VHF Call Sign - zero or letter O?

[livefats]

Hi guys,

A newbie question, I expect. Just applied for a VHF Ship Radio Licence for Freebird; unlike my previous one, it has a zero - or an Oscar(!) in it. And I don't know which!

The format is number / letter / Oscar OR Zero / letter / number.

Any help gratefully received.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[wipe_out]

My guess as another newbie is it's an "Oscar" because if I remember the standard format is "number, letter,letter,letter,number".. Of course I might be wrong so someone may correct me..

 

[pvb]

My guess as another newbie is it's an "Oscar" because if I remember the standard format is "number, letter,letter,letter,number".. Of course I might be wrong so someone may correct me..

There's no such "standard format". However, a zero is a different shape from an Oscar (0 vs O), so it shouldn't be difficult to tell which is which.

 

[livefats]

Thank you for the replies! pvp, that's very useful - I'm going to have to guess a little as I don't have a capital Oscar (or, conversely, a zero!) against which to compare it - but it does look rather more plump than 0!

 

[nigelmercier]

However, a zero is a different shape from an Oscar (0 vs O)...

If you go online and look up your details, you can copy and paste it to check. Use Windows Terminal font, it has a slashed zero. I'm surprised they didn't print it with one.

 

[livefats]

Thank you, Nigel. Lateral thinking rules! I'll do that.

 

[prv]

Are you ZIOI5 ?

It's a letter O.

Nice bit of symmetry there!

Pete

 

[livefats]

Yes - and useful in a capsize situation too!

 

[nigelmercier]

Are you ZIOI5 ? Nice bit of symmetry there!

How strange, when I looked at that I saw ZIO15, must be the brain back associating the number. I think it would be worth spelling this out in phonetics on the radio: Zulu, India, Oscar, India, Fife.

 

[pvb]

The format is number / letter / Oscar OR Zero / letter / number.

Errr... ??

 

[pvb]

I think it would be worth spelling this out in phonetics on the radio: Zulu, India, Oscar, India, Fife.

Always a good idea to have a little label next to the radio with the callsign written in the phonetic alphabet.

 

[livefats]

Soorry, pvp - I meant that I knew the first item on my callsign was a number, the second a letter, but was unsure about the middle figure!

 

[JSYmartini]

.

 

[pvb]

Soorry, pvp - I meant that I knew the first item on my callsign was a number, the second a letter, but was unsure about the middle figure!

But if your callsign is ZIOI5, the first character is a letter.

 

[livefats]

But if your callsign is ZIOI5, the first character is a letter.

Oh I see! No, I'm not ZIOI5 - I'd presumed prv was making a joke. I wish it were, though!

 

[davidej]

All bl**dy confusing.

MY car reg starts A008 - both look identical but the first is an oh and the second a zero . No end of trouble when I try to ensure or tax it.

I and 1 can also look the same.

 

[Shorn100]

If you check out the itu/MARS website - http://www.itu.int/online/mms/mars/ship_search.sh - you'll see that for UK registered vessels, the call sign is either four letters and a number (usually starting with an M but sometimes Z) or a number, three letters and a number - the first number is usually a 2.

So if the O is in the middle it's Oscar.

Shorn

 

[livefats]

That's brilliant: it must be Oscar! Thanks, Shorn!

 

[alant]

All bl**dy confusing.

MY car reg starts A008 - both look identical but the first is an oh and the second a zero . No end of trouble when I try to ensure or tax it.I and 1 can also look the same.

If you do it online, all you need is the ref number sent by the DVLA.


You don't have to talk to anyone, if your shy & dyslexic.

 

[prv]

Oh I see! No, I'm not ZIOI5 - I'd presumed prv was making a joke.

I must be funnier than I realise then - can't see how that could be a joke

It was the only Freebird I could see on the ITU database that had an O (or 0) in the middle.

Perhaps if yours is recently registered the database hasn't been updated yet.

Pete