Why are some Call Sign's Region Tied?

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ckmcdonald

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I note that a 2x1 call sign becoming available here shortly says it's tied to a region. I notice that most call signs aren't.

Why are some region-tied?
If a person has a region-tied call sign and then moves out of the region, does that matter?

Thanks
 

N2AL

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Fine question that honestly I do not know the answer to. But I am interested to the responses. I did not believe the regions mattered, outside Alaska.

Example:
Alaska: KL7
Hawaii: KH

Please someone add further information if you have it.
 

KC4RAF

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When you receive your first call sign

it is regional specific; like mine,KC4RAF. 4 covers Florida and the other SE states. Here's a link:

eHamRadio - Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) Callsign Regions

If you moved to another region, you use to get a new call sign with that number. Now, I think, when you notify the FCC of your moving, they leave you with your old call sign number.
Google it, you'll learn more...
73s
 

MSS-Dave

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The only region specific calls are outside the 48 continental US states like Hawaii, Alaska and territories like Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and the islands in the Pacific like Guam etc.. When you get a new amateur license, it comes from the sequential call sign assignment system and it's issued for the region your address reflects i.e if your address is in New Jersey, your call will be issued in the 2 block. Florida would be 4. After you get the original call, you can request ANY region call you are qualified for by license type and if available in the Vanity Call program except the exclusions I listed above. So, if you have that 2 call, you can request a call from 0 through 9, doesn't matter.
There is a temporary specialty call system which is 1X1 that the ARRL manages I believe for special events.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 

AK9R

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The FCC has your answers about region-specific callsigns:

FCC: Wireless Services: Amateur Radio Service: Call Sign Systems: Sequential

For example, if you take N2AL's callsign and swap the letters around to NL2A you will see that the FCC restricts Group A (Extra) 2x1 callsigns beginning with "NL" to Region 11 which is Alaska. So, if the mailing address on your license is not in the state of Alaska, you are restricted from being issued NL2A.
 

ckmcdonald

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Thanks for the feedback folks, I get it now. What was escaping me was that I didn't realize that regions 11, 12 and 13 are still region-tied.

The call sign of interest is AL7A, which is tied to Alaska. It was last held by someone living in WA, so it seems clear that you can get a region 11 call sign and keep it if you leave that region.
 

N2AL

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Thanks for the feedback folks, I get it now. What was escaping me was that I didn't realize that regions 11, 12 and 13 are still region-tied.



The call sign of interest is AL7A, which is tied to Alaska. It was last held by someone living in WA, so it seems clear that you can get a region 11 call sign and keep it if you leave that region.



That is correct. If you are licensed in Alaska you can take the call with you if you move to to another state. There is a ham in Tennessee with a KL7 call who did that.
 

ckmcdonald

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Can a Ham living in region 11, 12 or 13 request and get a vanity call sign that is outside their region?
 

reedeb

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Took my test in April 1995 was issues an N1 call as I lived in Maine at the time. I moved to South Carolina in 2001 [4 country] kept my N 1 call. moved to Texas in 09 [5 country] still kept my N 1 call [tho many here seem to think N 1 is New York LOL] tis easy to keep your original call. It is something I earned and would never change it for something else now it rolls off my tongue.
 

SCPD

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From N2AL
.
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"That is correct. If you are licensed in Alaska you can take the call with you if you move to to another state. There is a ham in Tennessee with a KL7 call who did that."
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Both my father and I have held onto our KL7 callsigns, though our mailing address's are now Lower 48's.
This isn't too unusual for Alaskans to do... adds a bit of zest to breaking a DX pile up, though not near as zesty as two of my friends, one with an AH3 (formerly KJ6) and another; AH9 (formerly KW6.)
.
Of esoteric trivia, when I last looked at all the prefixes available- KX6 is specifically excluded. I used to be one, and would consider the swap but they are, strangely, off limits (they were never issued by the FCC; the KR6 and others-- but unlike KR6, KB6, KC4, 6's- et.al......that were previously issued by military and government authorities but are now FCC or shared *-- the KX6 prefix isn't... a mystery!)
.
.................................CF
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*KC4 - Antarctica
 
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