[CW] Fwd: ARLB010 New Amateur Radio License Applications Fee To Become Effective April 19, 2022

Fri Mar 25 18:01:40 EDT 2022

    If I understand correctly the fee is for a new license, not a 
renewal. The FCC has wanted to charge for new licenses for 
decades. For a one-time fee this is proabably not excessive but 
not if they are going to charge for each renewal even if they are 
for ten years. The FCC certainly charges plenty for broadcast 
licenses but broadcasters are presumed to be in business to earn 
revenue. Of course, the FCC also charges for public service 
licenses and they are not generally money makers.
    I suppose the ham license fee is justified on the basis that 
otherwise the costs are payed for by taxes. That is a sort of 
unfair situation since everyone pays taxes but only the hams 
benefit. I think in the past the argument was that hams served a 
public service purpose but then why not police, fire, forest 
service, etc?

On 3/25/2022 9:37 AM, Hans Brakob wrote:
> 
> 
> 73, de Hans, KØHB
> “Just a Boy and his Radio”™
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* ARRL Web site <memberlist at arrl.org>
> *Sent:* Friday, March 25, 2022 11:35:00 AM
> *To:* kzerohb at gmail.com <kzerohb at gmail.com>
> *Subject:* ARLB010 New Amateur Radio License Applications Fee To 
> Become Effective April 19, 2022
> SB QST @ ARL $ARLB010
> ARLB010 New Amateur Radio License Applications Fee To Become
> Effective April 19, 2022
> 
> ZCZC AG10
> QST de W1AW
> ARRL Bulletin 10  ARLB010
>>From ARRL Headquarters  
> Newington CT  March 25, 2022
> To all radio amateurs
> 
> SB QST ARL ARLB010
> ARLB010 New Amateur Radio License Applications Fee To Become
> Effective April 19, 2022
> 
> A Public Notice released by the Federal Communications Commission
> (FCC) on March 23, 2022, in MD Docket No. 20-270, announced that new
> application fees for Wireless Telecommunications Bureau applications
> will become effective on April 19, 2022. The new fees, mandated by
> Congress, apply to applications for Amateur Radio licenses including
> those associated with filing Form 605, the Amateur Operator/Primary
> Station Licensee Application.
> 
> The docket can be found online at,
> https://www.fcc.gov/document/effective-date-wireless-application-fee-rates 
> <https://www.fcc.gov/document/effective-date-wireless-application-fee-rates>
> .
> 
> Effective April 19, 2022, a $35 fee will apply to applications for a
> new Amateur Radio license, modification (upgrade and sequential call
> sign change), renewal, and vanity call signs.
> 
> Anticipating the implementation of the fee in 2022, the ARRL Board
> of Directors, at its July 2021 meeting, approved the "ARRL Youth
> Licensing Grant Program." Under the program, ARRL will cover a
> one-time $35 application fee for license candidates younger than 18
> years old for tests administered under the auspices of the ARRL
> Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC). Qualified candidates also
> would pay a reduced exam session fee of $5 to the ARRL VEC. ARRL is
> finalizing details for administering the program.
> 
> ARRL had filed comments in opposition to imposing a fee on Amateur
> Radio license applications. The FCC initially proposed a higher, $50
> fee. In a Report and Order (R&O), released on December 29, 2020, the
> amount was reduced -- the FCC agreeing with ARRL and other
> commenters that its proposed $50 fee for certain amateur radio
> applications was "too high to account for the minimal staff
> involvement in these applications."
> 
> ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC) Manager Maria Somma,
> AB1FM, explained that all fees are per application. "There will be
> no fee for administrative updates, such as a change of mailing or
> email address. The fees will be the responsibility of the applicant
> regardless of filing method and must be paid within 10 calendar days
> of FCC's receipt of the application. For applications filed by a
> VEC, the period does not begin until the application is received by
> the Commission, a ULS file number assigned, and an email sent by the
> FCC directly to the applicant."
> 
> VECs and Volunteer Examiner (VE) teams will not collect the $35 fee
> at license exam sessions. New and upgrade candidates at an exam
> session will continue to pay the $15 exam session fee to the ARRL VE
> team as usual, and pay the new, $35 application fee directly to the
> FCC by using the CORES FRN Registration system (CORES - Login).
> 
> The CORES Login can be found at,
> https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do 
> <https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do> .
> 
> When the FCC receives the examination information from the VEC, it
> will email a link with payment instructions to each successful
> candidate who then will have 10 calendar days from the date of the
> email to pay. After the fee is paid and the FCC has processed an
> application, examinees will receive a second email from the FCC with
> a link to their official license or explanation of other action. The
> link will be good for 30 days.
> 
> Somma also explained that applications that are processed and
> dismissed will not be entitled to a refund. This includes vanity
> call sign requests where the applicant does not receive the
> requested call sign. "The FCC staff has suggested that applicants
> for vanity call signs should first ensure the call signs requested
> are available and eligible for their operator class and area, and
> then request as many call signs as the form allows to maximize their
> chances of receiving a call sign."
> 
> Further information and instructions about the FCC Application Fee
> are available from the ARRL VEC at 
> www.arrl.org/fcc-application-fee 
> <http://www.arrl.org/fcc-application-fee>.
> Details for the ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program will be similarly
> posted there, when available.
> NNNN
> /EX
> 
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> =30=

-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL