[AMRadio] Fw: ARLB021 FCC Application Fee Proposal Proceeding is Open for Comments

[manualman at juno.com]

Even on a fixed budget, if you take a jar and put a penny in it every
day, after 10 years if you're still alive, you'll have $50.00 to pay for
renewal.

Pete, wa2cwa

On Thu, 3 Sep 2020 16:17:53 -0500 <w5jo at brightok.net> writes:
> 
> Good arguments Rob, however, some hams are or may be on a fixed 
> income and a 
> one time  $50 fee at renewal every 10 years could cause a bit of 
> trouble.  I 
> am advocating from that perspective and the fact it is a voluntary 
> organization even though I can afford the fee.  Many hams may be 
> inactive 
> most of the time, but in the event of a major catastrophe would come 
> out of 
> the woodwork to help.
> 
> Jim
> W5JO
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Rob Atkinson
> Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2020 4:03 PM
> To: Jim Wilhite
> Cc: AM Radio List
> Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Fw: ARLB021 FCC Application Fee Proposal 
> Proceeding 
> is Open for Comments
> 
> I don't have a problem with it.   If it happens okay.  If not, 
> okay.
> I used to pay $8 just to take the license exam.  If I failed, the 
> fee
> was not refundable.  I therefore made sure I'd pass.  No memorizing
> for me.  That was back in the early 1970s.  50 dollars is probably 
> the
> same adjusted for inflation.  In fact, if they charged $50 to take 
> the
> test it would cut down on frivolous applicants and people testing
> again and again until they pass, and not learning anything.   By
> frivolous I mean people who want to get a ticket just to see if 
> they
> can, with no intention of ever getting on the air.  I run into 
> "hams"
> like that around here often.   It will also curb vanity call sign
> hoarders. A license is good for 10 years.  $50 is $5 / year.  I have 
> a
> hard time believing an active ham will balk at that.  It will also 
> cut
> down the bloated bogus ham population.   Does anyone think all 
> 700,000
> hams in the U.S. are active?  We're all inactive for one reason or
> another at times, but judging by ham band activity I estimate
> liberally, that there are 50K active hams.
> 
> The ARRL is against it.  I have heard off the record that they, or
> some of them, fear hams will drop their membership to pay the fee.
> That's ridiculous.  It's NOT $50 every year.
> 
> 73
> Rob
> K5UJ