[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