[CQ-Contest] Japanese 2x2 calls?

[ktfrog007 at aol.com]

Yesterday I posted a confusing and cryptic email about Japanese 2x2 calls.  What I meant to ask about was something a Japanese ham had written earlier about 2x2 calls and contests.  My email was sort of a drunkard's walk (I was sober), so most readers though it was about 2x2 JR6s on Okinawa and replied in kind.

A few decoded my post correctly (they should win a prize) and two referred me to a site about the JA call sign system at

http://www.motobayashi.net/callsign/enigma/prefix.html    (very interesting and informative)


Another was from Katsuhiro, JH5GHM, which I will quote here so you don't have to look it up:

==============================

Not a few Japanese ham want to have 2x1 or 2x2 call sign even if it
needs over some hundred dollars.  There are call signs starting from
8J or 8N, but these are for special events not for contest.

For 2x2 call signs starting from JA, they were assigned when amateur
radio was permitted again after WWII.  JR6 2x2 is a bit different.
These were assigned when reversion of Okinawa (Ryukyu Islands) was
done only for the hams before the reversion happened, and the allocated
call sign was JR6AA-NZ.
Actually, there are other 2x2 starting from JR, but these have been
used for repeaters.

Call signs in Japan have been reissued, but 2x2 is not the case.

I like my call sign, but I do want to have 2x1 for contest.
I don't think this will happen in a few years...

Katsuhiro Kondou, JH5GHM

==============================


This was what I was after.  Thank you, Katsuhiro.

73,
Ken, AB1J