Radio Preppers

General Category => Licensing => Topic started by: Geek on April 21, 2013, 09:01:40 PM

Title: Call Signs
Post by: Geek on April 21, 2013, 09:01:40 PM
I have two questions about call signs.  First I got a call sign when I went through the GMRS licensing process and then got another call sign with the Ham license.  Having two is a memory challenge.  Can I use my Ham call sign on the GMRS frequencies?  Is there some way to get rid of the extra call sign?  Second, there seems to be a push to sell me a "custom" call sign, which I gather is somewhat like a vanity plate on a car.  Is there any advantage to one of these?  Would it solve my multiple call sign problem?
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: RadioRay on April 21, 2013, 10:02:38 PM
Unfortunately no.  The FCC has various radio 'services' and they are considered entirely distinct.  For example, my maritime radio HF license has a call and I'm even good for Morse (special endorsement) and a few other things as well as the standard SSB voice.  But I must use my maritime callsign there and my ham callsign on the ham bands. 


You get used to it.   In fact, as you meet more hams , you'll find that you never know their last names, often know their first, but ALWAYS knows their callsigns. ha ha


>de RadioRay ..._ ._
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: Quietguy on April 21, 2013, 10:23:44 PM
Quote from: Geek on April 21, 2013, 09:01:40 PMthere seems to be a push to sell me a "custom" call sign, which I gather is somewhat like a vanity plate on a car.  Is there any advantage to one of these?

To add to RadioRay's response, a ham "Vanity" call can be useful if you aren't attached to your issued call.  My first call as a Technician was hard for me to say because of the specific tongue-twister combination of letters.  After putting up with it for awhile I got disgusted enough to get a Vanity call using my initials... I figured I could remember those. When I moved from California to Washington I switched from a district 6 call to a district 7 call to celebrate.  After I made Extra I was lucky enough to get a district 7 2x1 call with my initials... I figure I'll keep that one.

So, yes... it can be nice to get a Vanity call if you can find one that you like better than your issued call.  Just don't wait until you have used your old call so long that nobody will know who you are if you change.

Wally
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: Geek on April 22, 2013, 12:46:07 PM
Thanks!
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: KC9TNH on April 23, 2013, 09:32:29 AM
Quote from: RadioRay on April 21, 2013, 10:02:38 PM
Unfortunately no.  The FCC has various radio 'services' and they are considered entirely distinct.  For example, my maritime radio HF license has a call and I'm even good for Morse (special endorsement) and a few other things as well as the standard SSB voice.  But I must use my maritime callsign there and my ham callsign on the ham bands. 


You get used to it.   In fact, as you meet more hams , you'll find that you never know their last names, often know their first, but ALWAYS knows their callsigns. ha ha


>de RadioRay ..._ ._
LOL. Reminds me of Raul Julia in the movie "Tequila Sunrise", with an H/T in each hand, one to his supposed LE subordinates, the other to his real drug smuggler amigos. As he says to Mel Gibson, "I talk into the wrong one of these buddy and we're in real trouble."

I hear vessels checking in all the time to MMSN mistakenly with the ship's station call; quickly forgiven, traffic moves on.

Some folks will even pick their calls based on their avocation; many CW DX'ers will seek calls that are 'dit-heavy', ergo shorter. Others, the call has a certain rhythm to it when heard CW & doesn't make sense until played to the ear.

I always thought Geoff's call had a nice flow to it; AE4RV, he of the Virtual Bug (http://www.ae4rv.com/tn/education/bug.htm)

Standard phonetics could stand a slight update imo; the one letter in my call that routinely gives non-English speakers a pause is November so it sometimes becomes Norway, and it helps to know what your district number is in a few languages. Not really a DX-chaser here, just observations over time.

A vanity call is a commodity, for sale, if it's on the shelf. Pick the one you want for the reason you want it.

:)
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: gil on April 23, 2013, 10:54:07 AM
Whe  you move to another state/region, can you keep the same call sign?

Gil.
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: WA4STO on April 23, 2013, 12:13:27 PM
You bet you can.

The only rub is that you are required (by Part 97 regs) to provide some sort of address that will allow the FCC to contact you.

My own address (see QRZ.com), for example, is not where I live, but it still allows the FCC to contact me.  Eventually.

73 de Luck, WA4STO

(http://www.hurderconsulting.net/qsls/cwcq.gif)
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: wa1gon on May 24, 2013, 09:35:21 PM
Greetings everyone,

I am new here but I am going to jump in with both feet.

There is a very good reason for a General or Extra class prepper to have a vanity call sign.  That is to get a call sign area outside your own call area.  This is because if TSHTF and there are MZBs (Mutant Zombie Bikers) that can do RDF (Radio Direction Finding which isn't hard) on HF they very will may not even try a distant call area.

Quote from: Geek on April 21, 2013, 09:01:40 PM
Second, there seems to be a push to sell me a "custom" call sign, which I gather is somewhat like a vanity plate on a car.  Is there any advantage to one of these?  Would it solve my multiple call sign problem?
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: gil on May 24, 2013, 11:09:11 PM
QuoteThis is because if TSHTF and there are MZBs (Mutant Zombie Bikers) that can do RDF (Radio Direction Finding which isn't hard) on HF they very will may not even try a distant call area.

I'd say that is extremely unlikely...

Gil.
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: s2man on May 25, 2013, 06:37:40 AM
I want a vanity call sign for the reasons Wally listed. My last three letters are a tongue twister and they all have the long E sound. KD0VBG.  I have to say it very slowly for folks to copy. Veee, Beee, Geee.

I'll keep the November issue in mind.

A nice, short 2x1 call is almost enough reason to go for the Extra class license ;-)
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: KC9TNH on May 25, 2013, 07:03:47 AM
Quote from: s2man on May 25, 2013, 06:37:40 AM
I want a vanity call sign for the reasons Wally listed. My last three letters are a tongue twister and they all have the long E sound. KD0VBG.  I have to say it very slowly for folks to copy. Veee, Beee, Geee.
Do they still have trouble copying when you say it phonetically?  8)
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: s2man on May 25, 2013, 07:54:11 AM
Ha!  I left that one out.  No, 100% copy on phonetics. 

Though, out here in the country, phonetics are often along the lines of Walter, Todd or Frank.  ;-)
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: Frosty on May 25, 2013, 08:54:54 AM
Quote from: gil on May 24, 2013, 11:09:11 PM
QuoteThis is because if TSHTF and there are MZBs (Mutant Zombie Bikers) that can do RDF (Radio Direction Finding which isn't hard) on HF they very will may not even try a distant call area.

I'd say that is extremely unlikely...

Gil.

A group of genetically grotesque ghouls riding Yama-Yagi's? 

Hey, it could happen.
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: KK0G on May 25, 2013, 02:34:31 PM
Quote from: s2man on May 25, 2013, 06:37:40 AM
I want a vanity call sign for the reasons Wally listed. My last three letters are a tongue twister and they all have the long E sound. KD0VBG.  I have to say it very slowly for folks to copy. Veee, Beee, Geee.

I'll keep the November issue in mind.

Yeah, that one's a lot of dits and dahs in CW, I don't blame you for wanting a vanity call ;D


Quote from: s2man on May 25, 2013, 06:37:40 AMA nice, short 2x1 call is almost enough reason to go for the Extra class license ;-)

Yep, that's half the reason I upgraded to Extra. That and zero privilege restrictions anywhere in the amateur spectrum.

By the way, my call is a vanity. I believe (at least in the zero call area) that the only way to get a 1x2 or 2x1 call is via vanity.
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: gil on May 25, 2013, 02:46:48 PM
One of the main reasons for me to get the Extra right from the start was to get a shorter call-sign. I was even ready to ask for a vanity call if I didn't like the one assigned to me, which is a 2x2, but I did... I certainly did not want a 2x3 since I only operate CW.

Gil.
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: KK0G on May 25, 2013, 03:13:36 PM
Being a CW operator in zero land I envy the guys in five land - di, di, di, di, dit. I could get a five call through the vanity system but I guess I'm still old school and want my call to reflect my QTH.
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: Quietguy on May 25, 2013, 06:32:05 PM
Quote from: KK0G on May 25, 2013, 02:34:31 PMBy the way, my call is a vanity. I believe (at least in the zero call area) that the only way to get a 1x2 or 2x1 call is via vanity.

Yes, the only way to get a 1x2 or 2x1 call anywhere is through the vanity system.  The FCC does not issue previously used calls to new licensees, and all 1x2 and 2x1 calls have been previously issued.  That's why new extras now get 2x2 calls if they don't keep their existing call.  When I upgraded from General to Extra I kept my old call because I knew I would try for a 2x1 since a few would be available at the time.

Wally
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: extra_class_ham on January 12, 2014, 09:39:17 PM
Extra class operator, with a vanity. But I got a 1X3. It was the call of my late grandfather. He was first licensed in fall of 1938, went SK in 1992. It been only issued to him and then myself. My grandson, who became a general at age 11 last year wants to be the 2nd caretaker of this call when I go SK. Hopefully, that is a long ways out.  ;)
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: Archangel320420 on January 13, 2014, 03:02:14 PM
Perhaps this is not the proper place to speak of such things. In the SHTF senario I plan on using a tactical call not amateur on the air. Now is the time to make one. I suggest tactical calls be used only in person and by snail mail until it is known to the group(s). Sort of like Naval Air does. They go by callsigns not first and last names. Just a thought. In the case of Naval Air you don't get to pick you callsign. They give it to you by some strange chance and it sticks similar to a nic name. I guess we don't have to go THAT far.  :)  I don't want to be called MAVERICK anyway or GOOSE or ICE!
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: RichardSinFWTX on January 13, 2014, 03:10:59 PM
Archangel's right on this one.  If things go truly sideways I think the government (or what's left of it) will have better things to do then to worry about whether or not we're all using our proper callsigns.  I would definitely go with a tactical call. 
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: gil on January 13, 2014, 03:25:07 PM
QuotePerhaps this is not the proper place to speak of such things. In the SHTF senario I plan on using a tactical call not amateur on the air.

I agree. I have requested that nobody suggests anything illegal on this site, but you are not suggesting to do it now, only under extraordinary circumstances in an improbable future, so that's fine.

The best thing to do now is to establish skeds with friends; people from here. Ray and I have been doing it regularly. Too bad I never seem to reach Chris or Wes, only on rare occasions, and we have never been able to have a conversation due to propagation problems. Ray on the other hand is almost always heard, and we have tried down to 100mW more than once.

I would like to establish skeds with more people, using CW. Any takers?

I do need to reinstall my PAR end-fed because I found out last night it fell off!...

Gil.
Title: Re: Call Signs
Post by: RichardSinFWTX on January 13, 2014, 03:49:58 PM
Once I've got my mobile station-in-a-box operational I'll be up for it! 

Got a 3-day weekend coming up this weekend (It's good to work for the State sometimes).  Maybe I'll get to do some metal-working.

I got my LDG Z-11 tuner last Friday and I've got a buddy loaning me a PowerWerx power supply to see if I like before I buy one.  My FT-857D hasn't even been powered up since I got it right before Christmas.