Ham Call Sign License Plates

[k8tmk]

In Michigan, I believe the form you sign indicates that you must turn in an amateur plate if you no longer have an amateur license, no longer have a valid driver's license or own the vehicle, or are no longer using the plate on a vehicle.

Obviously, this does not apply to an old, expired plate. I have all of my amateur plates dating back to about 1965.

Randy, K8TMK

 

[Net-5]

I've had mine for quite a long time.
The only people who had a clue what the plate meant were other hams.
The rest asked "What does that mean?"

Only $5 xtra surcharge here (and there) in Oregon.
Go for it. The price is right and you only live once.
Oregon DMV Form 231 (pdf)

When you get your ticket, and assuming you get a 2m/70cm rig,
PM me and we can chat on the Oregon Connection linked system.
(Scroll down on that page to find the linked repeater nearest to you)

-Mike

Sounds like a plan, my friend.

 

[AK9R]

I've had callsign plates for almost as long as I've had an amateur radio license.

Callsign plates are fairly easy to get in Indiana, though they are processed like our vanity plates (which cost considerably more than AR plates) so the BMV clerks don't always know how to enter your request in their computer. When I lived in Kentucky, I found that callsign plates were more expensive than Indiana and it took some digging to find out how to get them. I found that KY hams were not as likely to have callsign plates as IN hams and the price of the plate may have had something to do with it.

As for making your vehicle a target for theives, I think the antennas on the roof and radios in the car are more of a tip-off to theives than the plates. However, the only time my vehicle was broken into and my radios stolen was when I had a rental car. No amateur radio plates, no external antennas, no radios mounted on the console, but a briefcase sitting in the backseat which contained a Yaesu handheld. The car was parked at my office and I was working late. Purely a smash and grab. One of my coworkers found the breifcase the next day with most of the personal items still intact, but the radio was gone and never recovered.

 

[thunderbritches174]

Go for it, get your ticket and get your plates. Here in Georgia the state waves the tag fee and all we pay is the ad valorem tax. Welcome to the hobby and 73's.

 

[N1SQB]

Who would be goofy enough to put their Ham Call on their License plate?
Happy Monitoring!
Marshall KE4ZNR

I know what you mean Marshall, people who do that must be crazy!!!!!

Manny/N1SQB

 

[Sccafire]

correct me if I am wrong but if your vehicle is stolen with Ham Plates does that change it from a felony to a federal crime?

 

[methusaleh]

If you want to get those plates, I would say go right ahead and get them.

In fifteen years of law enforcement, I've only come across one situation where a vehicle was targeted due to having callsign plates on it; the suspects were local whackers who knew what they were looking for.

I do not have callsign plates and never have, due to the anonymity I choose due to my job. However on long trips I took my grandfather's suggestion and made a magnetic bumper sticker that simply says "Monitoring 146.52", figuring that any ham who needs assistance or wants to say hello will know exactly what that means.

 

[n4yek]

correct me if I am wrong but if your vehicle is stolen with Ham Plates does that change it from a felony to a federal crime?

Why would it? Your car isn't a federal vehicle.

 

[Sccafire]

Why would it? Your car isn't a federal vehicle.

I had heard it from somebody that was talking about HAM License Plates. I guess they were pulling my chain.

 

[Taloniilm]

When I saw this plate on the Alabama forum it just struck me as very attractive. If my State had something as nice I'd pay the extra money for it...

 

[kb0nly]

Here in MN it costs $7 for the plates and a $8 paperwork fee to get them, i have had mine since about a year after i got licensed, same set of plates have seen 15 years of use, i just keep transferring them as i get a new vehicle.

That picture of the Alabama plate makes me envy them for having that. At least here in MN our plates show Amateur Radio like the Alabama plates, in nearby South Dakota they don't even get that.

There is a redesign for Amateur plates in the works for MN, a friend of mine in the DMV said they want to make it so there is a semi-transparent tower symbol overlaid on the MN state symbol in the center of the plate, time will tell i guess.

My plates stick out not because they are Amateur plates, but because they are the old school stamped relief plates. MN changed over to flat non-stamped plates, they are just printed now, last year i think it was. I got a new set on my current vehicle when i bought it, had to wait for the title to do the transfer of my Amateur plates and that usually takes longer than the 30 days you get a temporary tag for, so i had to get new plates and tabs, but when i transferred my Amateur plates i turned in my new set and they didn't charge me for replacement tabs.

 

[Sccafire]

here is the link from ARRL website for costs of HAM License Plates.

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio License Plate Fees

 

[jparks29]

Too bad you don't live in Tenn where you can get super whacker ham plates!

http://www.state.tn.us/revenue/vehicle/licenseplates/emergency/amateurradio.jpg

 

[N0IU]

And why have your vehicle identified as being registered to a ham radio operator in the first place?

I have actually seen this car in the St. Louis area... no joke! But the rumor is that he does NOT have ham plates because he doesn't want to attract attention to himself!

 

[newsphotog]

Not sure if I like the Alabama plate. It makes ham radio look antiquated as a pasttime of the 40's-60's by use of the fonts and colors. Maybe it's just my fear of the word "amateur" and the public perception attached to it. I like Texas' plates -- just boldly says "Radio Operator" in red letters underneath Texas.

That picture of the Alabama plate makes me envy them for having that. At least here in MN our plates show Amateur Radio like the Alabama plates, in nearby South Dakota they don't even get that.

There is a redesign for Amateur plates in the works for MN, a friend of mine in the DMV said they want to make it so there is a semi-transparent tower symbol overlaid on the MN state symbol in the center of the plate, time will tell i guess.

In Iowa we don't even get amateur radio printed on our plates either. It's basically a regular vanity plate with our call sign on them. No thanks!

My plates stick out not because they are Amateur plates, but because they are the old school stamped relief plates. MN changed over to flat non-stamped plates, they are just printed now, last year i think it was.

Yep, same deal in Iowa as well. It doesn't take long for the front flat plates to get all bent up in the winter. They look like crap. Next go-round, they'll be switching to cardboard I'm sure!

 

[AK9R]

In Iowa we don't even get amateur radio printed on our plates either. It's basically a regular vanity plate with our call sign on them.

Same in Indiana.

It doesn't take long for the front flat plates to get all bent up in the winter. They look like crap. Next go-round, they'll be switching to cardboard I'm sure!

We don't have front plates in Indiana. On top of that, they re-issue the amateur radio plates every year, so durabililty isn't a problem.

As for cardboard, back during World War II, some states resorted to using pressed soy bean meal for license plate blanks because steel was in short supply. The plates were coated, so they didn't melt in the rain. Nonetheless, farm animals took a liking to chewing on the plates. These plates are highly regarded by license plate collectors because not many of them survived the years.

 

[hockeyshrink]

I have been considering getting plates for some time, but I am really torn about it. You all make great points, both pro and con. I am sure the cops wonder why I have 4 antennas on the truck, especially given the NY law against scanners in vehicles, but I have never been hassled. We just wave and go about our business. I really prefer to keep a low profile and maintain privacy the best I can, but at the same time the plates are kinda cool.

So far, privacy and low profile are winning.

 

[burner50]

In Iowa we don't even get amateur radio printed on our plates either. It's basically a regular vanity plate with our call sign on them. No thanks!

but,but,but, you get a Ø instead of a zero!!!one!11!!111one!!!

Assuming you have a Zero call.

I agree.... Iowa's call plates suck.

 

[reedeb]

I have actually seen this car in the St. Louis area... no joke! But the rumor is that he does NOT have ham plates because he doesn't want to attract attention to himself!

WOW It looks almost like my old Escort in Maine I had CB, HAM, 2 scanner antennas,[sometimes 3], fire radio antenna, EMA radio antenna, cell phone antenna. not to mention the radio radio antenna

 

[kb9hgi]

here is the link from ARRL website for costs of HAM License Plates.

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio License Plate Fees

That is so wrong I pay 78.00 a year for my tags in Illinois and the governor wants to raise it to 100.00 a year for all plates ham or not. But i have had my same plates on truck and car which regular plates here you have to buy car plate for car and truck plate for truck unless you have ham and you can have those plates on either.