Saw the thread about getting a relative's call sign reassigned and figured I'd share how it went for me, since I fumbled through it the first time. The key thing is you have to wait untill the call sign is fully expired, not just inactive. Once it drops off after the grace period, you file through the FCC's vanity call system and request the specific call. There's a fee, and you pick it during the application as a first-choice request. If nobody else grabbed it in the meantime, it's usally yours.processing time felt like forever but it did go through. One tip: get the paperwork in order before the expiration date even hits. Have the deceased licensee's info handy, since they may ask for documentation showing the relationship or the estate details. I had to dig up an old utility bill with the address to prove I had a legitimate connection.
It's a good feeling hearing your own voice on a call sign that meant something to someone else. Took me almost a year of waiting and hoping nobody else wanted it, but it worked out. Good luck to anyone else trying it.