eHam

eHam Forums => Licensing => Topic started by: K6CPO on March 24, 2022, 01:06:00 PM

Title: License Fee
Post by: K6CPO on March 24, 2022, 01:06:00 PM
What? No extensive thread full of sniveling about the new license fee now that the FCC has announced the effective date?
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: GRUMPY2021 on March 24, 2022, 01:30:28 PM
And for the sniveler's (is that a word?) born after 1977 here's a reminder that this isn't anything new:

In 1933, the FRC (predecessor of the FCC) proposed a fee of $5 ($100.17 in 2019 dollars) for amateur operator licenses. In those days operator license terms were 3 years. This proposal was strongly opposed and was not enacted.

In 1954, the FCC proposed a fee of $3 ($28.93 in 2019 dollars) for amateur licenses. In those days, and until the early 1980s, license terms were 5 years. This proposal was strongly opposed and was not enacted.

In the early 1960s the FCC again proposed fees for amateur licenses, and this time the proposal was enacted despite the opposition. The original effective date of January 1, 1964 was delayed a few months by a legal challenge, but by mid-March, 1964 the following fees were enacted:

New or renewed license: $4 ($33.45 in 2019 dollars)
Modified license: $2 ($16.72)
Special callsign: $20 ($167.25)

Novice and RACES licenses remained free.

Effective August 1, 1970, the FCC raised the above fees for amateur licenses to the following:

New or renewed license: $9 ($60.09 in 2019 dollars)
Modified license: $4 ($26.71)
Special callsign: $25 ($166.92)

Novice and RACES licenses remained free.

Effective March 1, 1975, the FCC lowered the above fees for amateur licenses to the following:

New or renewed license: $4 ($19.27 in 2019 dollars)
Modified license: $3 ($14.46)
Duplicate license: $2 ($9.64)
Special callsign: $25 ($120.46)

Novice and RACES licenses remained free.

Finally, effective January 1, 1977, FCC dropped all fees for amateur licenses. From then until now, all US amateur licenses have been free.
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: K7LZR on March 24, 2022, 02:12:53 PM
Hard for me to understand why some people will spend hundreds or thousands on equipment and then complain about a $35 TEN YEAR license fee!

There are other hobbies & activities which cost much more.

I used to own an auto repair shop about 20 years ago, with two full-time technicians and a small office staff. We once ran an oil-change special for 6 months via a coupon where the only cost to the customer was a $4.00 oil disposal fee. So customer got a new oil filter, new oil, fluid checks & fills, and labor for everything. All for just $4.00. Our regular price for this service at the time was $49.97.

So customer w/coupon saved $45.97 off of regular price for same thing.

I was truly amazed at the amount of people who would complain about the $4.00 oil disposal fee. And some of them were driving >$50k vehicles.

I guess that I'll just never get it.....
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: K4GTE on March 24, 2022, 03:41:42 PM
I wish my vehicle registrations were 35 dollars for ten years........
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: W0CKI on March 24, 2022, 03:51:53 PM
Those that complain will give new meaning to the phrase "cheap ham".
Gary W0CKI
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: SWMAN on March 24, 2022, 04:32:34 PM
 I wish that my Texas Electrician license was only 35 dollars for 10 years.
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: K3XR on March 24, 2022, 04:47:07 PM
Stand by to hear from the older crowd how this fee will hurt young folks who want to obtain a license.  Strange how I never hear young people complaining.  Hard to imagine with the high-end cell phones and top of the line designer sneakers that they will have a problem with $35.00
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: K4EQ on March 24, 2022, 08:01:17 PM
Dan, at 75 and licensed in 1960, I'm part of the "older crowd" you speak of and I'm sure not complaining. At $3.50 a year, it's a steal.
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: W7XTV on March 24, 2022, 09:34:08 PM
As mentioned above, the $9 fee for 5 years I had to pay is equivalent to about $60 in 2019 (and, probably $65-70 in 2022).  Double that for a the 10-year license period of today.  $35 for 10 years is not bad at all -- about half the price when accounting for inflation compared to the 1970s.
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: SWMAN on March 25, 2022, 02:41:27 AM
 Not a bad price, I’ll take two please.
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: N2EY on March 25, 2022, 04:13:10 AM
And for the sniveler's (is that a word?) born after 1977 here's a reminder that this isn't anything new:

In 1933, the FRC (predecessor of the FCC) proposed a fee of $5 ($100.17 in 2019 dollars) for amateur operator licenses. In those days operator license terms were 3 years. This proposal was strongly opposed and was not enacted.

In 1954, the FCC proposed a fee of $3 ($28.93 in 2019 dollars) for amateur licenses. In those days, and until the early 1980s, license terms were 5 years. This proposal was strongly opposed and was not enacted.

In the early 1960s the FCC again proposed fees for amateur licenses, and this time the proposal was enacted despite the opposition. The original effective date of January 1, 1964 was delayed a few months by a legal challenge, but by mid-March, 1964 the following fees were enacted:

New or renewed license: $4 ($33.45 in 2019 dollars)
Modified license: $2 ($16.72)
Special callsign: $20 ($167.25)

Novice and RACES licenses remained free.

Effective August 1, 1970, the FCC raised the above fees for amateur licenses to the following:

New or renewed license: $9 ($60.09 in 2019 dollars)
Modified license: $4 ($26.71)
Special callsign: $25 ($166.92)

Novice and RACES licenses remained free.

Effective March 1, 1975, the FCC lowered the above fees for amateur licenses to the following:

New or renewed license: $4 ($19.27 in 2019 dollars)
Modified license: $3 ($14.46)
Duplicate license: $2 ($9.64)
Special callsign: $25 ($120.46)

Novice and RACES licenses remained free.

Finally, effective January 1, 1977, FCC dropped all fees for amateur licenses. From then until now, all US amateur licenses have been free.


You might consider acknowledging that you cut and pasted almost all of that.
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: W9FIB on March 25, 2022, 04:19:50 AM
Yea $3.50 a year is a steal. Many radio clubs charge much more per year. Don't hear much complaining about that.

And for those of you who say they can't afford a down payment on a free lunch...maybe you really don't want to be in HR. Or you just like to hear yourself whine.
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: K1FBI on March 25, 2022, 04:27:43 AM
Some of the people who could stand to lose 35 pounds don't think twice about spending $35 for a single lunch.
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: W9FIB on March 25, 2022, 04:37:45 AM
Some of the people who could stand to lose 35 pounds don't think twice about spending $35 for a single lunch.

Wait...I resemble that remark! LOL
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: K3XR on March 25, 2022, 05:40:52 AM
Dan, at 75 and licensed in 1960, I'm part of the "older crowd" you speak of and I'm sure not complaining. At $3.50 a year, it's a steal.
That's great...still have my Novice license that was issued Feb 11 1960.  Let's hope the whining is at a minimum.
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: WA9AFM on March 25, 2022, 06:42:47 AM
Dan, at 75 and licensed in 1960, I'm part of the "older crowd" you speak of and I'm sure not complaining. At $3.50 a year, it's a steal.

....or just under 1 cent/day.   Licensed in 1961.
Title: Re: License Fee
Post by: KV1P on March 25, 2022, 06:43:14 AM
What's the problem a cost of 3.50 a year for figure some people will bitch about anything!