[FLham] ARRL To Process Vanity Renewals

[Radioguy]

ARRL VEC Announces Vanity Call Sign License Renewal Program

NEWINGTON, CT, Apr 12, 2006--The ARRL VEC has announced that it now 
can process license renewals for vanity call sign holders for a 
modest fee (see "Processing Fee Schedule"). The service is available 
to ARRL members and nonmembers, although League members will pay 
less. Routine, non-vanity renewals continue to be free for ARRL 
members. In addition, ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, points out 
that trustees of club stations with vanity call signs may renew 
either via the Universal Licensing System 
(<http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/>ULS) or through a Club Station Call 
Sign Administrator, such as ARRL VEC.

"2006 is an appropriate year for the ARRL VEC to implement this 
service, since the licenses of the many radio amateurs who obtained 
their vanity call signs as a result of the FCC program that went into 
effect in 1996 will expire this year," Somma said. The first of those 
licenses are due to expire in June.

"As the FCC has already noted, licensees who want to keep their 
vanity call signs must pay the regulatory fee, currently $21.90 for 
the 10-year license term, when renewing their licenses," Somma noted. 
"Licensees who don't want to pay the mandatory regulatory fee to 
retain a vanity call sign may request a sequentially issued call sign 
at the time of renewal."

The FCC has proposed to reduce the vanity call sign regulatory fee to 
$20.10 for the 10-year license term. The new fee, if adopted, would 
go into effect in August or September.

Amateur Radio licensees may file for renewal only within 90 days of 
their license expiration date. All radio amateurs must have an FCC 
Registration Number (FRN) before filing any application with the 
Commission. Applicants can obtain an FRN by going to the 
<http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/>ULS and clicking on the "New Users 
Register" link. You must supply your Social Security Number to obtain an FRN.

Those holding vanity call signs issued prior to 1996 are exempt from 
the vanity call sign regulatory fee. That's because Congress did not 
authorize the FCC to collect regulatory fees until 1993. Such 
heritage vanity call sign holders do not appear as vanity licensees 
in the <http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/>ULS Amateur Radio database.

Somma says the ARRL's new license renewal/modification Web pages 
contain complete information on license-filing procedures, including 
step-by-step instructions on how to renew or update a license using 
the FCC's <http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/>ULS site.

League members should visit the 
"<http://www.arrl.org/fcc/memberlicenseinstructions.html>ARRL Member 
Instructions for License Renewals or Changes" page, while the 
"<http://www.arrl.org/fcc/licenseinstructions.html>Instructions for 
License Renewals or Changes" page covers general renewal procedures 
for nonmembers. There's additional information on the ARRL VEC's 
"<http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/renewals.html>FCC License Renewals and 
ARRL License Expiration Notices" page.

(Tnx ARRL Web)