okay so i just passed my general a few months ago and got a sequential callsign, which is fine but its kind of long and awkward to say on the air. someone at my local club mentioned i could apply for a vanity call and get something shorter or more memorable. i looked at the FCC ULS website and honestly it made my head spin a little.

from what i can tell you file the application, there's a 18 day waiting period, and then if multiple people applied for the same call it goes into some kind of drawing? or is it first come first served? i genuinely cant tell. also does it matter what license class you have for which calls you can apply for? i know 1x2 and 2x1 formats are for extras but what about 1x3 calls, can a general get one of those?

sorry if this is a dumb question, just want to make sure i understand before i go filing something and wasting the application fee — wait is there even a fee now? i thought the FCC started charging but my buddy said vanity is still free? anyway any help appreciated

not a dumb question at all, this stuff is genuinely confusing the first time you look at it. so yes there is now an application fee from the FCC, it's $35 last i checked, applies to new licenses, upgrades, and vanity applications. that changed a couple years ago so your buddy might just have outdated info.

the waiting period is 18 days and it's not exactly a lottery but sort of — if more than one person applies for the same call during that window they do a random selection from among the qualified applicants. if you're the only one who wants it you get it after the window closes. as for the 1x3 format yeah generals can apply for those, you just cant get the shorter 1x2 or 2x1 formats until you upgrade to extra. there are also some 2x2 calls still floating around that generals are eligible for depending on the district. honestly the best thing to do is use a site like AE7Q's callsign database, it shows you available calls and what class can hold them. makes the whole thing a lot less overwhelming than staring at ULS.

went through this exact process last year so i feel you. one thing i'll add is that some calls look available in the database but are actually in a post-cancellation hold period and you cant apply for them yet, AE7Q shows that info too if you dig into the individual call page. i picked a 1x3 that had been recently cancelled and had to wait like another 30 days before the hold cleared. little bit annoying but not a big deal. good luck, its kinda fun picking one out honestly