Non-ITU prefix

Prefixes that are used for radio and television are usually allocated by ITU. They also form the basis for, but do not exactly match, aircraft registration identifiers. But in some cases, especially among amateur radio operators other, by ITU unallocated, callsigns are used when operating from disputed areas or countries that are internationally not (yet) recognized. They can be:

• unofficial - used by individuals without any issued permit
• temporary - issued by local authority
• official - recognized internationally by different organisations

Prefixes for those stations are either unallocated or unavailable by ITU definitions.

ITU unallocated and unavailable call sign prefixes

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.)

Unavailable: Under present ITU guidelines the following call sign prefixes shall not be allocated .^[1] (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.
• 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.

Table of Non-ITU radio prefixes

^[2][3]

Call Sign Series	State / territory	Status
0
0S	Principality of Seborga	Official status unknown / unofficial
1
1A	Sovereign Military Order of Malta	Official, DXCC entity
1B	Northern Cyprus	Official status unknown / unofficial
1B	Blenheim Reef	Unofficial
1C	Chechnya	Unofficial - now RA6
1G	Geyser Reef	Unofficial
1L	Liberland	Temporary
1M	Minerva Reefs	Unofficial
1S	Spratly Islands	Unofficial - now 9M0, DX0 or BV9 , DXCC entity
1SL, 1S	Principality of Sealand	Official status unknown / unofficial
1X	Chechnya	Unofficial - now RA6
1Z	Kayin State	Official status unknown / unofficial
D
D0–D1	Donetsk	Official status unknown / unofficial
H
H5	Bophuthatswana	Official status unknown / unofficial
M
M1	San Marino	Temporary, no longer used - now T7
O
O1	South Ossetia	Unofficial
S
S0	Western Sahara	Official, DXCC entity
S4	Ciskei (South Africa)	Unofficial, no longer used - now ZS
S8	Transkei	Unofficial, no longer used - now ZS
T
T0	Principality of Seborga	Official status unknown / unofficial
T1	Transnistria	Unofficial
T4	Venda (South Africa)	Unofficial, no longer used - now ZS
T8	Principality of Seborga	Official status unknown / unofficial
V
V9	Vendaland (South Africa)	Unofficial, no longer used - now ZS
X
X5	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Temporary, no longer used - now E7
Z
Z6	Kosovo	Official

See also

• ITU prefix
• Amateur radio call signs
• Aircraft registration

References

1. http://life.itu.int/radioclub/rr/res-13.pdf
2. http://www.qsl.net/ct2fzi/prefixlist/prefixlist.html
3. http://ac6v.com/prefixes.htm#PRI

External links

• Article: Kosovo - New DXCC entity?
• Prefix List (by CT2FZI)
• Northern Cyprus 1B: radio amaterur or radio pirate?
• Article: 1A: DX Entity with a 900 Year History