Thank You for the link, CG!!! -- j
.

That's brand new news to me - and very welcome. I thought that when they raised it it was just more government money-grabbing in the first place.

I'd seen this headline: "FCC Eliminating Vanity Call Sign Fee" http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter?issue=201...

I agree no one would want a vulgar call, except for a varitable lid who wants a call ending in LID. I was talking about back before they even had vanity calls. I realized someone at the FCC must have taken a moment to think of all combinations that might sound vulgar.

It reminds me of how someone in WI was assigned the license plate BOB-666. His name was Bob. He asked DoT to change it b/c it sounded like the mark of the devil. They said he would have to pay for a vanity plate. There was a backlash, and they agreed to assign him a new number.

Sadly you are mistaken. The FCC made two major changes this year with regards to the licensing of amateur radio operators. The increased the vanity call sign registration cost by over 20% to $23.50 (ten year license - was like $18) and they no longer mail you an official copy of your license unless you pay for it (you just print your own).

As for the call signs, one of the foundations for an amateur radio operator is professionalism. You use that call sign every time you transmit and it tells something about you to everyone listening. I haven't met anyone who would _want_ a vulgar acronym in their call sign, let alone request one. Vanity calls are a point of pride.

I heard they are no long charging extra for vanity calls.

I remember being a kid and looking in the call book (this was in the 80s before online lookup and before vanity calls), and checking to see if they gave people calls ending in LID, FAG, ASS. They didn't back then. I thought about how someone in the FCC office had to make a list of proscribed call suffixes. I'm sure they gave out WTF b/c that didn't mean anything back then besides WI Tourism Federation.

That is one heck of a callsign. And it's a bummer that they jacked up the vanity call rates this year.

I just got licensed a couple of years ago and worked my way through the upgrades, but my hands-on is still a work-in-progress. My focus is ARES/RACES, and that's a lot more about process than tech.

wellsir, we're scheming in parallel. . I have always
loved radio -- of all kinds -- and finally retired so that
I could become a ham. . zowie!!! -- j / kk4fuu (they
gave it to me; honest!)
.

Cool. Now if you have things grounded properly, an autonomous ham setup can withstand a low-level EMP. It's the power hookup to "commercial power" that is the vulnerable portion.

73's
W7EBC

my dad and I built a fallout shelter in the early 60s,
with a labyrinth entrance. . I am thinking about
putting such an entrance in my ham radio room. -- j
.

I would hate to put a percentage factor to it, but with nations like South Korea and Iran around and wanting to detonate an atmospheric device the chances seem more likely everyday.

Iran would love to detonate one launched from a cargo ship in international waters only 30 miles off the coast of any major city. And Obama's deals with them are only speeding up the timetable.

Here's the kicker about these bags: if your devices aren't in the bag and completely sealed up when the device goes off - the bags are useless. You can't both use the device and protect it at the same time.