okay so I just passed my general a few weeks ago and I've been looking into getting a vanity call. I had a specific 1x3 call in mind that belonged to a SK who was a family friend, but I honestly have no idea how this whole process works or what order things happen in.

like do I just go to the ULS and apply right away or is there some waiting period after you get your initial sequential call? I've read a few different things online and some of it seems outdated. someone on reddit said theres a window system but another post said it was first come first served now, I really cant tell which is accurate.

also does it matter that I'm a general and not extra for the call I want? the call itself is a 1x3 format. just want to make sure I'm not wasting my time applying if I'm not eligible yet.

congrats on passing general. so the vanity process — its actually not too complicated once you understand the basics. there is no waiting period after you get your initial callsign, you can apply for a vanity call basically right away through the FCC ULS. the old window system where different license classes had different application windows was eliminated a while back, so its genuinely first come first served now for the most part. you just submit and if the call is available and you're eligible, you should get it.

as for the 1x3 format — general class is absolutely eligible for those, you dont need extra for a 1x3. extra class opens up 1x2 and 2x1 calls which are shorter and more coveted, but a 1x3 is fine on general. one thing to be aware of with SK calls is there can be a holding period before they become available in the vanity pool, I believe it's around 2 years after the license expires or the person is removed from the database, but you can check the call availability directly in ULS and it'll tell you if its assignable or still in a holding status.

the actual application is pretty straightforward, just fill out the form 605 on the ULS site and list the call you want. fingers crossed you get it, SK memorial calls are always meaningful.

yeah what he said, i went through this last year for my own vanity call. the thing that tripped me up was not realizing the call i wanted was still in that holding period so it just sat there as unavailable for a few months. was frustrating at the time but eventually cleared up and i got it no problem. just double check the status before you apply so you know what you're dealing with.