Vanity Call Signs in Ham Radio: A blank canvas to express yourself

Normally, amateur radio operators receive a randomly assigned callsign when they get licensed. However, with a vanity callsign, you can request a custom call sign as long as it fits the formatting rules specific to your nation and region.

Much like vanity license plates, vanity callsigns can be funny, clever, or even downright offensive. Amateur radio operators often get creative, choosing callsigns that play on words, include inside jokes, or reflect their personality. While many are lighthearted or witty, some have pushed boundaries to the point of being controversial or offensive. Some were only discovered to be offensive after they were issued and they had to be revoked. Some of the ones that were revoked were subsequently reissued and upon being rediscovered, they were revoked again. To see some of these look up “Hall of Fame Vanity Call Signs” on the internet.

DYK that you can use the FCC’s ULS License Search website to confirm even revoked call signs are real? See link.

⚡️Like a haiku, the structure of a call sign is very limiting, it is up to you to use your mind to create something special within that tiny space. ⚡️