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FCC NEWS FCC ZIPS THROUGH VANITY APPLICATION BACKLOG ONCE THE FCC RESUMED
PROCESSING AMATEUR RADIO VANITY CALL SIGN APPLICATIONS IN EARLY JANUARY,
ITS WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU WTB BLAZED THROUGH THE BACKLOG.  A
TOTAL OF 990 VANITY APPLICATIONS PILED UP IN THE QUEUE AFTER THE FCC
SUSPENDED VANITY PROCESSING SEPTEMBER 23.  THE WTB DISPATCHED THEM IN
FAIRLY SHORT ORDER.  AN INITIAL BATCH OF 121 GRANTS JANUARY 6, WAS FOLLOWED
BY 195 MORE THE NEXT DAY.  APPARENTLY CONFIDENT BY THEN THAT THE SYSTEM WAS
WORKING OKAY, THE FCC LET LOOSE THE REMAINING 674 VANITY GRANTS JANUARY 10.
DURING THE VANITY HIATUS, APPLICATIONS APPEARED WITH A Y APPLICATION HAS
PROBLEMS FLAG IN THE UNIVERSAL LICENSING SYSTEM ULS, PROMPTING SOME CONCERN
ON THE PART OF THOSE WHO HAD CHECKED THEIR APPLICATIONS STATUS DURING THE
HIATUS.  THE WTB REPORTEDLY APPLIED THE Y STATUS TO PREVENT THE SYSTEM FROM
RUNNING THE ENTIRE BACKLOG AT ONCE.  THE WTB HALTED VANITY PROCESSING LAST
FALL AFTER REALIZING THAT FILING DEADLINE EXTENSIONS FOR LICENSEES IN
CERTAIN STATES AFFECTED BY HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA APPLIED TO AMATEUR
RADIOS TWO YEAR GRACE PERIOD AND COULD IMPACT THE VANITY SYSTEM.  IT
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N5XFW AA6NP KG7DE N7PAT W7YLV KA8LAY N8VV K9LCQ W0BUX K0RM W5JMW WF5X K6NTZ
K7DER N7PCE K7YMA W8LCZ N8WAV K9LGU WB0B NA0R KA5JNL W5XX KE6NZB KB7DFL
N7PFY WA7YNU K8LHM K8WDJ KB9LMK KN0BY NQ0R WT5J KC5YCH KQ6OB WB7DIE K7PGC
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