Call signs in Asia are rarely used to identify broadcast stations. In most Asian countries, broadcast stations use other forms of identification. Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan are exceptions to this rule. Amateur radio stations in India, Pakistan, Korea and Japan are allocated call-signs.

Amateur radio

The Wireless and Planning and Coordination Wing (WPC), a division of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, regulates amateur radio in India. Amateur radio call-signs of Pakistan are issued by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The PARS operates a QSL bureau for those amateur radio operators in regular contact with amateur radio operators in other countries, and supports amateur radio operating awards and radio contests. The Pakistan Amateur Radio Society represents the interest of Pakistan amateur radio operators before national and international regulatory authorities. PARS is the national member society representing Pakistan in the International Amateur Radio Union.

In Japan, it is regulated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications with the Japan Amateur Radio League acting as a national amateur radio organization.^[1]

In South Korea call signs are regulated by the Korea Communications Commission in the Ministry of Information and Communication.^[2]

China

The International Telecommunication Union has assigned China the call sign prefixes B, VR, XS, XX and 3H-3U. Only prefixes B, VR and XX are currently under active use, with all other prefixes under reserves. Domestic commercial broadcasting stations in no part of China uses alphanumeric call signs. The following call sign allocation applies only to amateur radio.

Indonesia

Call signs prefixes used in Indonesia:

• JZ for CB radio
• PM for radio stations except public broadcaster RRI. PM prefix is always followed by number determined by province, letter "B" usually for AM and "F" usually for FM ("C" in parts of Sumatra, "D" in parts of Kalimantan), and two unique characters. These call signs are always in 6 characters. For example, PM2FGD refers to 96.7 Hitz FM, a defunct station in Jakarta province.^[5] Almost all radio stations in Jakarta shows call sign in TuneIn streaming website. For example, all-news radio Elshinta 90.0 has call sign PM2FGZ.^[6]

Private-owned radio station call signs by region are different with amateur radio call letters. The division is based on province area before 1998, so no call prefix are assigned for newer provinces. For example, Banten has the same call number and initial letter with West Java.

^[7][8]

• YB-YH for Amateur radio
  • YB & YE for Extra Class
  • YC & YF for Advanced Class
  • YD & YG for General Class

Call signs suffixes used in Indonesia:

• • AA - YZ
  • AAA - PZZ
  • RAA - YZZ
  • AAAA - YZZZ
  • AQA - AQZ (special license/foreigner operator)

Special License Callsigns suffixes :

• • A - Z
  • ZA - ZZ Province Organization included Scout; Redcross; SAR
  • ZAA - ZZZ Regency (Local) Organization included Club Station; Scout; Redcross; SAR
  • ZAAA - ZZZZ

Japan

The Japanese station prefix for radio and television stations is JO followed by its own unique two letters; the last letter in the latter part of the callsign identifies the ownership of the station, for example the letter X indicates that it is a commercial TV station such as JOEX-TV for TV Asahi and JOCX-TV for Fuji TV while the letter R indicates that it is a commercial AM radio station such as JOKR for TBS Radio.

FM radio and TV stations have the -FM (FM radio), -TV (analog television), -DTV (digital television), -TAM (audio multiplex), -TCM (analog TV teletext multiplex), -TDM (analog TV data multiplex) and -FCM (FM radio data multiplex) suffixes after their callsigns, similar to the North American practice, except for AM radio stations.

At the greatest extent of the empire during the Second World War, another second letter was used for the empires other possessions besides the Home Islands.

• "B" for Korea
• "F" for Taiwan
• "Q" for Manchukuo and Kwantung (Kantō)

Pakistan

The International Telecommunication Union has assigned Pakistan the cal signs APA through to ASZ. It has divided all countries into three regions; Pakistan is located in ITU Region 3. These regions are further divided into two competing zones, the ITU and the CQ.

The Pakistan Amateur Radio Society (PARS), a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts, does not assigns call signs but call signs are assigned by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The PARS operates a QSL bureau for amateur radio operators in contact with amateur radio operators in other countries, and supports amateur radio operating awards and radio contests. The Pakistan Amateur Radio Society represents the interest of Pakistan amateur radio operators before national and international regulatory authorities. PARS is the national member society representing Pakistan in the International Amateur Radio Union.

Philippines

The National Telecommunications Commission assigns the following call sign prefixes from the international series to Philippine broadcasting stations depending on the location of their license:

• DZ & DW for Luzon, except DZ and DY for Palawan
• DY for the Visayas, including Palawan and Masbate
• DX for Mindanao

DW is now also used for stations in Luzon. Out of circumstance, DZ is mostly AM band, while DW is FM band. Other call sign prefixes assigned to the Philippines are DU, and DV.

Taiwan

Taiwan uses prefixes BM-BQ and BU-BX. It too uses the separating numeral to represent the geographic location of the station.

The licensing class and type of the station is represented using the call sign's structure and prefix:

Event stations do not have to adhere to the structure and location rules.

References

External links