No matter how short a user makes their signature it is always too long according to UBB. Where is the setting for this to set the length of end user signatures?

Control Panel » Site Permissions
Maximum length of signatures

Set the number of characters allowed per group.

Also in the same section you have:
Can use [image] tag in signatures
Enter a 1 for each group you wish to allow.

I set a signature but it is not showing up, I guess there must be a minimum post amount set before your signature shows up here, maybe a moderator will state the current policy for us.

I can only assume that you are a newbie poster and the permissions have limited your signature. Since I can't see those settings.
I see that your registration is 2010 but the permission rules would apply to limit your options.
But anyway yes there are some limitations based on poster count. And it is due to spamming at this site.

Is there a signature policy in place ?

I am not a spammer, I have been posting on forums since 2003 and run forums too!

I have reset my signature with simple links to my forums, I tried to cut and paste the same code I use on vB forums I own but it would not convert out here.

There is a setting to limit options with the current version.
As I posted in a previous post by you mods don't have access to that setting but I believe it is 10+ posts.

Well, as you see I posted my links, but they are not live links at this time.

Also UBB code is different from BBcode used on vB ?

Because I tried to cut and paste my signature code used on my forums and it would not work here.

Seeing as vB existed at one point as a php port from UBB.Classic, it'd be their "new bbcode" that differs from ours .

HaHa, low blow, but oh so very true !!