AMATEUR RADIO CALL SIGNS HOW ARE THEY CHOSEN? WHAT CALL SIGN GROUP IS MY CALL IN? CAN I CHANGE MY CALL SIGN? HOW DO I GET A SPECIAL EVENT CALL? By k0yy

CALL SIGN OVERVIEW US CALL SIGN PREFIXES CALL SIGN GROUPS US CALL AREA MAP VANITY CALL SIGNS SPECIAL EVENT 1 X 1 CALL SIGNS SELECT INTERNATIONAL CALL SIGN PREFIXES NORTH/CENTRAL AMERICA CALL AREA MAP SUMMARY

US CALL SIGN PREFIXES RULE 1-- ALL US AMATEUR RADIO CALL SIGNS BEGIN WITH-- W, K, N, or A EXAMPLES– WD5EFY, K5JLW, N5CRW, AB5JK. RULE 2– NEW CALL SIGNS ARE ASSIGNED IN SEQUENTIAL ORDER WITHIN A CALL SIGN GROUP BY GEOGRAPHIC AREA– CURRENT CALL SIGNS-- KG5xxx IN THE 5 CALL AREA FOR GROUPS C/D. RULE 3– CALL SIGNS ARE ISSUED BY CALL SIGN GROUP DEPENDING ON LICENSE CLASS.

US AMATEUR CALL SIGN GROUPS THERE ARE FOUR CALL SIGN GROUPS/ Authorized Configuration/ Examples GROUP A— AMATEUR EXTRA LICENSEES 1x2, 2x1, 2x2 (AA-AK) K5ME/AJ5L GROUP B— ADVANCED CLASS LICENSEES 2x2 KI5LR GROUP C— TECHNICIAN/GENERAL CLASS 1X3, 2x3 N5CRW/KG5ODX GROUP D-- NOVICE CLASS LICENSEES 2X3 KG5SIZ Latest call signs issued-- http://www.ae7q.com/query/stat/LicenseUSA.php

CALL SIGN ELIGIBILITY BY GROUP— COURTESY W5YI GROUP Group A – Authorized for Amateur Extra Class Contains all K, N and W 1x2, most 2x1 and most "AA-AK" prefixed 2x2 calls Latest 5-land Group A call sign “AG5xx” Group B – Authorized for Advanced Class Contains most K, N, and W prefixed 2x2 call signs Group C – Authorized for Technician, Tech Plus. & General Class Contains all N 1x3 call signs. Unassigned W and K prefixed 1x3 call signs are not issued under the sequential call sign system but are available under the Vanity call sign system. Latest Group C/D call issued– “KG5SIZ” Group D – Authorized for Novice Class Contains most K and W prefixed 2x3 call signs. The letter X may not be the first digit of the suffix.

Us amateur call area map

AMATEUR VANITY CALL SIGNS– (FROM ARRL) The FCC offers amateur licensees the opportunity to request a specific call sign for a primary station and for a club station (W5IRP). A call sign is selected by the FCC from a list of call signs requested by the licensee or license trustee. Military recreation stations are not eligible for a vanity call sign A Vanity call sign is a special Amateur Radio call sign specifically chosen by a person or club who is currently an Amateur Radio licensee (similar in purpose to Vanity license plates on cars). Vanity call signs usually include alphabetical characters of personal significance (e.g., licensees initials, parts of names, hobbies, etc), or sometimes are simply chosen because they are shorter calls, or sometimes they have double or triple duplicate characters (e.g., W1WWW). A Vanity call sign is a call sign that the licensee wants assigned by the FCC for use in place of an existing call sign (or for an Amateur Radio club, it is a call sign assigned to replace the existing FCC-assigned club license call sign K0YY = Vanity call with double suffix letters (double letters help get through in DX pile ups) Available Vanity Calls = http://www.ae7q.com/query/list/GenLicAvail.php?REGION=5 http://www.w5yi.org/page.php?id=288

Special event call signs (1 x 1 call signs) Special event call signs are issued by authorized groups (ARRL & W5YI & others) under FCC supervision. Special Event call signs are for unique events to commemorate some special local or national event. The format of each 1x1 call sign consists of a single letter K, N or W prefix followed by a single numeral, 0 through 9, followed by any single letter except the letter X, which is not available to amateur stations. Call signs are available by call sign, by date(s) assigned for use. Call sign assignment is subject to availability, per reservations/assignments made as appearing in the 1x1 Call Sign Database. http://www.1x1callsigns.org/ Example = Nacogdoches ARC recently applied for and used K5C for the Columbia tragedy memorial operation.

NORTH/CENTRAL AMERICA CALL SIGN PREFIXES

summary Initial Amateur call signs are assigned sequentially by the FCC. Calls signs are assigned within groups according to license class. Call signs are assigned according to licensee location. We are in “5-land”. Individuals and clubs may apply for available Vanity call signs within their call sign group. Special event (1 x 1) call signs are for a specific event and specific time frame. Hams no longer must apply for new license when moving to a new call area.

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