Vanity and special-event calls

Beyond the call you were given

New licensees receive the next call in sequence from the FCC. Two other routes exist: a vanity call, which you choose, and a special-event call, a short-lived call for an event. See Call signs and what they mean for how calls are built.

Vanity calls

A vanity call is a call sign you request instead of accepting the one assigned. Any licensed amateur may request one. People ask for their initials, a short and easy-to-send call (valuable in CW and contests), a call they once held, or a relative's.

How it works in practice:

• You apply to the FCC, normally online, listing choices in order of preference. A fee applies, and the amount can change.
• Which calls you can request depends on your license class. The shortest formats are typically reserved for Amateur Extra operators.
• A call sign released by someone else is typically held back for a waiting period (about two years) before others may request it.
• Once granted, it replaces your old call and goes with you for the life of the license.

Special-event calls

When a club or group operates for a celebration, an anniversary or a public event, it can use a special-event call sign: a very short, memorable call, usually a single letter after the number. In the US these are issued for a short period, typically up to about two weeks, through a coordinated volunteer program, and the operators use their own licenses to take part.

Such stations often offer a special QSL card or certificate to those who contact them. See Special events, IOTA and lighthouses and Logging and QSL confirmations.

Other countries run their own versions, often with a special prefix instead of a short suffix. Their rules differ, so check the host country's regulator.

Identification still applies

Whatever the call, the rules do not change. You still identify at least every 10 minutes and at the end of a contact, using the call sign you operate under. A special-event call is a station call: the control operator must still hold a valid license. See Control operators and control points.