Beginning Wednesday, July 25, two special event call signs will be activated to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games: 2O12L from London, England and 2O12W from Barry, Wales. Both stations will be on the air for the duration of the Games -- July 25-August 12 -- and continuing through September 9. Organizers hope to make at least 80,000 contacts during the seven weeks that 2O12L and 2O12W are on the air.

• The London station – 2O12L -- will be active on 160-2 meters on all modes. The station is located at the Royal Greenwich District Scouts Activity Centre in Southeast London, in the borough of Greenwich, one of the six “host boroughs” for the Games. A list of planned frequencies is available here. The station will be open to the public from 10 AM to 4 PM each day, and visitors may operate. Follow 2O12L on Twitter.
• The Welsh station -- 2O12W -- will be active on 160 meters-23 cm on all modes, including SSTV and satellite, will be based on the seafront esplanade at Whitmore Beach, Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan. The site is located just a few miles south west of Cardiff and the Millennium Stadium, home to the first football match that will open the Games in Wales. The station will be open to visitors. Follow 2O12W on Twitter.

“Amateur Radio operators everywhere will be able to share in the Olympic experience by making contact with the station and exchanging greetings messages with visitors and Games participants who visit the station,” said Project Echo Publicity Officer John Warburton, G4IRN. “The team aims to make contact with as many of the Games participating countries as possible. Special QSL cards will be available to stations contacted. The project aims to leave a lasting legacy by encouraging visitors to learn more about radio communications and the social, career and recreational benefits that it brings.”