British Antarctic Survey base callsigns

Modified on Mon, 7 Dec, 2020 at 1:57 PM

Short Wave Magazine (SWM), in August 1958, states :

"Certain calls are issued to the Bases and [are] used by all and sundry - this applies to VP8AE, 8AJ, 8AK, 8AL and 8AM".

A 1959 VP8 callbook lists the callsign/base allocations per the following table. Some of these callsigns were in use in 1946.

Callsign	Base	Base name	DXCC	IOTA	CQ Zone
VP8AE	H	Signy (Island)	South Orkney Islands	AN-008	13
VP8AJ	A	Port Lockroy (Wiencke Island)	Antarctica	AN-012	13
VP8AK	B	Deception Island	South Shetland Islands	AN-010	13
VP8AL	D	Hope Bay	Antarctica	AN-016	13
VP8AM	E	Stonington Island	Antarctica	AN-001	13
VP8AN	F	Faraday (Galindez Island)	Antarctica	AN-006	13
VP8AO	G	Admiralty Bay (King George Island)	South Shetland Islands	AN-010	13
VP8AP	H	Signy Island	South Orkney Islands	AN-008	13

The following BAS base calls were issued at a later date:

Callsign	Base	Base name	DXCC	IOTA	CQ Zone	Start
VP8FAR	F	Faraday (Galindez Island)	Antarctica	AN-006	13	1991 (end 1994)
VP8HAL	Z	Halley	Antarctica	AN-016	13	1989
VP8ROT	R	Rothera (Adelaide Island)	Antarctica	AN-001	13	1992
VP8SGB	BI	Bird Island	South Georgia	AN-007	13	1991
VP8SGK	M	King Edward Point (has also been used from Bird Island)	South Georgia	AN-007	13	2001
VP8SIG	H	Signy (Island)	South Orkney Islands	AN-008	13	2001

Acknowledgements

Martin Atherton, G3ZAY

Gavin Taylor, GM0GAV

Short Wave News September 1948.