What changed
Vanity call signs — edited Aug 29, 2026 by Unknown editor
This is the first recorded version, so every line is shown as added. Note: Imported from content/wiki
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Your first call sign is issued sequentially from the pool for your district. You may apply for a
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specific unused call sign — a **vanity** call — at any time, at no charge beyond the usual
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application fee.
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## What the format tells you
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US call signs come in groups tied to license class:
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| Group | Format | Available to |
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| --- | --- | --- |
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| A | 1×2 (K5AB), 2×1 (AB5C), some 2×2 | Extra |
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| B | 2×2 (KD5AB) | Advanced and Extra |
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| C | 1×3 (N5ABC) | General and above |
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| D | 2×3 (KD5ABC) | Any class |
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The number is the call district of the address on the original license; it does not have to match
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where you live now, and you keep it if you move.
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## Applying
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Apply through the FCC ULS with your CORES login. A call sign becomes available two years after its
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previous holder's license expires or is cancelled. If more than one person applies for the same
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call on the same day, the FCC runs a lottery.
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## Practical advice
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- Short calls are easier in contests and pileups; some letters are much easier to copy on CW or
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through noise than others.
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- Avoid combinations that sound like other things in phonetics.
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- A **club station** may hold its own call sign, including the call of a silent key, with a trustee.