The cost of a vanity call sign was $13.40 upon application and again $13.40 every 10 years at renewal.As of April 13, 2010 the cost was reduced to $13.30 thus it now costs one penny less per year to have a vanity call sign.
Those holding a vanity call sign prior to 1996 will not have a reduction in their renewal application fee because it was not until 1996 that congress authorized the FCC to charge for vanity call signs.
Recently the ARRL sent an email to its members stating in part, “Late last year, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) — WT Docket 09-209 — seeking to amend the Commission’s Amateur Radio Service rules to clarify certain rules and codify existing procedures governing the vanity call sign system, as well as revise certain rules applicable to club stations.”
I saw nothing in the email that indicated the ARRL’s official position on the proposed changes just a statement of fact that the FCC has proposed to amend the vanity call sign program and make changes to certain rules about club stations licenses.
After reading the comments made on the official FCC comment page it appeared to me that some people are objecting to the changes but have no idea what the proposed changes are.Possibly or maybe I should say probably they did not bother to find out what changes the FCC wants to make and why. Well informed comments are of great value to all concerned but uninformed comments are of little value to the FCC or to the Amateur radio community.
If you are interested in making a comment about the release you have until March 26, 2010.Comments can be submitted via the FCC’s Web site at, http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/.One thing I would recommend, before you comment read the document you are commenting about.
To see comments made by others go to: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/proceeding_search/input?z=cp5su enter “09-209”in the block marked “proceeding number?”and click “Search For Proceedings”button at the bottom of the page. Click on the blue circle with the “i” in it under “Filed On Behalf Of.”Click on“View 1” following “”View Filing.”
An amateur radio license, with the exception of the small fee paid to the VEs when a test is taken, is free.Renewal is free.But some hams are willing to pay for their license so they may have some special call sign.
These special call signs, called vanity calls, do have a fee attached.The current price at the writing of this article is $12.30 but on August 11, 2009 the FCC announced it would raise the cost $1.10 making the new price $13.40. The price increase will take effect 30 days after the FCC published it
in the Federal Register which means it will start on September 10, 2009.
Once issued the call sign is good for 10 years but then at the expiration of the license the vanity call sign must again be renewed at $13.40.
In an email from the ARRL they said, “These fees are expected to recover a total of $341,875,000 during FY2009, encompassing all the Services the FCC regulates.”
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