[UK-CONTEST] Vanity calls- revisited

[Clive Whelan]

I recently became aware of the so called G5UM callbook ( thanks to 
Geoff/G4AFJ for the heads-up, and to the local Highfields club for 
publishing it to the web). This in itself is a fascinating historical 
document, and made me realise that I was by no means aware of all the 
local two letter calls issued, since on reflection, a finite number were 
middle aged before the war, and were sadly SK by the time I ever 
operated a receiver ( 1958).

Germane to the issue of vanity calls is the fact- not previously known 
to me- that these calls were regularly re-issued, presumably when the 
original holder went SK or simply relinquished the call. Indeed Jack Hum 
was the second holder of  G5UM, and purely by casual reading it may be 
seen that some calls were issued three times to different people! So, 
the postwar practice of issuing calls strictly in sequence ( until 
relatively recently), and not re-issuing them save in exceptional 
circumstances, was by no means the norm in that era. It is not clear to 
me what courtesy was offered to the families of the original holder 
before re-issue of a call, but my best guess is little or none. There 
surely can be no bar to reissuing two letter calls- either legally or 
ethically- since the original holders must have been appraised of the 
practice of re-issue as described.

There were a total of over 4,000 two letter calls available originally, 
and making allowance for those still QRV, possibly 3,500 are notionally 
available for reissue. We know I think, that even amongst contesters, a 
majority would probably choose the status quo, and therefore amongst the 
population as a whole the number favouring a vanity call would be a 
substantial minority. Furthermore, as I understand it, an expressed 
reluctance in Ofcom in this world of political correctness is to the 
issue of vanity calls to a subset of the current amateur population. The 
aforementioned two letter calls could clearly not be issued to current 
Mx3, and 2x0 licensees, since they carry privileges not consistent with 
their current licences. May I be permitted a "Norman Tebbit" moment and 
suggest that those who do want a vanity call should get on their bikes 
and obtain a licence appropriate thereto!

We all know, I think, that bureaucrats will always stand in the way of 
progress, if for no other reason than that they seek an easy life, and I 
feel sure that this is also the case in Ofcom. Whilst I sympathise with 
those in RSGB who have to deal with these faceless people, it is i.m.o. 
their responsibility  to maintain the pressure upon them  to  achieve 
our reasonable aspirations. Vanity calls is one small part of these 
aspirations of course.


73


Clive
GW3NJW

P.S. I can see one two letter call that was never actually issued ( 
there was in fact a number thereof) which I'd love to have. Am I going 
to tell you  what that is? You bet I'm not ;-)