"Slant AG" vs "Temporary AG"

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KD8TZC

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I just passed my general exam this weekend, and was wondering something as it contradicts what was in the ARRL General License manual.

In the manual, it says to use "KD8TZC slant AG", and that was one of the test questions, but on the back of the form I was issued while I wait for the update to appear in ULS, it says to say "KD8TZC temporary AG".

I also notice in the Extra manual it states the "temporary" lingo. So which one is it and why all the conflicts?

John - KD8TZC
 

WB4CS

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Either/or will work and is legal. As long as you get the "AG" in there somewhere, you're good. Since there's not one specific way to say it, that's probably where the contradiction comes in.

While you're using your new General frequencies, on voice you can verbally identify as your call sign plus "temporary AG" or "slash AG" or "stroke AG". On CW it would be "KD8TZC/AG"

Congrats on passing your General ticket!
 

902

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My vote is with whatever you were instructed to do on the form. I believe they are both one in the same, with the "Temporary" being used for voice and the slant bar being used for CW. If you weren't fussy, you could probably use the "slant AG" on voice. By the time you're used to saying it, ULS will be registering your upgrade and you won't need to do it anymore.

For what it's worth, when I upgraded 33 years ago, I had to use the slant bar with the field office where I took my exam (volunteers could only administer the Novice test back then, everyone else had to truck over to an FCC field office... mine was on Varick St. in Manhattan) for CW, e.g.: /NY, and say "Interim New York" for voice. The class of the license wasn't mentioned back then, although it was presumed you were operating within your privileges.

Congratulations, by the way!
 

N0IU

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First of all, congratulations! One more test and you are done!

And as a side note, you only need to use the "temporary" AG when you are in the General portion of whatever band you are working.
 

LtDoc

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Either can be used because people know what they both mean. I seriouly doubt if you'd get cited for using the 'wrong' one. Or, just 'tack' "I passed the test for _____ class license and am just waiting on the notification/certificate to get here" on the end of a transmission. Which is 'righter', "I'm 72 inches tall", or "I'm 6 foot tall"??
- 'Doc
 

KD8TZC

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Thanks all... I kind of figured nobody would bust my chops if I used one or the other. And yes, I know I only need to state that when I am in the general portion of the bands, but thank you for the reminder.
 

KC0KM

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I would just use your call follow with the AG with means As General.

Actually it is Authorized General. When I up graded, (even though I did not get on HF on my own until after I got my Extra), I would give my call (KD0HMI) with simply "Authorized General" after it. When I made Extra, and I got onto the [2 M] repeater I did the same with "Authorized Extra" to announce that I had made my up grade.
 

milkman21218

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Actually it is Authorized General. When I up graded, (even though I did not get on HF on my own until after I got my Extra), I would give my call (KD0HMI) with simply "Authorized General" after it. When I made Extra, and I got onto the [2 M] repeater I did the same with "Authorized Extra" to announce that I had made my up grade.

Thanks, I stand corrected! I'm should've remembered that with me being a VE.
 

AK9R

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Actually it is Authorized General. When I up graded, (even though I did not get on HF on my own until after I got my Extra), I would give my call (KD0HMI) with simply "Authorized General" after it. When I made Extra, and I got onto the [2 M] repeater I did the same with "Authorized Extra" to announce that I had made my up grade.
If the /AG and /AE are acronyms for "Authorized General" and "Authorized Extra", how do you explain /KT? Back when prospective hams were able to take a test for a Novice license, if they later upgraded to Technician, they signed /KT or "slant KT" when taking advantage of their new Technician privileges. What do you think the "KT" stood for?

The only thing the FCC has to say about this topic is this:

§ 97.119 Station identification.
(c) One or more indicators may be included with the call sign. Each indicator must be separated from the call sign by the slant mark (/) or by any suitable word that denotes the slant mark.
(f) When the control operator is a person who is exercising the rights and privileges authorized by §97.9(b) of this part, an indicator must be included after the call sign as follows:
(1) For a control operator who has requested a license modification from Novice Class to Technical Class: KT;
(2) For a control operator who has requested a license modification from Novice or Technician to General Class: AG;
(3) For a control operator who has requested a license modification from Novice, Technician, General, or Advanced Class to Amateur Extra Class: AE.

§97.9(b) is the section that allows an amateur radio operator to take advantage of their new license privileges while their upgrade is in process.

There is nothing in the FCC rules about "Authorized General". The proper identification is /AG. One can debate what is a "suitable word that denotes the slant mark", but I think "slant AG" or "slash AG" is more appropriate than the other suggestions I've heard.
 

KK6KMV

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Temporary /?

This is almost the question I've been meaning to ask, but let me be sure. Newbie to radio, but was able to pass my technician and general tests on the same day. Two weeks later, and I now see my callsign on the FCC database. Can I stop saying /AG? That wasn't one of the questions on the test. I noticed also in this thread that maybe I didn't need to use /AG if I was not using uniquely general priviledges, but if I can drop it completely, then that question is moot. Thanks for your help.
 

KC0KM

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If you passed both your Technician and your General, at the same time, you are simply a General, and do not have to use the /AG, as you are already a General (in other words, you "skipped" over the Tech part). In that order, congratulations on passing both at the same time.

As a side note, if you had taken the Technician test first, than the General at a later date, (and if and when you decide to go for Extra), then you have to use the /AG (or /AE) until it is updated in the FCC database.
 

902

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If the /AG and /AE are acronyms for "Authorized General" and "Authorized Extra", how do you explain /KT? Back when prospective hams were able to take a test for a Novice license, if they later upgraded to Technician, they signed /KT or "slant KT" when taking advantage of their new Technician privileges. What do you think the "KT" stood for?

I know this was a while ago, but the newer posts drew my attention back to the topic.

The best I can figure is they decided on "KT" because the slant AT might be confused with the ITU prefix for India and they wanted to keep it interpretable to the U.S. "Authorized General" and "Authorized Extra" are probably backronyms after someone at the Portals II dreamed up the suffix AG and AE, but realized AT was in conflict, but the K was uniquely assigned to the U.S. (And that begs the question, why not just KT, KG, and KE then... ?)

That's only one man's guess, though.

As far as the topic at hand, I'm supposing it's all good if we get on the air, learn, and have fun - and somehow use the KT, AG, and AE if warranted.
 

nd5y

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The best I can figure is they decided on "KT" because the slant AT might be confused with the ITU prefix for India
I read a magazine article back in the 80's that said that was exactly why they used KT. The only US callsign prefixes that begin with A are AA - AL.
 

902

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I read a magazine article back in the 80's that said that was exactly why they used KT. The only US callsign prefixes that begin with A are AA - AL.
Oh my! I didn't read that. It's pretty scary when we start thinking like the FCC. :lol:
Maybe we can be hitting up the lobbyists for our next job after public service :wink:
 

WRCM

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Since you revived it, I'll throw in my $0.02. Since the rule change (over 20 years ago, don't remember exactly when) to no longer requiring a paper license in hand, the /AG or /AE is no longer even required unless your callsign is changing. You know what your call is and you know what your operating privileges are, so you're GTG.
 
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