Vanity Things To Watch For
Modifying An Application
Resets Process Date
If you modify an application after it has been initially filed it will
reset the processing date. This means that if you have filed an application
for a specific call and then add or delete a call from that application or
make any change to it at all you will lose your place in line. This sometimes
can be used to your advantage, but if someone else has filed an application for
the same call as you have and they were a day later than you, you would have
originally been granted the call. If you make the change after the other
individual filed for the call then their application will now be processed
before yours and they may be granted the call instead of you.
Call Requested
Must Be Valid
Make sure the call sign you list on your vanity application is a valid call
sign and you are authorized to obtain that call based on your license priviledges.
Call Requested
Must Be Specific
Requested vanity call signs must be specific. You cannot use wild card
characters when submitting your application. For example, submitting K*XYZ
on your application in an effort to indicate that you don't care which
district the call comes from will not be processed as you might expect.
The call will be seen as an invalid call sign and will be denied. The same
would be true for calls such as ?7XYZ or W7??? or any other variation.
Call Requested
Must Have Valid Format
The following are valid call sign formats:
- 1X2 - one character, one number, two characters
- 2X1 - two characters, one number, one character
- 2X2 - two characters, one number, two characters
- 1X3 - one character, one number, three characters
- 2X3 - two characters, one number, three characters
This information ought to be well-known for amateur radio operators;
however, vanity applications often contain requested call signs which do
not adhere to the formats listed above. When extra characters appear in
the call sign or something other than a number appear in the district part
of the call sign then the call sign requested will be deemed invalid and
it will be denied.
License Upgrades
Invalidate Applications
If you have upgraded your license privileges but your new license does not
yet appear in the FCC's ULS then you should wait until the new license shows up
before filing a vanity application. The reason for this is that once your new
license privileges are granted your old license will no longer be valid and the
vanity application will be dismissed.
Similarly, if you plan on upgrading your
license privileges in the next 18 to 20 days (the time it takes for a vanity
application to be processed) then you will want to wait until you receive your
new license before filing a vanity application. The reason for this is the same
as listed above. In order for a vanity application to be granted your license
privileges at the time of filing must still be valid at the time the application
is processed.
Also, if you are planning on upgrading your license privileges it makes sense
to wait until you get your new privileges since this will give you the ability to
apply for call signs that are appropriate for the old privileges as well as those
available for the new license privileges.
Call Sign Available Date
Don't File Too Early
If you have your eye on a call sign that will be coming available in the next
week or two you may be tempted to file the application early in the hopes of
getting a jump on it. However, if you file your application prior to the available
date then your application will be denied. You must wait until the available date
before filing your application.
The exception to this rule is if you are applying for a call sign that was held by
a silent key. In this case you should follow the procedure outlined in the following
page:
http://www.radioqth.net/silentkeys.aspx.