How to Get a Vanity Callsign

By Dave AD7DB

Revised January 22, 2001

How would you like a customized callsign?

After your successful upgrade, you may want to go for a new callsign befitting your new license class. Or, you're just tired of your present one. Or you want a shorter one. Or one that sounds good on CW or on phone. Well, here's what to do.

First, you don't have to pay twice as much for W5YI to do what you can probably do yourself!
Register with the FCC's ULS database. (This may speed up your upgrade if you do it ahead of time, too.)
See what's available. The Vanity HQ place is the best!
Decide on a callsign and up to two dozen alternates.
Read the instructions from the FCC very carefully.
Also read everything this place says.
This place too.
Go onto the FCC website and apply online. (You'll need a browser with 128-bit encryption. At this time that means Netscape 4.7 or later.)
You can either pay for your callsign online or send the FCC a check. Do not tarry or they'll toss your application!
Now wait about 2½ weeks. 18 days is the typical wait.
Check back at this place again (and again) to see the status of your application. Maybe see if anyone else is trying for that callsign too.
Good luck! Hope you get the callsign you want!

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Dave Bartholomew
Copyright © 1997-2001 David G. Bartholomew, AD7DB. Disclaimer:
The contents of these pages do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my Internet provider, my page host (QSL.net), my employer, nor anyone else.

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