Why can't Radio Amateurs stick to conventions?

Why Radio Amateurs, well at least some, can't stick to conventions is an interesting question and for a student of Psychology could be an interesting thesis project!

When a radio amateur gets a call sign, he or she is so proud of it that call sign stickers are stuck on the car, the radios and even on the fridge in the kitchen, just to remind every one how proud the owner is of the achievement. And quite rightly so!

But why is it that after a while so many ignore the ZS or ZR prefix and talk about 6XYZ. Have you ever wondered why?
It remains an unanswered question, even the offenders don't seem to know why they are doing it.

The authorities however have another view about the use of call signs and have incorporated their expectations in the radio regulations which state: "ICASA allocates a call sign to a radio station. Such call sign shall be conspicuously displayed on the relative radio set by the licensee and the call sign must be transmitted at least once during each separate transmission. And when they talk about a call sign they refer to the full ZS6XYZ".

Source: The South African Radio League

Latest news stories..

• Get our news headlines for your website • Submit your news story