[OKDXA] Speaking Of PROcrastination...

[Nelson Derks]

...and that's pro as in PROfound procrastination.

One of the quirks in my personality is that I tend to come and go with 
my hobbies. I've been off the radio thing for better than two years now 
'cuz the license expired on June 6, 2005. Haven't Q'd or kerchunked 
since. Yeah, I got the letter from W5YI a couple of months ahead of that 
but never got around to mailing it. No big deal. I have two years of 
grace period and I'm a world class procrastinator so this is well within 
my scope of experience. Something like a year ago I poked around the FCC 
web site and found it's easy to renew a license if you know your FRN and 
password. I recall receiving a letter from the FCC about six years ago 
with that info and as soon as I find that letter I'll be good to go.

Never did find the letter.

Monday was two days shy of the grace period expiration. Went up on the 
FCC web site and looked up my license. Hey... There's my FRN. Then I 
poked around and found the "reset your password or security question" 
option. Filled in the form and punched the go-go button. The web site 
told me I should hear back from an agent within three days. Terrific. I 
only have two days, but at worst I can re-test if this doesn't work. 
Nothing to complain about. It's my fault that I waited this long. Got an 
e-mail reply in about an hour. Click this, do that, yadda, yadda, yadda. 
Looks easy. Made it through the security question and password thing all 
the way to the renewal form. Hot Damn, I'm cooking now...

Checked back an hour or so later and I'm still expired. Checked back 
this morning and here's what I found: 
http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=1082119

Not only did I renew exactly ONE DAY before the grace period ended, but 
the renewal is good for ten years from the actual date of renewal... Not 
the original date. This means I'm good until June of 2017 and if you 
average it out my license is on an eleven year cycle. Sounds familiar... 
Almost Cosmic.

In any case, some would regret their procrastination on something this 
easy, but I think it's almost cool that I took it that far and made it.

Now I'm thinking I should order some QSL cards. Or join the ARRL.

Maybe I will.................................................. When I 
get around to it.