so i got my general ticket about 6 weeks ago and im thinking about getting a vanity call but the timing on the fcc site is confusing me. it says something about 18 month periods and i dont really get when i can apply. my current call is kc9xyz (fake obviously) and ive been looking at some 2x3 calls that seem available. do i have to wait some specific time after getting my license or can i just apply whenever? also heard something about fees going up soon but cant find solid info on that

You can apply anytime after you get your license, no waiting period. The 18 month thing is how long your vanity call is good for before renewal. FCC processes vanity apps in batches every couple weeks so it takes about a month usually to get approved. As for fees yeah they went up this year to like $35 i think, used to be free back in the day but those times are long gone unfortunately.

just went through this process myself last month and got my 1x3 call. the whole thing was pretty straightforward once i figured out the fcc website. make sure you check the availability on ae7q or radio-locator first because the fcc database isnt always current. took exactly 23 days from application to having the new call show up in the database. definitely worth it though, much easier to give out on phone than my old kc call was