[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 8, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7459-7461]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-3025]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 97
[PR Docket No. 93-305; FCC 94-343]
Implementation of a Vanity Call Sign System
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This action amends the amateur service rules to provide a
system for the assignment of vanity call signs to amateur stations. The
rule amendments are necessary so that personalized call signs are
available in the amateur service. The rule amendments will satisfy the
desires of those persons in the amateur community who want an
opportunity to choose their own call signs.
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 24, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maurice J. DePont, Federal
Communications Commission, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau,
Washington, D.C. 20554, (202) 418-0690.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Report
and Order, adopted December 23, 1994. and released February 1, 1995.
The complete text of this Commission action is available for inspection
and copying during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center
(Room 239), 1919 M Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20554. The complete
text of this Report and Order may also be purchased from the
Commission's copy contractor, International Transcription Services,
Inc. (ITS, Inc.), 2100 M Street, NW, Suite 140, Washington, D. C.
20037, telephone number (202) 857-3800.
Summary of Report and Order
1. The Commission's new license processing capabilities now make it
practicable to grant requests for call signs of the licensee's choice.
Hence, a vanity call sign system can be implemented. These new
capabilities can also be used to resume the issuance of new club and
military recreation station licenses. [[Page 7460]]
2. A major concern of the amateur service community is that the
system adopted for allocation of vanity call signs be fair and
equitable. To ensure fairness, a filing priority schedule will be
adhered to.
3. The schedule has a series of starting gates. Gate One would be
for former holders or a close relative of a deceased holder. Gate Two
would allow Amateur Extra Class operators to apply. Gate Three would
allow Advanced Class operators to apply and Gate Four would open the
system to any licensee. The final gate will also allow a club station
license trustee to apply for the call sign of a deceased former holder.
The license trustee must obtain a written consent from a close relative
of the deceased. Applications for a vanity call sign will be made on
Form 610-V. A fee of $70.00 must be submitted along with the
application form when requesting a new or renewed vanity call sign.
Applicants will be able to list up to twenty-five call signs in the
order of their preference on the Form 610-V. The sequential call sign
system will continue to be available for new licensees and for those
persons who do not want vanity call signs.
4. A call sign vacated by a licensee will not be available to the
vanity call sign system for two years. This is consistent with the
waiting period for assignability of a deceased person's station call
sign or for assignability of a call sign associated with a station
license that has expired.
5. The amended rules provide for the resumption of licensing of new
club and military recreation station licenses. Once a new club or
military recreation station license is obtained, the holder thereof may
then apply for a vanity call sign, if desired.
6. This Report and Order is issued under the authority of 47 U.S.C.
Secs. 154(i) and 303(r).
List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 97
Club stations, Military recreation stations, Radio, Vanity call
signs.
Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
Amended Rules
Part 97 of Chapter I of Title 47 of the Code of Federal
Regulations is amended as follows:
PART 97--AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE
1. The authority citation for Part 97 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 48 Stat. 1066, 1082, as amended; 47 U.S.C. Secs. 154,
303. Interpret or apply 48 Stat. 1064-1068, 1081-1105, as amended;
47 U.S.C. Secs. 151-155, 301-609, unless otherwise noted.
2. Section 97.3 is amended by redesignating paragraphs (a)(11)
through (a)(45) as paragraphs (a)(12) through (a)(46) and adding new
paragraph (a)(11) to read as follows:
Sec. 97.3 Definitions.
(a) * * *
(11) Call sign system. The method used to select a call sign for
amateur station over-the-air identification purposes. The call sign
systems are:
(i) Sequential call sign system. The call sign is selected by the
FCC from an alphabetized list corresponding to the geographic region of
the licensee's mailing address and operator class. The call sign is
shown on the license. The FCC will issue public announcements detailing
the procedures of the sequential call sign system.
(ii) Vanity call sign system. The call sign is selected by the FCC
from a list of call signs requested by the licensee. The call sign is
shown on the license. The FCC will issue public announcements detailing
the procedures of the vanity call sign system.
* * * * *
3. Section 97.17 is amended by revising paragraph (f) and adding
paragraph (h) to read as follows:
Sec. 97.17 Application for new license or reciprocal permit for alien
amateur licensee.
* * * * *
(f) One unique call sign will be shown on the license of each new
primary, club, and military recreation station. The call sign will be
selected by the sequential call sign system.
* * * * *
(h) Each application for a new club or military recreation station
license must be submitted to the FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg,
PA 17325-7245. No new license for a RACES station will be issued.
4. Section 97.19 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 97.19 Application for a vanity call sign.
(a) A person who has been granted an operator/primary station
license or a license trustee who has been granted a club station
license is eligible to make application for modification of the
license, or the renewal thereof, to show a call sign selected by the
vanity call sign system. RACES and 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, or the renewal thereof, to show a call sign
selected by the vanity call sign system must be made on FCC Form 610-V.
The form must be submitted with the proper fee to the address specified
in the Private Radio Services Fee Filing Guide.
(c) Only unassigned call signs that are available to the sequential
call sign system are available to the vanity call sign system with the
following exceptions:
(1) A call sign shown on an expired license 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, revoked, set aside,
cancelled, or voided license is not available to the vanity call sign
system for 2 years following the date such action is taken.
(3) Except for an applicant who is the spouse, child, grandchild,
stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister,
stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law, and
except for an applicant who is a club station license trustee acting
with the written consent of at least one relative, as listed above, of
a person now deceased, the call sign shown on the license of a person
now deceased 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, whichever is sooner.
(d) Except for an applicant who is the spouse, child, grandchild,
stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister,
stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law, and
except for an applicant who is a club station license trustee acting
with the written consent of at least one relative, as listed above, of
a person now deceased who had been granted the license showing the call
sign requested, the vanity call sign requested by an applicant must be
selected from the groups of call signs designated under the sequential
call sign system for the class of operator license held by the
applicant or for a lower class.
(1) The applicant must request that the call sign shown on the
current license be vacated and provide a list of up to 25 call signs in
order of preference.
(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.
5. Section 97.21(a)(3) is revised to read as
follows: [[Page 7461]]
Sec. 97.21 Application for a modified or renewed license.
(a) * * *
(3) May apply for renewal of the license for another term. (The FCC
may mail to the licensee an FCC Form 610-R that may be used for this
purpose.)
(i) When the license does not show a call sign selected by the
vanity call sign system, the application may be made on FCC Form 610-R
if it is received from the FCC. If the Form 610-R is not received from
the FCC within 30 days of the expiration date of the license for an
operator/primary station license, the application may be made on FCC
Form 610. For a club, military recreation, or RACES station license,
the application may be made on FCC Form 610-B. The application may be
submitted no more than 90 days before its expiration to: FCC, 1270
Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245. When the application for
renewal of the license has been received by the FCC at 1270 Fairfield
Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245 prior to the license expiration date,
the license operating authority is continued until the final
disposition of the application.
(ii) When the license shows a call sign selected by the vanity call
sign system, the application must be filed as specified in
Sec. 97.19(b).
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 95-3025 Filed 2-7-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-F