How long does it take to get Call Sign

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K3DRQ

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After taking test? I passed Technician and General February 19. How do you know where to look?
Thanks!

You have to wait until you have the license in your possession IIRC, but while you're waiting for the mail, you can go to QRZ.com and type in your full name instead of a callsign and if it lists your name & address then it's probably right :) When I renewed in 2008, it was on computer and I printed out my new license. I don't know how it works now for new licenses though.

Congratulations on passing Tech & General at once! I myself took an unusual route into my first ham radio license.

You had six different licenses at the time, Novice, Technician, Technician Plus, General, Advanced, and Extra. Most people started off with Technician, as it was the only class to not require Morse code testing at the time. Technician consisted of the Novice and Technician written exams, but didn't require the 5 WPM Novice Morse exam, which was required for the Novice HF privileges. Technicians who took the Novice Morse exam and had the Novice HF privileges were known as "Technician Plus" - yes, this is synonymous with Technician today.

But anyway, unlike most who started with the Technician, I started out with the Technician Plus, taking the 5 WPM Morse exam on the same night :)

One year later, I got my General Class, which had a 13 WPM requirement (which I failed the first time IIRC).

Another unusual thing, I hadn't hit the 10th grade yet! But I loved listening to scanners and shortwave growing up, and managed to keep the radio stuff going, even with the Internet. Took a break from ham radio in college but that was it.

Have fun!
 

buckent

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troy, MI
for both my original licence, and my upgrade, I think it took a week to 10 days to get my licence and call sign.. you can check here daily for posted updates from the FCC.. as the licencing records are updated, those updates get posted here-

QRZ.COM

congratulations...
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2011
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Thanks for your Rapid and Quality Responses

I guess I just need to wait and wait and wait. LOL

I don't want to lay out $ on a radio till I "See the Whites of Their Eyes" and have a Call Sign. There is a sale that goes on until 3/31/2011. I hope to have the Call Sign before then.
 

elk2370bruce

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East Brunswick, NJ
If there is a continuing delay in seeing your license on the FRS, contact the VEC that ran your exam session for clarification/assistance. CaCa sometimes does happen and that VEC is best equipped to help you work things out. Any three day holiday weekend usually adds some time to the wait.
 
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Got the Call Sign

on Monday, February 28th. Exciting. Coincidentally, I got the Paper Ticket today, March 4.
I bought a pair of Yaesu VR-3Xs for my son and I. He is a ham too. A good way to keep the lines of communication open.
Thanks for your rapid and quality information. I now know where to go to get great assistance.
 

elk2370bruce

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on Monday, February 28th. Exciting. Coincidentally, I got the Paper Ticket today, March 4.
I bought a pair of Yaesu VR-3Xs for my son and I. He is a ham too. A good way to keep the lines of communication open.
Thanks for your rapid and quality information. I now know where to go to get great assistance.

On what date did the licenses first appear on the FRS? Paper usually takes longer than the first electronic thrill.
 
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Feb 25, 2011
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Hi Elk
I checked the FCC Wireless Daily Downloads each day (morning and night) to see if I had a call sign. I found that new calls appear in a .dat file that you can download and open in Notepad. You can "Find" (ctrl F) your name or address if it is in the file.

Then I checked the FCC Database each day from Sunday 2/20/11, as well. On Monday 2/28/11, I got a HIT on my name in BOTH, the Daily Download AND on the FCC Database. If you want details on the Daily Download, I can walk you through the steps in un-zipping the files and looking in the File Titled, "EN.dat"

I got the paper ticket on Friday, March 4. Yesterday, I got the CORES Password for the FRN Account.

My kid had a Technician's License for about a year now, and he is duly annoyed that Dad got a General. He is an electrical engineer in grad school with a Great Ham Shack and I am sure he will show me up with an Extra in short order. Ha Ha

In any event, we are enjoying communicating over our VX-3R over the repeater. My base is only about 16 miles from college, but there are hills (Delaware doesn't have mountains, except for the Garbage Dump). Communications are a fragile thing, as we saw in Egypt and Libya.

His University of Delaware Shack has a potent 2 meter Yagi. I am going to construct a J-Pole just because it looks like piping (I'm a mechanical engineer).

Now if I can get the younger physics student involved, we should have our little network established. Thanks again for the help. . . 3's
 

sparks40

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Illinois
I tested on 4/16, and i shoed up in the FCC's database 4/18. I think it just depends on where you're at and how fast the VE's submit the info to the FCC.
 
Joined
Dec 5, 2009
Messages
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Location
Michigan
I took and passed my Test the 5th of November ( This month) and it is now the 17th and still nothing in the database. I think I will call the people I took the Test with this weekend if nothing shows up after tomorrow. I mean I know it takes some time but I am just getting real tired of waiting hahah , I want to TX !!!! Hahaha. :D
 
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