Q. What are the rules for making application for a vanity call sign?
A. They are in Section 97.19. It reads as follows:
§ 97.19 Application
for a vanity call sign.
(a) The person named in an operator/primary station license grant or in a club station
license grant is eligible to make application for modification of the license grant, or the renewal thereof, to show a call
sign selected by the vanity call sign system. Effective February 14, 2011, the person named in a club station license grant
that shows on the license a call sign that was selected by a trustee is not eligible for an additional vanity call sign. (The
person named in a club station license grant that shows on the license a call sign that was selected by a trustee is eligible
for a vanity call sign for his or her operator/primary station license grant on the same basis as any other person who holds
an operator/primary station license grant.) Military recreation stations are not eligible for a vanity call sign.
(b)
Each application for a modification of an operator/primary or club station license grant, or the renewal thereof, to show
a call sign selected by the vanity call sign system must be filed in accordance with §1.913 of this chapter.
(c)
Unassigned call signs are available to the vanity call sign system with the following exceptions:
(1) A call sign shown on an expired license grant is not available to the vanity call sign system for 2 years following
the expiration of the license.
(2) A call sign shown on a surrendered or canceled license grant
(except for a license grant that is canceled pursuant to §97.31) is not available to the vanity call sign system for
2 years following the date such action is taken. (The availability of a call sign shown on a license canceled pursuant to
§97.31 is governed by paragraph (c)(3) of this section.)
(i) This 2-year
period does not apply to any license grant pursuant to paragraph (c)(3)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section that is surrendered,
canceled, revoked, voided, or set aside because the grantee acknowledged or the Commission determined that the grantee was
not eligible for the exception. In such a case, the call sign is not available to the vanity call sign system for 30 days
following the date such action is taken, or for the period for which the call sign would not have been available to the vanity
call sign system pursuant to paragraphs (c)(2) or (3) of this section but for the intervening grant to the ineligible applicant,
whichever is later.
(ii) An applicant to whose operator/primary station
license grant, or club station license grant for which the applicant is the trustee, the call sign was previously assigned
is exempt from the 2-year period set forth in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
(3) A call sign
shown on a license canceled pursuant to §97.31 of this part is not available to the vanity call sign system for 2 years
following the person's death, or for 2 years following the expiration of the license grant, whichever is sooner. If, however,
a license is canceled more than 2 years after the licensee's death (or within 30 days before the second anniversary of the
licensee's death), the call sign is not available to the vanity call sign system for 30 days following the date such action
is taken. The following applicants are exempt from this 2-year period:
(i) An applicant
to whose operator/primary station license grant, or club station license grant for which the applicant is the trustee, the
call sign was previously assigned; or
(ii) An applicant who is the spouse, child, grandchild,
stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law
of the person now deceased or of any other deceased former holder of the call sign, provided that the vanity call sign requested
by the applicant is from the group of call signs corresponding to the same or lower class of operator license held by the
applicant as designated in the sequential call sign system; or
(iii) An applicant
who is a club station license trustee acting with a written statement of consent signed by either the licensee ante mortem
but who is now deceased, or by at least one relative as listed in paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section, of the person now
deceased or of any other deceased former holder of the call sign, provided that the deceased former holder was a member of
the club during his or her life.
(d) The vanity call sign requested by an applicant must be selected from the group of call
signs corresponding to the same or lower class of operator license held by the applicant as designated in the sequential call
sign system.
(1) The applicant must request that the call sign shown on the license
grant be vacated and provide a list of up to 25 call signs in order of preference. In the event that the Commission receives
more than one application requesting a vanity call sign from an applicant on the same receipt day, the Commission will process
only the first such application entered into the Universal Licensing System. Subsequent vanity call sign applications from
that applicant with the same receipt date will not be accepted.
(2) The first assignable call
sign from the applicant's list will be shown on the license grant. When none of those call signs are assignable, the call
sign vacated by the applicant will be shown on the license grant.
(3) Vanity call signs will be
selected from those call signs assignable at the time the application is processed by the FCC.
(4) A call sign designated under the sequential call sign system for Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean Insular Areas, and Pacific
Insular areas will be assigned only to a primary or club station whose licensee's mailing address is in the corresponding
state, commonwealth, or island. This limitation does not apply to an applicant for the call sign as the spouse, child, grandchild,
stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law,
of the former holder now deceased.
Q. Who does the FCC consider to be an in-law of the deceased?
A.
Section 97.3(a)(27) defines an in-law to be a parent,
stepparent, sibling, or step-sibling of a licensee's spouse; the spouse of a licensee's sibling, step-sibling, child, or stepchild;
or the spouse of a licensee’s spouse’s sibling or step-sibling.
Q. What are the rules about cancellation of a license on account of the licensee’s death?
A.
It is in Section 97.31. It reads as follows:
§ 97.31 Cancellation
on account of the licensee’s death.
(a) A person may request cancellation of an operator/primary station license grant on account
of the licensee’s death by submitting a signed request that includes a death certificate, obituary, or Social Security
Death Index data that shows the person named in the operator/primary station license grant has died. Such
a request may be submitted as a pleading associated with the deceased licensee’s license. See section
1.45 of this chapter. In addition, the Commission may cancel an operator/primary station license grant
if it becomes aware of the grantee’s death through other means. No action will be taken during the
last thirty days of the post-expiration grace period (see section 97.21(b) of this chapter) on a request to cancel a license
due to the licensee’s death.
(b) A license that
is canceled due to the licensee's death is canceled as of the date of the licensee’s death.
Q. My grandfather passed away last month. I would like to have his call sign W3***.
He was an Extra. I am a Technician. How can I obtain his call sign?
A.
It appears there is a good chance that you, as a close relative (spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild, parent, grandparent,
stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law), could obtain the former call
sign of your deceased grandfather under Section 97.19(c)(3). A 1X3 call sign is in Group C. Any class of operator license, except Novice, is eligible
to request a Group C call sign. Section 97.19(c)(3) provides a two-year hold period window during which a close relative can request
the former station call sign of the deceased. Under Section 97.19(c), the hold period started on the date of your grandfather’s death.
During this hold period, the call sign can also be requested by a close relative of another deceased person who held
the call sign before your grandfather as well as by a club under the in memoriam provision. After that,
the call sign becomes available under the first-come-first-served provision. Unless you are absolutely certain, therefore,
that no one else will apply for the call sign during the two-year window, you should apply as soon as possible so as to be
the earliest requester. Read Call Sign Systems Vanity. Note
that the relatives of the SK as well as the relatives of other SK former holders of the call sign do not have to wait the
hold period. Moreover, any one of these relatives - even those who are not amateur operators - can give
consent to any club to apply for the call sign. Additionally, any former holder of the call sign may request
it even if it has been unassigned less for less than two years.
No eligible person has filing priority over another.
It is first-come, first-served. Unless you are absolutely certain, therefore, that no one else will
apply for the call sign during the hold period, you should apply as soon as possible so as to be the earliest requester.
Q. I hold an Advanced Class operator license. About 18
months ago, the ham who acquired my deceased father’s long-time 1X2 call sign moved to another call sign region and
acquired a different call sign. I would really like to obtain my father’s old call sign.
What must I do?
A. Act promptly. Time is running
out for you to take advantage of your close relative status. When the most-recent holder relinquished the
call sign, the hold period began, after which the call sign will become available under the first-come,
first-served “by list” provision in the vanity call sign system. See Section 97.19(c)(2). As a close-relative of the deceased, however, you are eligible
to apply during the hold period.
But first, you have to tend to the matter of upgrading.
That 1X2 call sign is in Group A and, as such, can be assigned only to a station whose licensee holds the Amateur Extra
Class.
Q.
My question is about the assignment of a vanity call sign during the hold period to a person related to a SK. Does the
applicant have to be related to the last person the call sign was assigned to or can the applicant be a relative
of any person that held the call in the past? The person that held WØ** before me let it expire but
he is still alive. When I pass on, I would love to have this call go to someone in his family. I know
he has relatives that now are Techs and Generals. I want to get one of them upgraded to Extra Class so if anything
happens to me they could put in for the call. As near as I can see the rules would allow for this in that they do not
say the relative has to be a relative of the last person to hold the call sign. Am I correct?
A.
Yes. The exception that permits a relative of a former holder now deceased to request a call sign during
the hold period is available to a relative of any former holder of a call sign – not just the most
recent former holder. The operative rule is Section 97.19(c)(3). Call sign WØ** is of the 1X2 format and - as such - is in Group A.
When the holder dies or fails to renew the license, the call sign becomes available to the vanity call sign system after the
hold period. It is only available to a station licensee who also holds an Amateur Extra Class operator
license unless the applicant is a former holder of the call sign.
Section 97.19(c)(3), however, provides an exception to the hold period for an applicant who is a close
relative of any now-deceased former licensee who held the call sign. These relatives are the: spouse, child, grandchild,
stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law.
As soon as the status of the license grant is changed from active to cancelled on the ULS database, an otherwise eligible close relative of any former holder
of that particular call sign, now deceased, may request the call sign.
Do not apply for any vanity call sign while it shows active on the ULS.
Revised June 23, 2011
Supersedes all prior editions