SB QST @ ARL $ARLB019
ARLB019 FCC making headway with vanity backlog

ZCZC AG19
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 19  ARLB019
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  March 11, 2002
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB019
ARLB019 FCC making headway with vanity backlog

The FCC has resumed routine vanity call sign processing. As of March
11, the FCC had processed nearly 600 vanity applications out of a
backlog estimated at more than 2000.

With all outstanding paper vanity applications initially filed last
October in hand, the FCC restarted routine vanity processing March
6. A spokesperson at the FCC's Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, office said
the Commission plans to run batches of applications daily until
amateur vanity processing is caught up. So far, it's processed
vanity applications received through December 11.

The FCC acknowledged the ARRL's assistance in efforts to contact the
lone elusive applicant to have the individual resubmit a vanity
application. Contact finally was made with the applicant last week,
and a reconstructed paper application was faxed to the FCC in
Gettysburg.

The FCC says it's finally starting to receive the two weeks' worth
of October paper vanity applications that had been missing and were
at the core of the vanity holdup. The applications had been sent
from Gettysburg to Washington, DC, last fall for anthrax
decontamination, but never made it back to Gettysburg. Although the
majority of vanity applications are filed electronically, the FCC's
policy is to give equal processing weight to paper and electronic
applications.

FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau personnel used applicant
information from payment receipts to contact most of the known paper
filers via e-mail or telephone to have them resubmit copies of their
vanity applications. As a result, a few vanity call signs had
trickled out of Gettysburg in recent weeks.

Prior to the last week in February, however, no amateur vanity call
signs had been granted since February 1, and until late January, no
vanity call signs had been issued since October 30.
NNNN
/EX