How RSGB Clubs and Members activated the original 1920s call signs

We invited every RSGB member with a Full Licence and access to an HF station with computer logging, to join the team of activators during December.

Intermediate and Foundation Licensees were not excluded; they could also operate with the supervision of a Full Licensee – either at a Club station or at a Full Licensee’s home station.

Taking part was very simple. Activators operated from home, a club or a public event, some even out portable. More than 150 RSGB members operated as part of the month of activity.

Each call sign had a volunteer coordinator who was be responsible for allocating operating slots in the Operating Schedule and collected the log files from those who have been activating.

The Operating Schedules were held on Google Spreadsheets (as shown above) and were linked both from the QRZ.com page for the particular callsign and on the table below.

The full table of call signs with links to the QRZ.com pages, the email addresses of coordinators and the Operating Schedules, was…

If would like to join the RSGB Contest Club please send an email with your RSGB membership number to ContestClub@rsgbcc.org.

Each call sign was only be activated from the Nation or Crown Dependency denoted by the prefix – for example G5WS is exclusively for England.

Having sent in their ADIF file log, as an activator they had no responsibility for Paper QSL cards, Club Log uploads or LoTW uploads, as these were be carried out by other RSGB volunteers, with Charles Wilmott, M0OXO, kindly agreeing to be the QSL manager for the call signs.

Which call sign should I use?

For members and clubs in England there was a choice of which call sign to activate. Although the main focus was on activating G5WS and its regional variants, (this was the first call to get across East to West), the much higher amateur radio population in England meant that we chose to activate four additional historic call signs from England only. This was planned to ensure that anyone who wishes to take part, will have plenty of opportunities, wherever they are located in the UK and Crown Dependencies.