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Author Topic: New license fee proposal open for comments  (Read 651 times)

N9AOP

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Re: New license fee proposal open for comments
« Reply #30 on: September 16, 2020, 10:23:41 AM »

$50 over 10 years is not much.  I always believed that the FCC should have charged $1000.00 for a vanity license.  That would have stopped the BS.  Then only those who really wanted the call or the wealthy could afford it.  Isn't that the way in the US of A.
Art



























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K6CPO

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Re: New license fee proposal open for comments
« Reply #31 on: September 16, 2020, 11:21:55 AM »



As a VE team leader, I will categorically refuse to collect fees for the FCC.  They can do it the same way they do the qualification question.  The applicant takes the examination and if they pass, then they have to provide information to the FCC.  they can do the same thing.  Once the applicant passes, then they send the fee to the FCC and then the license is issued.

This brings up a question about VECs and fees.....

Suppose someone attends a VE session, takes a test and fails. Will the FCC still expect to collect the fee even though no license nor upgrade resulted?

In the bad old days (1964-1975), FCC got their fee whether you passed or failed. BUT, in those times it was FCC conducting the exams.

Will they expect their cut even though no license nor upgrade results?

73 de Jim, N2EY

I don't know how other VECs do it, but with mine, if a candidate fails the exam nothing is submitted to the FCC.  So no application, no fee...

Collecting the fee at the time the FRN is issued won't work either, because not everyone applying for an FRN is seeking an amateur license.  They may be looking for a GMRS license, a business band license, or one of the several marine operator permits.
« Last Edit: September 16, 2020, 11:27:43 AM by K6CPO »
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KA4GFY

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Re: New license fee proposal open for comments
« Reply #32 on: September 17, 2020, 11:33:24 AM »

Maybe one way to do this is to put the responsibility on the test taker to go back into ULS after passing a test to pay the fee.  The test taker should already have an FRN before they arrive to take a test.

The process for VE teams and VECs wouldn't change as they would not be responsible for collecting large sums of money.   

The FCC computer looks to see if the license fee has been paid before issuing a new/upgraded  license.  The person has "X" number of days to pay the fee or the new/upgrade license the VEC entered in the computer is voided and the license is never issued. 

Not sure how you might police that. There are people who will operate with their new upgraded privledges anyway after the period expires.  Perhaps the fee will pay for FCC enforecement?

If this NPRM goes through, the number of licenses WILL decline.  There is a large number of people with licenses who have no intention of using it, they have lost interest, or they got it because somebody told them it would be a good thing to have for another activity and have no real interest in amateur radio.  Those people will let their licenses lapse.  Those of us who are left may be more likely to get on the air because we have a little more invested in amateur radio.

73,
Rich, KA4GFY
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SOFAR

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Re: New license fee proposal open for comments
« Reply #33 on: September 17, 2020, 04:06:54 PM »

$50 over 10 years is not much.  I always believed that the FCC should have charged $1000.00 for a vanity license.  That would have stopped the BS.  Then only those who really wanted the call or the wealthy could afford it.  Isn't that the way in the US of A.
Art

That sounds reasonable for a vanity call.
« Last Edit: September 17, 2020, 04:09:26 PM by SOFAR »
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N9FB

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Re: New license fee proposal open for comments
« Reply #34 on: September 20, 2020, 05:35:41 AM »

Quote from: N9AOP
$50 over 10 years is not much.  I always believed that the FCC should have charged $1000.00 for a vanity license.  That would have stopped the BS.  Then only those who really wanted the call or the wealthy could afford it.  Isn't that the way in the US of A.
Art

pretty much

Quote from: SOFAR
That sounds reasonable for a vanity call.

yeah, i like the idea of a $50 fee charged for Vanity call licensing.  Make it so that current holders of Vanity calls have to pay the fee by the end of the year or forfeit their vanity call and get issued the next sequential call available.  this would cut down on the callsign hoarders, and make the others pay a little for them.

Maybe a $10 fee for each vanity callsign application should be charged too? ->
here is a query which yields Show licensees with 25 or more applications on one day (now prohibited) for a single callsign:
http://www.ae7q.com/query/list/GenAppMulti.php?COUNT=10&SORT=Count
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W2NAP

  • Posts: 312
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Re: New license fee proposal open for comments
« Reply #35 on: September 28, 2020, 06:48:07 PM »

Maybe one way to do this is to put the responsibility on the test taker to go back into ULS after passing a test to pay the fee.  The test taker should already have an FRN before they arrive to take a test.

The process for VE teams and VECs wouldn't change as they would not be responsible for collecting large sums of money.   

The FCC computer looks to see if the license fee has been paid before issuing a new/upgraded  license.  The person has "X" number of days to pay the fee or the new/upgrade license the VEC entered in the computer is voided and the license is never issued. 

Not sure how you might police that. There are people who will operate with their new upgraded privledges anyway after the period expires.  Perhaps the fee will pay for FCC enforecement?

If this NPRM goes through, the number of licenses WILL decline.  There is a large number of people with licenses who have no intention of using it, they have lost interest, or they got it because somebody told them it would be a good thing to have for another activity and have no real interest in amateur radio.  Those people will let their licenses lapse.  Those of us who are left may be more likely to get on the air because we have a little more invested in amateur radio.

73,
Rich, KA4GFY

You are joking about the more enforcement part right? cause that ain't going to happen. instead of getting crap service for free, you will have to pay to eat the turd sandwich which will be even worse then the one you are eating today.

Simply put, the fee garbage will do nothing more then outright kill ham radio. I sure in hell ain't going to pay. lot of people I know have come out and said they ain't paying as well, you also won't be getting new people in the hobby as well cause they ain't going to pay just to see if they like it. the response will be "If I want to play with old radio tech why in the hell would I pay 10-20 bones for the test then another 50 bones for the license? I can just get a CB for free!"
if they manage to get a fee in, you will be lucky to have 100,000 licenses left in 11 years. Kiss that nice spectrum goodbye cause when the commercial peeps see that low number they are going to come after every VHF+ band and they will get them.
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