CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO ROUTINE GRAND TURK
TELNO 118
OF 20150OZ JULY 90
B
Mr Sainty
Mon 13 August
fu23/7
AND TO ROUTINE WELLINGTON, HAMILTON
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
Q DIST?
OP COPY
INFO SAVING ANGUILLA, TORTOLA, GRAND CAYMAN, PLYMOUTH
170133 MDLOAN 1444
15
Chases out
ド
WELLINGTON FOR PITCAIRN ISLANDS
ALLOCATION OF CALL SIGNS TO HONG KONG
SUMMARY
HKC 193/1
RY
3 0 JUL 1990
TRY
aken
1.
CALL SIGNS ARE USED BY RADIO STATIONS FOR IDENTIFICATION. AT PRESENT, HONG KONG'S CALL SIGNS ARE DERIVED FROM THE SERIES ALLOCATED TO THE UK FOR USE BY ITS DEPENDENT TERRITORIES (DTS). THE SITUATION CANNOT REMAIN UNCHANGED AFTER THE RESUMPTION OF SOVEREIGNTY BY CHINA. WE PROPOSE THEREFORE TO ALLOCATE FOR HONG KONG'S EXCLUSIVE USE TWO DT SERIES (VR AND VS). THIS WOULD INVOLVE DISRUPTION FOR TCI, PITCAIRN AND BERMUDA, WHO CURRENTLY USE SOME CALL SIGNS IN THOSE SERIES. WE SEEK YOUR AGREEMENT TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE CAND SUBSEQUENTLY THE ITU) ON
THIS BASIS.
PROBLEM
2-
UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION CONVENTION, ALL RADIO STATIONS (INCLUDING THOSE ON AIRCRAFT AND SHIPS) CAPABLE OF CAUSING INTERFERENCE BEYOND NATIONAL BOUNDARIES MUST HAVE INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED CALL SIGNS. CALL SIGNS ARE ALLOCATED ON AN EXCLUSIVE BASIS TO MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE ITU WHO THEN ALLOCATE TO INDIVIDUAL RADIO STATIONS. AT PRESENT, THE UK HAS ALLOCATED FROM ITS OWN EXCLUSIVE SERIES CERTAIN BLOCKS TO MEET HONG KONG'S REQUIREMENTS.
3.
OTHERWISE,
THE FIRST TWO LETTERS OF A CALL SIGN IDENTIFY THE NATIONALITY OF THE STATION CONCERNED. SINCE HONG KONG DOES NOT AT PRESENT HAVE EXCLUSIVE/EXCLUSIVE USE OF ANY TWO LETTER SERIES, THERE WILL HAVE TO BE SOME CHANGE IN 1997. AFTER ITS REVERSION TO CHINA, HONG KONG WOULD CONTINUE TO SHARE A NATIONAL CALL SIGN WITH BRITISH DTS. THIS WOULD CLEARLY BE INAPPROPRIATE AND THE CHINESE AND THE ITU ARE UNLIKELY TO ACCEPT
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CONFIDENTIAL