Should I or Shouldn't I?

[NQ6U]

I hope to test for my Extra Class upgrade in a few weeks and I'm trying to decide whether I should keep my current call sign or take the chance to get a 2x2 call without having to pay a fee. On one hand, my current call is kind of fun to send in Morse. On the other hand, I've only had it a little over a year so I'm not overly attached to it, the "KJ" prefix shows that I'm a relative newbie and my CW skills suck anyway.

Anyone care to comment?

[ki4itv]

Do you like your current call?
Is it easy for you to ramble off in a pile-up?
Do other operators find it memorable and easily identify it with someone they have had a QSO with before?
If the answer to two of those questions is Yes, then there might really be some reason to keep it. If not, go for the 2x2. Then, if you get one that suffers similar identification, rhythm, or pronunciation problems, it might be time to consider going vanity because you have nothing to lose.:yes:

As an aside, I've always found "juliet" to be difficult for me unless it falls rhythmically and naturally while rambling off the other ops phonetics. That may just be me though.:chin:

[N8YX]

I kept my old 2x3 for a number of years after I upgraded - both to Advanced then to Extra. Didn't matter much as I worked a lot of keyboard modes back then.

CW and 'phone is a different matter entirely - especially if you do any contesting. My current call isn't as short as some 1x2s but it's a darn sight better than what I had.

It's all in what you want from the hobby. Go with that which works for your situation.

[KJ3N]

Anyone care to comment?

You're glutton for punishment...... :neener: :lol:


..... the "KJ" prefix shows that I'm a relative newbie and my CW skills suck anyway.

WTF does that have to do with anything? I'm a fscking Extra and I don't have any CW skills. Don't want them, either. :hand:

Do what you want to do. Fsck 'em all. :snooty: ;) :lol:

[W3MIV]

As an aside, I've always found "juliet" to be difficult for me...


That's 'cause you're no Romeo! :lol:

[W4RLR]

My old call, KI4PEQ had a musical quality in Morse. But I could not resist getting my current call when I saw it was available at Vanity HQ. It's not often that you can get the right call area with your initials as your suffix. Could I get another call when I earn Extra, sure I could, but WHY? I like the one I have now.

If you like the one you have now, stick with it. If a station won't work you because of a Kilo Juliet prefix, intercourse them and feed them beans.

[ki4itv]

That's 'cause you're no Romeo! :lol:

You're not the first person to ever say that!:rofl:

[W3MIV]

I have always liked the one-by-three calls; something very traditional about them.

I was originally licensed as N3MIV, and I swapped out the "N" only for nostalgic reasons -- I always wanted a "W" call, and I was lucky to stumble across the call and nab it in a "sperm-of-the-moment" decision.

[ki4itv]

I probably wouldn't change mine until my dad passes his on. It was original issue and I've known it all my life.
It would only be an act of preservation and protection. Just to keep some idiot other than me from getting it and ruining its reputation.
I'm in no hurry, in fact, the longer the better. Come to think of it, I may pass before him...better find a fitting successor just in case.

[N2CHX]

All I can say is... If you're gonna do a vanity call, give it some thought before you file. There's a guy running around here where I live, in a huge pickup truck with a gun rack and all that... And amateur vanity plates. His call? N2COX. His last name is Cox, but OMG can that call be taken so many bad ways... I about drove off the road the first time I saw this guy.

The moral of this story? Choose your vanity calls carefully...

[ki4itv]

:lol::rofl::lol:
one might wonder if the tag preceded the gun rack.

[n6hcm]

His call? N2COX.

i'm not sure i'd call those *bad* ways ... but i'd bet he hasn't been on the radio since! :)

i got my call because i was pretty sure i'd get something random that i couldn't remember ... so, of course, to this day i can remember KI6COT just fine. still, i'm glad i switched...

[WX7P]

Change it, Carl.

Get a 2x1, there are still some available. Look at vanityhq.com.

I'm going to stay with this call. My previous calls were

KB6APL 1983-1989
WX7P 1989-1997
NX6V 1997
W6PV 1997-2001
WX7B 2001-2006
NX6D 2006-

If I had it over again, I would have stayed with WX7P. as that was a sequentially issued callsign in 1989. When I went to get it back, it had already been snapped up by some guy in AZ, now WA.