FCC proposal 20-270 to implement $50 fee

[noway2]

(Received in an email this morning, please add your comments at the FCC site)

If you support, or oppose, the FCC proposal to re-institute a $50 application fee for amateur license transactions (renewal, upgrade, etc.) please go to the FCC's website and post a comment on Proceeding "20-270". https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express

73, David AJ4TF

-------- Forwarded Message --------
From: ARRL Web site <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: ARLB021 FCC Application Fee Proposal Proceeding is Open for
Comments
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2020 14:09:19 -0400 (EDT)

SB QST @ ARL $ARLB021
ARLB021 FCC Application Fee Proposal Proceeding is Open for Comments

ZCZC AG21
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 21 ARLB021
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT September 3, 2020
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB021
ARLB021 FCC Application Fee Proposal Proceeding is Open for Comments

Comments are being accepted on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in MD Docket 20-270, which proposes application fees for radio amateurs. Formal deadlines for comments and reply comments will be determined once the NPRM appears in the Federal Register.
Comments may be filed now, however, by using the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), located at, https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings , and posting to MD Docket No. 20-270. The docket is already open for accepting comments, even though deadlines have not yet been set.

The NPRM can be found online in PDF format at,
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-116A1.pdf .
NNNN
/EX

 

[Les White]

In a word, that website sucks. Very hard to find information.

Is this just another government money grab, or do WE get something out of it? If it goes thru...well, arrrgh.

 

[noway2]

Is this just another government money grab, or do WE get something out of it?

Money grab. They want to add a $50 fee to get, renew, or update your ham radio license, which you can currently do for FREE through CORES.

 

[Cape Fear]

Jest sent this. Hope it helps:
"As a licensed amateur radio operator I am OPPOSED to the reinstatement of application fees for radio amateurs. The proposed application fees will create an entry barrier to young people interested in obtaining a personal license, and will be cost-prohibitive for older people on fixed incomes who wish to maintain or upgrade their current licensed status. Please abandon the idea of instituting licensing application fees for amateur radio operators, or drop the licensing requirements altogether if the current licensing process is too costly for the FCC to bear."

 

[noway2]

I also think the concept of charging a fee like that would be absurd from the standpoint that the testing and licensing process is run almost entirely by volunteers and is then handled electronically at the FCC. Why should the FCC impose a fee like that when the people doing the work are doing so freely. The small fee that the gets paid to the VEC covers the supplies and other consumables, and though most won't accept it, mileage reimbursement for VE's who hold the test sessions.

 

[Green Giant]

Jest sent this. Hope it helps:
"As a licensed amateur radio operator I am OPPOSED to the reinstatement of application fees for radio amateurs. The proposed application fees will create an entry barrier to young people interested in obtaining a personal license, and will be cost-prohibitive for older people on fixed incomes who wish to maintain or upgrade their current licensed status. Please abandon the idea of instituting licensing application fees for amateur radio operators, or drop the licensing requirements altogether if the current licensing process is too costly for the FCC to bear."

Stole this as a base for what I sent in. I couldn't say it any better.

 

[Les White]

Expressed my opposition.

 

[WW4DX]

A lot of HAMS are abusing the vanity call sign program. Many feel this is one (of several) reasons for the proposal. However 50 bucks is a little much.

 

[noway2]

A lot of HAMS are abusing the vanity call sign program. Many feel this is one (of several) reasons for the proposal. However 50 bucks is a little much.

They used to charge, I think $18, but found that it wasn't worth it.

 

[SnowRooster]

Well there’s another reason to get your license... ( /sarcasm)