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ARLB026 Vanity call update
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ARRL Bulletin 26 ARLB026
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT May 2, 1996
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB026
ARLB026 Vanity call update
Vanity call sign filing Gate 1 opens May 31!
The vanity call sign program is almost here! The FCC has announced
that Gate 1 of the vanity call sign program opens May 31, and
eligible hams may file applications on or after that date.
Under Gate 1, you can file for a previously held individual or club
call sign or for a call sign formerly held by a deceased close
relative. Specific eligibility criteria are below. To request a
vanity call sign for your primary station, you must already hold an
unexpired amateur operator/primary station license. To obtain the
former call sign of a deceased close relative, your license must be
of the proper operator class. To request a vanity call sign for a
club station, you must also hold an unexpired club station license
listing you as the trustee. Vanity call sign applicants must use FCC
Form 610-V to file.
Applicants should refer to the licensee data base to make sure the
call sign they are requesting is not already assigned. A call sign
is normally assignable two years following license expiration,
surrender, revocation, set aside, cancellation, void ab initio, or
death of the grantee. FCC Fact Sheet PR5000 Number 206-V, Amateur
Station Vanity Call Sign System, has details. For explanations of
Groups A, B, C and D and the geographic Regions, see Fact Sheet
PR-5000 #206, Amateur Station Sequential Call Sign System.
Legibility is critical! If your application is not legible, you
could experience a delay in processing, lose the opportunity to
obtain a requested call sign or even obtain a call sign different
from what you want.
Gate 1 Eligibility Criteria
Request by Former Holder (Primary Station): For your primary
station, you may request a call sign that was previously assigned to
your primary, secondary, repeater, auxiliary link, control, or space
station. You may request your former call sign even though it has
been unassigned for less than two years. The two-year requirement
does not apply to an otherwise eligible primary station if the call
sign was previously assigned to a station of the requestor. You do
not have to hold a class of operator license required for the Group
(A, B, C, or D) for the call sign requested. A call sign request by
a former holder may be from any group in the sequential system. Your
mailing address does not have to be in the region designated in the
sequential system for the call sign requested. A call sign requested
by a former holder may be in any region.
Request by Close Relative of Former Holder Now Deceased (Primary
Station): For your primary station, you may request a call sign that
was previously assigned to the primary, secondary, repeater,
auxiliary link, control, or space station of your now-deceased
spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild, parent, grandparent,
stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle,
niece, nephew, or in-law. You may request the former call sign of a
close relative now deceased even though it has been unassigned for
less than two years. Upon the death of the holder, a call sign is
assignable immediately to an otherwise eligible primary station of a
close relative. You must be an Amateur Extra Class operator to
request a Group A call sign. You must be at least an Advanced Class
operator to request a Group B call sign. You must be at least a
Technician Class operator to request a Group C call sign. You must
be at least a Novice class operator to request a Group D call sign.
Your mailing address does not have to be in the region designated in
the sequential system for the call sign requested. A call sign
requested by a close relative of former holder now deceased may be
in any region.
Request by Former Holder (Club Station): For the club station for
which you are the license trustee, you may request a call sign that
was previously assigned to that station. You may request your club
station's former call sign even though it has been unassigned for
less than two years. The two-year requirement does not apply to an
otherwise eligible club station if the call sign was previously
assigned to the club station for which the requestor is the license
trustee. You do not have to hold a class of operator license
required for the Group (A, B, C, or D) for the call sign requested.
A call sign request by former holder may be from any group in the
sequential system. Your mailing address does not have to be in the
region designated in the sequential system for the call sign
requested. A call sign requested by a former holder may be in any
region.
A $30.00 fee is required with your FCC Form 610-V application.
Payment of fees may be by check (payable to "FCC"), bank draft,
money order or credit card. If paying by credit card, you must also
complete and submit FCC Form 159 with your FCC Form 610-V. Do not
send cash!
Send your application package to: Federal Communications Commission,
Amateur Vanity Call Sign Request, PO Box 358924, Pittsburgh, PA
15251-5924. If you do not qualify under the above eligibility
standards, your application will be dismissed.
The FCC says it will announce Gate 1A in a future notice. Under Gate
1A, club station trustees may file for the former primary station
call sign of a person now deceased, provided the club held a club
station license on March 24, 1995.
For more information about the vanity call sign program, call the
FCC Consumer Assistance Branch, 800-322-1117.
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