You have probably heard about the FCC proposal to establish a $50 application fee for Amateur Radio licenses. This is part of an overall redesign of the FCC’s fee structure, affecting many radio services, not just amateur radio.
The Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) is found in Docket 20-270. The public is invited to submit comments on the proposal via the Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). It is relatively easy to do. You can upload a document with your comments or use “express comment” to just type in your comments. If you are short on time, you could simply submit a few sentences supporting or opposing the licensing fee along with your reasoning. The only tricky thing you need to know is the proceeding number: 20-270.
I thought this was important enough that I put together my thoughts and submitted them. The short version of my comments are:
- The $50 fee seems excessive, compared to the cost of relatively simple amateur radio license transactions. (If it really costs the FCC $50 to do this, they need to redesign their system.)
- The $50 fee will be a barrier to getting an amateur radio license for many potential licensees. That’s my opinion based on interacting with a large number of new licensees coming through our club’s Technician license class.
- I support charging a smaller fee, in the range of $15 to $25.
You can read my complete comments here:
Robert Witte K0NR Comments MD Docket No. 20-270
73 Bob K0NR
Just keep the ham license free the $50.00 is just to high if they going to make ham to to pay for there license i think $10.00 or $20.00 is about right for the fee.
How about a sliding scale? $10 Tech, $25 General, $50 Extra.
Jim,
A sliding scale could make a lot of sense. Keep the Technician cheap or free, charge more for things like vanity call applications.
However, the FCC is looking at the fees for all of the radio services and wants to simplify the overall picture. For example, the proposal is to lower the GMRS fee to $50 so that it is the same as the amateur fee. I don’t think they’d go for a sliding scale, but who knows.
Bob
I think the $50.00 is way to high let us leave it along as it is. Lot of ham told me they might just drop it and pull out being a ham .
KI4HTC
Mickey here. Jim Sims delightful. I was expecting Crabby Appleton Elmer’s yelling OUTRAGE. 10 years for 50 bucks. Very proud to pay. Advances and not limitations during that period make this a great investment . Sliding scale for certain genres or backgrounds IE : disabled, Veterans, and or Licensure date would quiet the Status Quo.
NY7SM
I think they are to keep it like it is now. The way thing are going now and prices going up ham may not a ford it and ham will will know longer be ham because they want be able to aford it.
KI4HTC
No. All even. One price.
Or Technician $ 50.00
General $ 25.00, Extra
$ 10.00
Let ham send a vote to the FCC before they start making ham pay for there licenses.
KI4HTC
I can get on board with a de minimus fee between $5 and $20 per license. I’m a new Technician and so is my 13-year-old. We’re having a lot of fun doing SOTA and using the radios tactically outside.
If we’d had to pay $50 per license I’m not sure I would have done it. I’m hoping to see the ARRL get involved in a positive way.
Thanks for taking the time to comment on the FCC proposal.
I agree with you 100% on this and hope a fee in the neighborhood is ultimately finalized. $50.00 is too much.
K7TTI
Ham license free the $50.00 is just to high— NEW hams should not have to pay for there license … === i think $10.00 or $20.00 is about right for the fee. on upgrades …
I think $50.00 To high $10.00 is OK with me.
KI4HTC
Was this because the FCC determined that ham radio was no longer a service to community ? I thought I read that in their summary. If so that’s OUR fault.
The FCC issued a report and order that sets the amateur radio license fee at $35. Not a bad outcome, I think. (I suggested $15 to $25.)
See https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-184A1.pdf
KI4HTC
$35.00 not to bad