My Experience Applying for a Vanity Call
by Glen Bankston, W4ZNW at this writing, now K4KV

This is intended to ease the problems of those of you who want to apply for a vanity call. I learned a lot in the process and made some mistakes, so you can now avoid the same mistakes.

There are two main web sites hosted by amateurs on the internet that help you through the process. If you read all their FAQ's on the subject of vanity applications and processing, it will help.

The first site is www.vanityhq.com and the second is www.ae7q.com.

Vanity HQ is more user friendly, but some of it's data I found to be wrong on the actual FCC ULS database. The ae7q site has better data on applications and the ULS database.

To apply for a vanity call, first go the vanityhq site and click Call Availability on the left side of the home page. You must be aware that extra class can choose any call that is not geographically restricted like KP4 (Puerto Rico) KL7 (Alaska) KH6(Hawaii), etc. You, as an extra class, can even choose any area call. ie. if you live in Georgia, but found that
W3AA is now available, and you are an extra, you may apply for that call. Now, even techs can apply for 1x3 calls. Both sites list all calls immediately available. It is very rare to find a 2, 4, 5, or 6 area 1x2 (ie. W2CD) immediately available. Our area, 4, is the worst. Almost no 1x2 calls are available. We have to wait till one becomes available.

Many of you with calls like KI4ABC may find that K4ABC is available now, or W4ABC or N4ABC. There are plenty of 1x3 calls to choose from. There are only 4082 1x2 or 2x1 call signs for extra class applicants.

Now that you have found the call you want, and it is available, you should click the FCC Website tab on the left side of the home page of vanityhq.com. Then click the ULS Home Page box. If you have never gone to this site before, you must register.
The FRN number they are wanting is printed on your amateur license. You must decide your own password and other answers to security questions.

After you register and then LOGIN, your own page comes up called 'My Licenses'. On the right side of the page find 'Request Vanity Call Sign' and click it. The page of Applicant Questions asks you if fees are waived. They are not, so NO should be in both boxes by default, click continue.

At this point, we are only going to apply for a 'list' of possible call signs so click the bottom choice on the next page 'Primary station preference list'. The next page that comes up is the actual preference list you may want. Put your top choice in the number one box, your second choice in number two, etc. Make sureyou spell the call correctly!!! If you only want one call, and no others (if that call is not available you want to keep your old call) only put that call in the first box labeled 1 and click continue.

On the next page, only enter the information that might have changed. I have not needed to change any of this information. Click continue. The next page allows you to edit items, and normally you can click 'continue to certify'.

This next page allows you to 'sign' by typing in your name (correctly). Click 'Submit Application'.

Now your vanity app has been sent to the FCC. You now have 10 days to pay for it. The fee as of 9/2006 was $20.80. You can click continue to form 159 on the next page and pay by credit card right away, or pay later.

You can modify or withdraw your application during the 18 day period between submitting the app and
it's processing.

If you are competing for a 1x2 or 2x1 callsign, you are allowed to submit multiple applications, then file for a refund by letter after the extra apps have been dismissed by the FCC. A computer program randomly shuffles the many applications received on the first day of a call's availability, then selects one at random. If you had filed 5 apps for the same call on the first day of availability, then you have 5 chances out of the application total for that call. It is like a lottery.

I, for example, submitted 2 apps for W4BD out of 13 total apps. I have a 15% chance of getting W4BD in theory. I submitted 5 apps for K4KV out of 9 so have 55% chance of getting that call. One guy submitted 300 apps to try for a call he wanted, he got it, and applied for 299 refunds! Unfortunately, you MUST pay for your apps within 10 days, and try and get a refund.

I had an unusual situation where the dates listed for available on the web sites fell on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. For all dates listed on these web sites, you must apply the day AFTER the date listed. If that day is on Saturday or Sunday, you have until Monday midnight local time to apply. All apps received Monday either by mail or on-line get NO preference as to who was first to apply during the 8am to 11:59pm time frame. However, if you try and apply Tuesday for a call that came available during the weekend, your app will
be too late and will be dismissed.

The competition is fierce for 1x2 calls, a little less so for 2x1 and there is almost no competition for
1x3 call signs.

What happens if you applied for 4 different calls signs before the first apps were processed, and you get lucky and get assigned one in the first couple apps. Well, your call sign is changed immediately, and all the other (future) apps you put in are automatically invalid, because you are not that call anymore! So, do not worry that you might get one you really wanted, only to have it changed by a lateapplication.

Good luck in your search!

 

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