Amateur Radio on the Go: CEPT Callsign Rules for Operating Abroad

Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is governed by international regulations, especially when you want to use your callsign abroad, such as from a mobile station. To correctly operate amateur radio outside your home country, you need to meet several conditions:

CEPT License (CEPT T/R 61-01 Agreement)

Most European countries, as well as a few others (e.g., Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand), are signatories to the CEPT T/R 61-01 agreement. This allows amateur radio license holders from one of these countries to operate in other countries covered by the agreement without needing an additional local license.

How to use your callsign abroad?

When using your callsign in another country, you need to modify it accordingly:

Switzerland as an example

When operating in Switzerland, you need to modify your callsign according to CEPT rules:

Add the country's prefix:

The prefix for Switzerland is HB9.

Your full callsign in Switzerland:

Your callsign will consist of the Swiss prefix "HB9", followed by a slash “/”, and your home country callsign. Example: If your callsign in Poland is SP1ABC, in Switzerland you will use HB9/SP1ABC.

Portable station:

For transmitting from a handheld device, you would typically use the suffix /P to indicate that you are operating from a portable station. This is because handheld radios are typically used when you're operating from a temporary or non-fixed location, which is the general definition of a portable station.

Example: If you are transmitting from a car in Switzerland, your callsign will be HB9/SP1ABC/P.

Mobile station:

If you are operating from a mobile station (e.g., a vehicle), you can add the suffix /M. Example: If you are transmitting from a car in Switzerland, your callsign will be HB9/SP1ABC/M.

NATO Phonetic Alphabet Example for Switzerland: Portable and Mobile Operation

For HB9/SP1ABC/P:

HB9: Hotel Bravo Nine
/: Slash
SP1ABC: Sierra Papa One Alpha Bravo Charlie
/P: Slash Papa

For HB9/SP1ABC/M:

  HB9: Hotel Bravo Nine
  /: Slash
  SP1ABC: Sierra Papa One Alpha Bravo Charlie
  /M: Slash Mike

Important notes

Frequency bands: Be sure to comply with local regulations regarding the frequency bands and transmitter power limits. Switzerland may have slightly different rules for various radio bands.

Carry your documents: Always have a copy of your amateur radio license and proof that your license complies with the CEPT T/R 61-01 agreement.

To summarize, when operating in Switzerland, use your callsign in the format HB9/Your callsign, and add the /M suffix for mobile stations.

List of European CEPT country prefixes

Here are the callsign prefixes for some European countries under the CEPT agreement:

Common suffixes and their meanings

These suffixes are used to clarify the operating conditions of your station and are often required to provide context to other operators.

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