[CQ-Contest] Prefixes in WPX

[Ward Silver]

Renegotiating or amending a signed treaty is never going to happen because 
amateur radio is pretty low on the priority list for the governments.  Yes, 
I know, what are they thinking?

What I have suggested instead is a memorandum of agreement between Industrie 
Canada and the FCC that says, "For the purposes of satisfying the 
requirement of [formal treaty designation], it shall be acceptable to 
precede the operator call sign with the location designator."

This is a much simpler thing than amending the treaty - it is just a letter 
exchanged between the two entities.  I am not holding my breath that it will 
happen.  Industrie Canada and the FCC could also release their own letters 
independently, but I believe that in the case of a two-party agreement, both 
must formally agree.

73, Ward N0AX

> The treaty between the US and Canada that permits "instant
> reciprocity" mandates that the location modifier must follow the call 
> sign.
> At the time the treaty was signed, the "slant location" always followed 
> the
> call, so VO1HE/W4 or W4TV/VO1 or KB3HVN/HI8 was the norm.
>
> Things have changed, and now we use the location modifier first.  But 
> until
> the treaty is updated, it takes precedence over convention.
>
> 73, ron w3wn