Vanity and Call Updates

[lagomorphmom]

As we get more hams in town and with upgrades and all I thought this might be a good new topic..... and ok, my vanity came in and I'm excited, woo-hoo!!!

Lagomorphmom is now K6KLT (prev. N7VFK for 18yrs)

[Wrightwood]

And I was just getting used to N7VFK 

Congratulation!

[lagomorphmom]

Yeah, but I know I made Vincent Francis Kojowovitz in 7 land really happy!!!

[ForestGal]

I probably learned this last summer, but forgot - if you give up a call sign, can that one be assigned to someone else?  Seems as if that could be confusing, especially in the case where someone had that one for a long time, such as you did, Lagomorphmom.  Do you have to pay a fee for a vanity call sign, kinda like vanity license plates? 

I'm not sure I'd change mine much anyway - KI6SLC is pretty close to a vanity one for me.  K and I are my first 2 initials, the S_C is pretty obvious   , not quite sure where the L fits in..... 

[Toolman]

FG,
 Yes, once the callsign has been relinquished by the holder, silent key, upgrade, vanity,state change etc. the FCC can re-assign the callsign after a two year grace period. Only a direct family member can apply for the callsign without waiting the two year grace. That usually happens if the family member passes, and someone licensed in the family wants to carry on the callsign should that person hold the same class license or higher.

 I'll let Kerin explain the rest... now she get's to apply for another vanity plate...

[lagomorphmom]

It's not so bad, FG, kinda like changing your email address, folks just get used to it. In this case I did it because it's my initials.

Hams are used to call changes anyway for non-vanity reasons when people upgrade to the extra license, either what they get assigned or a 1x2 or 2x1 vanity, it's a badge of honor for passing the test and also IDs them when they use the HF bands.