What happens to call signs when your license expires?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What happens to call signs when your license expires?

Posted: 6/26/2017 5:15:33 PM EDT

My dad had a license when I was a kid. I can remember him using Morse code. Would I be able to find out what his call sign was? Or do the call signs get recycled after a period of time. This would have been mid 70's to maybe 1980. He passed some time ago. I just think it would be cool to know what his call sign would have been.

Posted: 6/26/2017 5:30:06 PM EDT

[#1]

Not sure how to find out what his call sign was back then. Maybe someone in your family remembers? Do you have his old log books, by chance?

When a license expires, the call sign just sits there unused, unless someone applies for it under the vanity call sign program. In other words, it does not automatically get recycled. My father was a ham, and passed away 30 years ago. No one applied to get his call sign (probably because it was a 2x3), so when I finally got my license in 2012, I was able to get it through the vanity program. But, I specifically remember his call sign from when I was a kid.

Posted: 6/26/2017 5:30:36 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
My dad had a license when I was a kid. I can remember him using Morse code. Would I be able to find out what his call sign was? Or do the call signs get recycled after a period of time. This would have been mid 70's to maybe 1980. He passed some time ago. I just think it would be cool to know what his call sign would have been.

View Quote

There are online "call books" from the years you mentioned, should be a simple matter to search them and find out what his call sign had been. Most likely it has been reissued though.

ETA link: https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22callbook%22

Posted: 6/26/2017 5:37:58 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
There are online "call books" from the years you mentioned, should be a simple matter to search them and find out what his call sign had been. Most likely it has been reissued though.

ETA link: https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22callbook%22

View Quote

I learned something new.

Posted: 6/26/2017 5:41:24 PM EDT

[#4]

Callsigns are not reissued automatically.

Once it's been unused for 2 years, it's available in the "vanity" callsign program where someone might select it. A lot of people are taking 1x3s with their initials. If he had a 2x3 or 2x2 it's likely just dormant. If he had a 1x2 or 2x1 Extra callsign it's almost certainly been reissued.

Here's the FCC's license search page which lets you search by name.
http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchAmateur.jsp

Those archive.org link callbooks appear to be split up into call districts (the number in the callsign). If he was in Texas that would be 5. The 1995 one anyway is not searchable so would seem to be useless in this endeavor... callbooks are organized by callsign, not name.

Posted: 6/26/2017 6:22:10 PM EDT

[#5]

It would have been in Virginia. My father was blind so any logs he had would have been in Braille. I can't find anyone in the family with more details.

Posted: 6/26/2017 6:46:04 PM EDT

[#6]

If he was in Virginia maybe where he lived had some 2-meter activity or maybe a local club. I'll bet some of those guys would remember, especially a blind HAM.

Posted: 6/26/2017 6:59:41 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
Not sure how to find out what his call sign was back then. Maybe someone in your family remembers? Do you have his old log books, by chance?

When a license expires, the call sign just sits there unused, unless someone applies for it under the vanity call sign program. In other words, it does not automatically get recycled. My father was a ham, and passed away 30 years ago. No one applied to get his call sign (probably because it was a 2x3), so when I finally got my license in 2012, I was able to get it through the vanity program. But, I specifically remember his call sign from when I was a kid.

View Quote

Exact same story for me....my grandfather was a ham, he died 30 years ago and I was able to get his call as a close relative

Posted: 6/26/2017 8:22:15 PM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
Not sure how to find out what his call sign was back then. Maybe someone in your family remembers? Do you have his old log books, by chance?

When a license expires, the call sign just sits there unused, unless someone applies for it under the vanity call sign program. In other words, it does not automatically get recycled. My father was a ham, and passed away 30 years ago. No one applied to get his call sign (probably because it was a 2x3), so when I finally got my license in 2012, I was able to get it through the vanity program. But, I specifically remember his call sign from when I was a kid.

View Quote

They used to recycle them, but that was before the ARRL essentially took over licensing.

(Licensed in 1960)

Posted: 6/26/2017 8:36:32 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
Those archive.org link callbooks appear to be split up into call districts (the number in the callsign). If he was in Texas that would be 5. The 1995 one anyway is not searchable so would seem to be useless in this endeavor... callbooks are organized by callsign, not name.

View Quote

I went to the 1980, "4" call district book, typed in my father's (and my) last name in the search box, and the search took it to the correct page. So that would at least narrow it down quite a bit. But, I have an uncommon last name. If your name is Smith, it might take some time.

Posted: 6/26/2017 8:38:17 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
It would have been in Virginia. My father was blind so any logs he had would have been in Braille. I can't find anyone in the family with more details.

View Quote

Virginia is in the "4" call district, so....

Try the 1980, number "4" call district book. Type in your fathers last name, and see if it goes to the correct page. You will still have to sort through everything on that page, but it narrows it down a lot.

Posted: 6/26/2017 8:39:36 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:

They used to recycle them, but that was before the ARRL essentially took over licensing.

(Licensed in 1960)

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I'm feeling pretty young right now.

Posted: 6/26/2017 9:15:29 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
Exact same story for me....my grandfather was a ham, he died 30 years ago and I was able to get his call as a close relative

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Not sure how to find out what his call sign was back then. Maybe someone in your family remembers? Do you have his old log books, by chance?
When a license expires, the call sign just sits there unused, unless someone applies for it under the vanity call sign program. In other words, it does not automatically get recycled. My father was a ham, and passed away 30 years ago. No one applied to get his call sign (probably because it was a 2x3), so when I finally got my license in 2012, I was able to get it through the vanity program. But, I specifically remember his call sign from when I was a kid.

Exact same story for me....my grandfather was a ham, he died 30 years ago and I was able to get his call as a close relative

I think the only difference that being a relative gets you is that you can get a callsign inside the usual 2 year waiting time, so you would have first chance at it.

Posted: 6/27/2017 8:38:51 AM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:

I'm feeling pretty young right now.

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Posted: 6/27/2017 11:28:01 AM EDT

[#14]

Don't know about now, but the W4xxx call I got in 1954 was a recycle and was one of the last W4 calls issued. A friend who tested a couple of months later got a K4Axx call.

Posted: 6/27/2017 12:14:29 PM EDT

[#15]

Thanks for the help guys. I was able to find his call sign in the 1980 callbook. WD4EBX. Looks like he was a novice. I think it might be available. I tried to look up the call sign and got no results.

Posted: 6/27/2017 1:33:58 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
Thanks for the help guys. I was able to find his call sign in the 1980 callbook. WD4EBX. Looks like he was a novice. I think it might be available. I tried to look up the call sign and got no results.

View Quote

Now that you have it, it's downhill from here.

Search here http://www.ae7q.com/query/ and see if it's available. That sight also walks you through how to get it assigned to you if it is available.

Good luck!

Posted: 6/27/2017 2:11:05 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
Thanks for the help guys. I was able to find his call sign in the 1980 callbook. WD4EBX. Looks like he was a novice. I think it might be available. I tried to look up the call sign and got no results.

View Quote

Glad we could help you out.

Posted: 6/27/2017 3:52:04 PM EDT

[#18]

I will wait till I show up in the FCC database then request it as a vanity call sign. I'm going to start studying for the general now.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What happens to call signs when your license expires?

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