Golden Jubilee Prefixes- GQ, MQ AND 2Q

The Radiocommunications Agency is pleased to announce that all UK radio amateurs may use the prefix GQ in celebration of Her Majesty the Queen's Golden Jubilee, from midnight on the 1 June 2002 until midnight on the 30 June 2002 inclusive. This also includes the prefixes MQ and 2Q as applicable.

The prefixes will be in the same format as in 1977 when the prefix GE was issued in celebration of Her Majesty's Silver Jubilee.
For G and M series calls the Country locator is dropped in preference to the prefixes GQ and MQ respectively.

Example: G, GD, GI, GJ, GM, GU and GW all become GQ; and M, MD, MI, MJ, MM, MU and MW all become MQ

Similarly, Intermediate call sign series drop the second letter of the call signs in favour of the letter Q.

Example: 2E becomes 2Q, 2D becomes 2Q etc.

The use of these prefixes are not mandatory. Radio amateurs are welcome to continue using their normal call signs during the period should they so wish.

Note: Initially the Agency had proposed the format GQ/<own call sign> and that proposal did receive limited publicity. Following comments from amateurs and the RSGB, the use of the format of the Silver Jubilee is clearly more attractive and appropriate.