Amateur License Plates

[newsphotog]

I have really good auto insurance and I insure all of my computers and radios through the ARRL program ($50 deductible) so theft isn't really a primary concern in regards to ham plates for me. I just can't bring myself to put ham plates on my jeep. But I don't know why, I like my "normal" sequential plates, blending in with other vehicles on the road/in parking lots.

Since I live in "zero" land, we get that goofy-looking zero. It used to be something special to hams here to have them on their license plates, but now the DOT is using the zero with a slash through it on ALL sequential plates that have zeroes in the numbers, so to me that takes some of the specialness away from the ham plates.

I have been told that in the 80's, when ham plates were first introduced, the DOT didn't have the die for the special zero, so all of the hams pitched together to get the die with the zero with the slash through it for the state license plate stamping machines.

[w2txb]

Originally Posted by newsphotog

I have really good auto insurance and I insure all of my computers and radios through the ARRL program ($50 deductible) so theft isn't really a primary concern in regards to ham plates for me. I just can't bring myself to put ham plates on my jeep. But I don't know why, I like my "normal" sequential plates, blending in with other vehicles on the road/in parking lots.

Since I live in "zero" land, we get that goofy-looking zero. It used to be something special to hams here to have them on their license plates, but now the DOT is using the zero with a slash through it on ALL sequential plates that have zeroes in the numbers, so to me that takes some of the specialness away from the ham plates.

I have been told that in the 80's, when ham plates were first introduced, the DOT didn't have the die for the special zero, so all of the hams pitched together to get the die with the zero with the slash through it for the state license plate stamping machines.

The DOT probably figured the use of the zero with a slash would make identification easier... less easily mistaken for the (upper case letter) "O"; brings back memories of the mid-1980's when many folks misread and mispronounced the model name of the Pontiac 6000LE as "G000LiE".

[10-2]

I put in for my plates as soon as I got my ticket in the mail. 6 months later..... They finally arrived. Oklahoma is pretty slow on vanity plates of any kind.

On a positive note, in Oklahoma, if you have Amateur Radio plates on your vehicle & some scumbag breaks into your vehicle, said scumbag is automatically charged with a felony even if all he/she did was break into your vehicle to smell the airfreshner. . .

[newsphotog]

Originally Posted by 10-2

On a positive note, in Oklahoma, if you have Amateur Radio plates on your vehicle & some scumbag breaks into your vehicle, said scumbag is automatically charged with a felony even if all he/she did was break into your vehicle to smell the airfreshner. . .

What's the reasoning behind that?

[vk3hau]

Here in VK3 the plates cost $ 420.00 AU ( Australian ) , once you buy the plates you only need to pay the rego as normal $ 575.00 AU a year, you have to show both your Driver and Ham Tickets when applying for the plates and takes two weeks to be sent to Vicroads for pick up, swop your old standard plates for the new call sign plate at vicroads and they change the data base at the same time.

[KR0SIV]

I have my plates here in Ohio,
Nothing fancy, no tower or anything on the plate but it still gets the job done.

Ours are flat print too, I think it was something to the tune of $20 in total to do an early plate exchange and have them sent out.

Photo is WAY to big to embed
http://i.imgur.com/wsr7F.jpg

[KB7MIB]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; U; en-US) Gecko/20081217 Vision-Browser/8.1 301x200 LG VN530)

I had my call on an AZ vanity plate before I sold my truck for scrap. AZ now offers an actual Amateur Radio plate. It's $25 to get the plate, plus $25 every renewal. That's just for the plate.
I also used to have a PO Box. Had to drop it due to finances.

[gonzalu]

My NYS HAM Plates

[W9BU]

Manny. that's outstanding! Since Indiana amateur radio plates say nothing about amateur radio on them, I'm a bit envious of the amateur radio plates from other states. New York's is the best I've seen so far.

[kc4jgc]

Virginia still only has the basic call with "AMATEUR RADIO" across the bottom. Cost is only $1 plus the usual registration fee per year. Some years back there was a proposal and design for an amateur radio that had a tower that would have cost an extra $10 over registration fee but could not get the required 300 orders at the DMV to start production. Seems we're happy with just the basic.

I like the NY plate design, especially with the CQ DE in morse. The one creative thing is I would have left out the "AMATEUR RADIO" on the left side, lift the picture up enough do that "DE" would have been on the same plane as the the base of the characters of the call. Still nice though. That makes 2 things in NY I like, the other being the Mets (still annoys me they let the Norfolk Tides AAA contract expire after 40+ years though!).

[DickH]

Originally Posted by KC0KM

... today I (finally) got my Amateur Plates
73
KC0KM

Very nice. It may be prestigious, but do really want anyone who sees your plate to know who you are and where you live? I wouldn't.

MCCLANAHAN, KELLY
8423 JAMES A REED ROAD
RAYTOWN, MO 64138-3060
ATTN Kelly E McClanahan

[gonzalu]

Thanks everyone, in NYS they are $35 dollars on top of the regular registration price.

Dick, I do not mind at all. Nothing to hide, nothing to lose ... my address has been well known to any and all for many many years, never an issue so far. Not that there couldn't be a first time. I feel that ifthe bad guys want to hurt you, they'll find a way regardless.

I know, why make it easier? What can I say, I trust most humans :P

[wa2chj]

gonzalu, what about the new orange plates, are they available as ham plates? Do they look like your plate? BTW, that plate looks great! I used to have NY plates from 1975-1995.

[gonzalu]

Originally Posted by wa2chj

gonzalu, what about the new orange plates, are they available as ham plates? Do they look like your plate? BTW, that plate looks great! I used to have NY plates from 1975-1995.

No the Amateur and for that matter all other custom plates are only available in white and blue colors. I am actually glad as I don;t like the orange plates for the custom tags.

[wa2chj]

Got to agree with you on that. The orange plates look like Halloween plates, but they are like the plates from the '50s & '60s that were orange and dark blue alternating between background colors every couple years.
73

[Fuzy_GSXR1000]

I'm thinking about getting them...few guys in my club have them.

[MTS2000des]

Anyone have a picture of what the Florida amateur radio plate looks like? Got into a discussion with a local ham who lived in Florida for years and he asserts Florida doesn't issue amateur radio specific plates, despite their DMV/DPS stating otherwise:

Amateur Radio License Plate

Anyone have a pic of their actual Florida ham tag they don't mind showing? I'd love to point to this thread.

[gonzalu]

Do they have custom plates for HAMs is Fla?

Florida DHSMV - Specialty License Plates Index

[LtDoc]

newsphotog,
Bad question! You're implying that Oklahoma state government uses 'reasoning' in some form. That's just not too likely, you know?

- 'Doc

[W2NJS]

Originally Posted by MTS2000des

Anyone have a picture of what the Florida amateur radio plate looks like? Got into a discussion with a local ham who lived in Florida for years and he asserts Florida doesn't issue amateur radio specific plates, despite their DMV/DPS stating otherwise:

Amateur Radio License Plate

Anyone have a pic of their actual Florida ham tag they don't mind showing? I'd love to point to this thread.

I'm sure we'd all like to know that local ham's reaction when he sees the FL application form.