VQ8 prefix

Modified on Sun, 17 Aug, 2014 at 9:09 AM

Author: Alan, 5B4AHJ

The VQ8 prefix was used until 1970. Licences were issued by the British Administration in Mauritius.
Although Mauritius gained independence at 0800z on 1968-03-12, VQ8 callsigns continued to be used until 1970.
The Republic of Mauritius was born on 1992-03-12.

As well as Mauritius, the VQ8 prefix was also used for what are now the DXCC entities of Agalega & St Brandon, Chagos, and Rodrigues.

Note: DXNS #305, dated 1968-01-23, reports: "VQ8 administrative authorities confirm 'Diego Garcia is included in the Schedule of the Queen's Order in Council' setting up B.I.O.T., but Nelson's Island is not, & thus it remains a dependency of Mauritius'". B.I.O.T. = British Indian Ocean Territory. More information can be found about B.I.O.T. in Wikipedia.

From mid-1958, callsigns were of the following structure:

VQ8xx - Mauritius

VQ8xxA - Agalega

VQ8xxB - St Brandon

VQ8xxC - Chagos

VQ8xxN - Nelson Island - an island in the Chagos Archipelago

VQ8xxR - Rodrigues

Club Log maps all VQ8 calls according to the above, without requiring callsign exceptions to be raised.

Acknowledgements

DX News sheet published by Geoff Watts

CQ Magazine, July, 1958 issue, pp 91 & 97