Call Book is published annually, the callsigns and addresses of all licensed amateurs in New Zealand, plus NZART clubs/branch information, as well as repeater and beacon maps.
The first NZART Call Book was published 78 years ago in 1946 (its 2024 now). Call Book was issued as a supplement to the February 1946 issue of Break-In and contained 32 pages of information. Call sign allocations were by then up to ZL1PI, ZL2WY, ZL3LG and ZL4HX.
In 1932 NZART had printed its first publication which was optimistically titled the “The New Zealand Radio Handbook Annual” and which contained the first ZL call sign listings over just three pages. It cost 1s/2d (14 cents) posted and the first print run sold out in five days.
Call sign allocations in 1932 were ZL1AA to ZL1CY plus ZL1FA to ZL1HF, ZL2AA to ZL2LK, ZL3AA to ZL3FZ and ZL4AA to ZL4FE.
In years after 1946 the Call Book replaced an issue of Break-In, initially the January issue, later the May or June issues. From 1960 Call Book became a separate publication from Break-In but was still produced by the Break-In editorial team (until 1989).
Call Book has been produced annually except for 2009/10, 2011/12, 2013/14, 2014 (CD only), 2017 (CD only) and 2021. The 2024 Call Book is the 72nd version to be printed.