Dear Sir or Madam,

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

I have inquired with the FCC about the non-assignment of two amateur radio service callsigns via the amateur vanity callsign application process.  The helpdesk has stated that these callsigns are "unavailable to any applicant", but did not explain further.  A letter to the Commission inquiring about these callsigns and the reason for them to not be assignable has gone unanswered.  I am thus now making a FOIA request to understand the non-availability of these callsigns as part of the vanity callsign application process.

I request that a copy of the documents containing the following information be provided to me:


1) emails/memos/correspondence regarding the amateur radio callsigns N1GI or N6ER

2) written policy, guidelines or procedures regarding the amateur radio callsigns N1GI or N6ER

3) emails/memos/correspondence regarding an amateur radio callsign blacklist or deny-list, or list/database of amateur radio callsigns otherwise made unavailable for assignment, not including those callsigns listed in the "Amateur Call Sign Availability" knowledge base article [ https://fccprod.servicenowservices.com/wireless?id=kb_article_view_public&sys_kb_id=dfb0bedf1be44e10da74a644604bcb65 ]

4) written policy, guidelines or procedures regarding an amateur radio callsign blacklist or deny-list, or list/database of amateur radio callsigns otherwise made unavailable for assignment, not including those callsigns listed in the "Amateur Call Sign Availability" knowledge base article [ https://fccprod.servicenowservices.com/wireless?id=kb_article_view_public&sys_kb_id=dfb0bedf1be44e10da74a644604bcb65 ]

5) the entries of, or any other records regarding, an amateur radio callsign blacklist or deny-list, or list/database of amateur radio callsigns otherwise made unavailable for assignment, not including those callsigns listed in the "Amateur Call Sign Availability" knowledge base article [ https://fccprod.servicenowservices.com/wireless?id=kb_article_view_public&sys_kb_id=dfb0bedf1be44e10da74a644604bcb65 ]

6) emails/memos/correspondence regarding the creation of or maintenance of a list or database of amateur radio callsigns that were blacklisted, deny-listed, or otherwise made unavailable for assignment, not including those callsigns listed in the "Amateur Call Sign Availability" knowledge base article [ https://fccprod.servicenowservices.com/wireless?id=kb_article_view_public&sys_kb_id=dfb0bedf1be44e10da74a644604bcb65 ]

7) written policy, guidelines or procedures regarding the creation of or maintenance of a list or database of amateur radio callsigns that were blacklisted, deny-listed, or otherwise made unavailable for assignment, not including those callsigns listed in the "Amateur Call Sign Availability" knowledge base article [ https://fccprod.servicenowservices.com/wireless?id=kb_article_view_public&sys_kb_id=dfb0bedf1be44e10da74a644604bcb65 ]


In order to help to determine my status to assess fees, you should know that I am an individual FCC-licensed amateur radio operator, seeking information for personal use and use by the amateur community, and not for a commercial use.  Regardless of the fees involved in this request, I will make the results available to the amateur community at no cost.

I request a waiver of all fees for this request. Disclosure of the requested information to me is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the FCC and is not primarily in my commercial interest.

Note that The FCC spends some time answering requests about amateur radio callsign availability.  Just recently, on March 6, 2024, the FCC ULS EBF team sent sent email to amateur VECs requesting licensees be more informed about callsign availability.  But the status of this hidden list of blacklisted callsigns prevents applicants from having full and correct information.   Having more complete information about callsign availability will reduce the burden on the FCC Helpdesk and Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.  For these reasons, I ask that the FOIA fees be waived.

Nevertheless, I am willing to pay fees for this request up to a maximum of $55. If you estimate that the fees will exceed this limit, please inform me first.


Thank you for your consideration of this request.

-Chris Ruvolo, K2CR