936, it has used CB for its own Canadian Broadcasting Corporation stations, whereas Chile is officially assigned the CB prefix. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada's broadcasting rules indicate this is through a "special arrangement", without elaborating.[2] In any case, the two countries are geographically separate enough to prevent confusion; Canada's shortwave broadcasters and amateur radio stations have always used one of its assigned ITU prefixes.
Unallocated and unavailable call sign prefixes
[edit]Unallocated: The following call sign prefixes are available for future allocation by the ITU. (x represents any letter; n represents any digit from 2–9.)
- E8, E9, H5, J9, On, S4, T9*, Un, V9, Xn, YZ*, Z4–Z7, Z9, 4N*.
(* Indicates a prefix that has recently been returned to the ITU.)[Note 1]
Unavailable: Under present ITU guidelines the following call sign prefixes shall not be allocated.[3] They are sometimes used unofficially – such as amateur radio operators operating in a disputed territory or in a nation state that has no official prefix (e.g. S0 in Western Sahara or station 1A0 at Knights of Malta headquarters in Rome). (x represents any letter; n represents any digit from 2–9.)
- nn, x0, x1, 0x, 1x, Qx.
- no prefixes beginning with Q are used—they may be confused with Q codes. Note that this applies to prefixes only - suffixes are the responsibility of the allocating country.
- no prefixes with the digits 1 or 0 are used—they may be confused with the letters I or O.
- two digit prefixes (nn) are not as yet considered by the ITU.
Allocation table
[edit]View as grid chart | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First character A | First character C | |||||||||||||||||||
AA-AI: US |
CA-CE: CL |
CF-CI: CA | ||||||||||||||||||
AJ-AL: US |
AM-AO: ES |
AP-AR: PK |
CJ-CK: CA |
CL-CM: CU |
CN: MA |
CO: CU |
CP: BO |
CQ-CR: PT | ||||||||||||
AS: PK |
AT-AW: IN |
AX: AU |
AY-AZ: AR |
A0: N/A |
CS-CU: PT |
CV-CX: UY |
CY-CZ: CA |
C0: N/A | ||||||||||||
A1: N/A |
A2: BW |
A3: TO |
A4: OM |
A5: BT |
A6: AE |
A7: QA |
A8: LR |
A9: BH |
C1: N/A |
C2: NR |
C3: AD |
C4: CY |
C5: GM |
C6: BS |
C7: XM |
C8-C9: MZ | ||||
First character D | First character E | |||||||||||||||||||
DA-DI: DE |
EA-EH: ES |
EI: IE | ||||||||||||||||||
DJ-DR: DE |
EJ: IE |
EK: AM |
EL: LR |
EM-EO: UA |
EP-EQ: IR |
ER: MD | ||||||||||||||
DS-DT: KR |
DU-DZ: PH |
D0: N/A |
ES: EE |
ET: ET |
EU-EW: BY |
EX: KG |
EY: TJ |
EZ: TM |
E0: N/A | |||||||||||
D1: N/A |
D2-D3: AO |
D4: CV |
D5: LR |
D6: KM |
D7-D9: KR |
E1: N/A |
E2: TH |
E3: ER |
E4: PS |
E5: CK |
E6: N/A |
E7: BA |
E8-E9: N/A | |||||||
First character H | First character J | |||||||||||||||||||
HA: HU |
HB: CH(LI) |
HC-HD: EC |
HE: CH |
HF: PL |
HG: HU |
HH: HT |
HI: DO |
JA-JI: JP | ||||||||||||
HJ-HK: CO |
HL: KR |
HM: KP |
HN: IQ |
HO-HP: PA |
HQ-HR: HN |
JJ-JR: JP | ||||||||||||||
HS: TH |
HT: NI |
HU: SV |
HV: VA |
HW-HY: FR |
HZ: SA |
H0: N/A |
JS: JP |
JT-JV: MG |
JW-JX: NO |
JY: JO |
JZ: ID |
J0: N/A | ||||||||
H1: N/A |
H2: CY |
H3: PA |
H4: SB |
H5: N/A |
H6-H7: NI |
H8-H9: PA |
J1: N/A |
J2: DJ |
J3: GD |
J4: GR |
J5: GW |
J6: LC |
J7: DM |
J8: VC |
J9: N/A | |||||
First character L | First character O | |||||||||||||||||||
LA-LI: NO |
OA-OC: PE |
OD: LB |
OE: AT |
OF-OI: FI | ||||||||||||||||
LJ-LN: NO |
LO-LR: AR |
OJ: FI |
OK-OL: CZ |
OM: SK |
ON-OR: BE | |||||||||||||||
LS-LW: AR |
LX: LU |
LY: LT |
LZ: BG |
L0: N/A |
OS-OT: BE |
OU-OZ: DK |
O0: N/A | |||||||||||||
L1: N/A |
L2-L9: AR |
O1-O9: N/A | ||||||||||||||||||
First character P | First character S | |||||||||||||||||||
PA-PI: NL |
SA-SI: SE | |||||||||||||||||||
PJ: AN |
PK-PO: ID |
PP-PR: BR |
SJ-SM: SE |
SN-SR: PL | ||||||||||||||||
PS-PY: BR |
PZ: SR |
P0: N/A |
SS: EG/SD |
ST: SD |
SU: EG |
SV-SZ: GR |
S0: N/A | |||||||||||||
P1: N/A |
P2: PG |
P3: CY |
P4: AW |
P5-P9: KP |
S1: N/A |
S2-S3: BD |
S4: N/A |
S5: SI |
S6: SG |
S7: SC |
S8: ZA |
S9: ST | ||||||||
First character T | First character U | |||||||||||||||||||
TA-TC: TR |
TD: GT |
TE: CR |
TF: IS |
TG: GT |
TH: FR |
TI: CR |
UA-UI: RU | |||||||||||||
TJ: CM |
TK: FR |
TL: CF |
TM: FR |
TN: CG |
TO-TQ: FR |
TR: GA |
UJ-UM: UZ |
UN-UQ: KZ |
UR: UA | |||||||||||
TS: TN |
TT: TD |
TU: CI |
TV-TX: FR |
TY: BJ |
TZ: ML |
T0: N/A |
US-UZ: UA |
U0: N/A | ||||||||||||
T1: N/A |
T2: TV |
T3: KI |
T4: CU |
T5: SO |
T6: AF |
T7: SM |
T8: PW |
T9: N/A |
U1-U9: N/A | |||||||||||
First character V | First character X | |||||||||||||||||||
VA-VG: CA |
VH-VI: AU |
XA-XI: MX | ||||||||||||||||||
VJ-VN: AU |
VO: CA |
VP-VQ: GB |
VR: HK |
XJ-XO: CA |
XP: DK |
XQ-XR: CL | ||||||||||||||
VS: GB |
VT-VW: IN |
VX-VY: CA |
VZ: AU |
V0: N/A |
XS: CN/TW |
XT: BF |
XU: KH |
XV: VN |
XW: LA |
XX: MO |
XY-XZ: MM |
X0: N/A | ||||||||
V1: N/A |
V2: AG |
V3: BZ |
V4: KN |
V5: NA |
V6: FM |
V7: MH |
V8: BN |
V9: N/A |
X1-X9: N/A | |||||||||||
First character Y | First character Z | |||||||||||||||||||
YA: AF |
YB-YH: ID |
YI: IQ |
ZA: AL |
ZB-ZI: GB | ||||||||||||||||
YJ: VU |
YK: SY |
YL: LV |
YM: TR |
YN: NI |
YO-YR: RO |
ZJ: GB |
ZK-ZM: NZ |
ZN-ZO: GB |
ZP: PY |
ZQ: GB |
ZR: ZA | |||||||||
YS: SV |
YT-YU: RS |
YV-YY: VE |
YZ-Y0: N/A |
ZS-ZU: ZA |
ZV-ZZ: BR |
Z0: N/A | ||||||||||||||
Y1: N/A |
Y2-Y9: DE |
Z1: N/A |
Z2: ZW |
Z3: MK |
Z4-Z7: N/A |
Z8: SS |
Z9: N/A | |||||||||||||
First character 3 | First character 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
3A: MC |
3B: MU |
3C: GQ |
3D: SZ/FJ |
3E-3F: PA |
3G: CL |
3H-3I: CN/TW |
4A-4C: MX |
4D-4I: PH | ||||||||||||
3J-3R: CN/TW |
4J-4K: AZ |
4L: GE |
4M: VE |
4N: N/A |
4O: ME |
4P-4R: LK | ||||||||||||||
3S-3U: CN/TW |
3V: TN |
3W: VN |
3X: GN |
3Y: NO |
3Z: PL |
30: N/A |
4S: LK |
4T: PE |
4U: XU |
4V: HT |
4W: TL |
4X: IL |
4Y: XA |
4Z: IL |
40: N/A | |||||
31-39: N/A |
41-49: N/A | |||||||||||||||||||
First character 5 | First character 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
5A: LY |
5B: CY |
5C-5G: MA |
5H-5I: TZ |
6A-6B: EG |
6C: SY |
6D-6I: MX | ||||||||||||||
5J-5K: CO |
5L-5M: LR |
5N-5O: NG |
5P-5Q: DK |
5R: MG |
6J: MX |
6K-6N: KR |
6O: SO |
6P-6R: PK | ||||||||||||
5S: MG |
5T: MR |
5U: NE |
5V: TG |
5W: WS |
5X: UG |
5Y-5Z: KE |
50: N/A |
6S: PK |
6T-6U: SD |
6V-6W: SN |
6X: MG |
6Y: JM |
6Z: LR |
60: N/A | ||||||
51-59: N/A |
61-69: N/A | |||||||||||||||||||
First character 7 | First character 8 | |||||||||||||||||||
7A-7I: ID |
8A-8I: ID | |||||||||||||||||||
7J-7N: JP |
7O: YE |
7P: LS |
7Q: MW |
7R: DZ |
8J-8N: JP |
8O: BW |
8P: BB |
8Q: MV |
8R: GY | |||||||||||
7S: SE |
7T-7Y: DZ |
7Z: SA |
70: N/A |
8S: SE |
8T-8Y: IN |
8Z: SA |
80: N/A | |||||||||||||
71-79: N/A |
81-89: N/A | |||||||||||||||||||
First character 9 | Full first-character allocations | |||||||||||||||||||
9A: HR |
9B-9D: IR |
9E-9F: ET |
9G: GH |
9H: MT |
9I: ZM |
| ||||||||||||||
9J: ZM |
9K: KW |
9L: SL |
9M: MY |
9N: NP |
9O-9R: CD | |||||||||||||||
9S-9T: CD |
9U: BI |
9V: SG |
9W: MY |
9X: RW |
9Y-9Z: TT |
90: N/A | ||||||||||||||
91-99: N/A |
Linked country codes are from ISO 3166-1.
Series allocated to an international organization.
Provisional allocation in accordance with No. S19.33: "Between radiocommunication conferences, the Secretary-General is authorized to deal with questions relating to changes in the allocation of series of call signs, on a provisional basis, and subject to confirmation by the following conference."
Half series allocation. The first country listed uses all callsigns beginning with the listed prefix followed by A-M, and the second country listed uses N-Z.
View this list arranged by nation | |
---|---|
Nation | Call signs allocated |
Afghanistan | T6, YA |
Albania | ZA |
Algeria | 7R, 7T-7Y |
Andorra | C3 |
Angola | D2-D3 |
Antigua and Barbuda | V2 |
Argentina | AY-AZ, L2-L9, LO-LW |
Armenia | EK |
Aruba | P4 |
Australia | AX, VH-VN, VZ |
Austria | OE |
Azerbaijan | 4J-4K |
Bahamas | C6 |
Bahrain | A9 |
Bangladesh | S2-S3 |
Barbados | 8P |
Belarus | EU-EW |
Belgium | ON-OT |
Belize | V3 |
Benin | TY |
Bhutan | A5 |
Bolivia | CP |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | E7 (Was T9 prior to 7 Aug 2007) |
Botswana | A2, 8O |
Brazil | PP-PY, ZV-ZZ |
Brunei | V8 |
Bulgaria | LZ |
Burkina Faso | XT |
Burundi | 9U |
Cambodia | XU |
Cameroon | TJ |
Canada | CF-CK, CY-CZ, VA-VG, VX-VY, XJ-XO |
VO (Newfoundland) | |
Cape Verde | D4 |
Central African Republic | TL |
Chad | TT |
Chile | CA-CE, XQ-XR, 3G |
China (People's Republic of) (see also Taiwan) |
B, XS, 3H-3U |
VR (Hong Kong), XX (Macao) | |
Colombia | HJ-HK, 5J-5K |
Comoros | D6 |
Congo (Democratic Republic of) | 9O-9T |
Congo (Republic of) | TN |
Cook Islands | E5 |
Costa Rica | TE, TI |
Croatia | 9A |
Cuba | CL-CM, CO, T4 |
Cyprus | C4, H2, P3, 5B |
Czech Republic | OK-OL |
Denmark | OU-OZ, XP, 5P-5Q |
Djibouti | J2 |
Dominica | J7 |
Dominican Republic | HI |
Ecuador | HC-HD |
Egypt | SSA-SSM, SU, 6A-6B |
El Salvador | HU, YS |
Equatorial Guinea | 3C |
Eritrea | E3 |
Estonia | ES |
Eswatini (Swaziland) | 3DA-3DM |
Ethiopia | ET, 9E-9F |
Fiji | 3DN-3DZ |
Finland | OF-OJ |
France (and its Overseas departments/territories) | F, HW-HY, TH, TK, TM, TO-TQ, TV-TX |
Gabon | TR |
Gambia | C5 |
Georgia | 4L |
Germany | DA-DR, Y2-Y9 |
Ghana | 9G |
Greece | J4, SV-SZ |
Grenada | J3 |
Guatemala | TD, TG |
Guinea | 3X |
Guinea-Bissau | J5 |
Guyana | 8R |
Haiti | HH, 4V |
Honduras | HQ-HR |
Hungary | HA, HG |
Iceland | TF |
India | AT-AW, VT-VW, 8T-8Y |
Indonesia | JZ, PK-PO, YB-YH, 7A-7I, 8A-8I |
Iran | EP-EQ, 9B-9D |
Iraq | HN, YI |
Ireland | EI-EJ |
Israel | 4X, 4Z |
Italy | I |
Ivory Coast | TU |
Jamaica | 6Y |
Japan | JA-JS, 7J-7N, 8J-8N |
Jordan | JY |
Kazakhstan | UN-UQ |
Kenya | 5Y-5Z |
Kiribati | T3 |
North Korea | HM, P5-P9 |
South Korea | DS-DT, D7-D9, HL, 6K-6N |
Kuwait | 9K |
Kyrgyzstan | EX |
Laos | XW |
Latvia | YL |
Lebanon | OD |
Lesotho | 7P |
Liberia | A8, D5, EL, 5L-5M, 6Z |
Libya | 5A |
Liechtenstein (uses prefixes allocated to Switzerland) |
HB (HB0, HB3Y, HBL) |
Lithuania | LY |
Luxembourg | LX |
Madagascar | 5R-5S, 6X |
Malawi | 7Q |
Malaysia | 9M, 9W |
Maldives | 8Q |
Mali | TZ |
Malta | 9H |
Marshall Islands | V7 |
Mauritania | 5T |
Mauritius | 3B |
Mexico | XA-XI, 4A-4C, 6D-6J |
Micronesia | V6 |
Moldova | ER |
Monaco | 3A |
Mongolia | JT-JV |
Montenegro | 4O |
Morocco | CN, 5C-5G |
Mozambique | C8-C9 |
Myanmar | XY-XZ |
Namibia | V5 |
Nauru | C2 |
Nepal | 9N |
Netherlands | PA-PI |
PJ (Netherlands Antilles) | |
New Zealand | ZK-ZM |
Nicaragua | HT, H6-H7, YN |
Niger | 5U |
Nigeria | 5N-5O |
North Macedonia | Z3 |
Norway | JW-JX, LA-LN, 3Y |
Oman | A4 |
Pakistan | AP-AS, 6P-6S |
Palau | T8 |
Palestinian Authority | E4 |
Panama | HO-HP, H3, H8-H9, 3E-3F |
Papua New Guinea | P2 |
Paraguay | ZP |
Peru | OA-OC, 4T |
Philippines | DU-DZ, 4D-4I |
Poland | HF, SN-SR, 3Z |
Portugal | CQ-CU |
Qatar | A7 |
Romania | YO-YR |
Russia | R, UA-UI |
Rwanda | 9X |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | V4 |
Saint Lucia | J6 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | J8 |
Samoa (Western Samoa) | 5W |
San Marino | T7 |
São Tomé and Príncipe | S9 |
Saudi Arabia | HZ, 7Z, 8Z |
Senegal | 6V-6W |
Serbia | YT-YU |
Seychelles | S7 |
Sierra Leone | 9L |
Singapore | 9V, S6 |
Slovakia | OM |
Slovenia | S5 |
Solomon Islands | H4 |
Somalia | 6O, T5 |
South Africa | S8, ZR-ZU |
Spain | AM-AO, EA-EH |
Sri Lanka | 4P-4S |
Sudan | SSN-STZ, 6T-6U |
Suriname | PZ |
Sweden | SA-SM, 7S, 8S |
Switzerland (see also Liechtenstein) | HB, HE |
Syria | YK, 6C |
Tajikistan | EY |
Taiwan (uses prefixes allocated to China) |
B (BM, BN, BO, BQ, BV, BX) |
Tanzania | 5H-5I |
Thailand | E2, HS |
Timor–Leste (East Timor) | 4W |
Togo | 5V |
Tonga | A3 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 9Y-9Z |
Tunisia | TS, 3V |
Turkey | TA-TC, YM |
Turkmenistan | EZ |
Tuvalu | T2 |
Uganda | 5X |
Ukraine | EM-EO, UR-UZ |
United Arab Emirates | A6 |
United Kingdom (and Overseas Territories/Crown Dependencies) |
2, G, M, VP-VQ, VS, ZB-ZJ, ZN-ZO, ZQ |
United States of America | AA-AL, K, N, W |
Uruguay | CV-CX |
Uzbekistan | UJ-UM |
Vanuatu | YJ |
Vatican City | HV |
Venezuela | YV-YY, 4M |
Vietnam | XV, 3W |
Yemen | 7O |
Zambia | 9I-9J |
Zimbabwe | Z2 |
Organization | Call signs allocated |
---|---|
International Civil Aviation Organization | 4Y |
United Nations | 4U |
World Meteorological Organization | C7 |
See also
[edit]- Aircraft registration
- Amateur radio call signs
- Call-sign allocation plan
- Multiservice tactical brevity code
- Non-ITU prefix
Notes
[edit]- ^ T9 is the former prefix of Bosnia and Herzegovina; it moved to E7 on 7 August 2007. YZ and 4N belonged to Yugoslavia, along with 4O (which went to successor state Montenegro) and YT and YU (which went to successor state Serbia).The ARRL Letter (17 May 2007). "ITU Okays Montenegro, Serbia Call Sign Prefix Agreement". eHam.net. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ a b c Series allocated to an international organization.
- ^ a b Provisional allocation in accordance with No. S19.33: (Between radiocommunication conferences, the Secretary-General is authorized to deal with questions relating to changes in the allocation of series of call signs, on a provisional basis, and subject to confirmation by the following conference.)"Recent Changes". ITU. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d Half-series allocation.
References
[edit]- ^ GLAD (7 December 2020). "Table of International Call Sign Series (Appendix 42 to the RR)". International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ "Broadcasting Procedures and Rules". Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. 19 January 2021.
- ^ "RES13-1 RESOLUTION 13 (Rev.WRC-97) Formation of call signs and allocation of new international series" (PDF). Volume 3 - Resolutions and Recommendations – Edition of 2008. International Telecommunication Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2023.