This is what happens when dont renew your license

[Steveradio]

ULS License - Industrial/Business Pool, Conventional License - WPTU434 - MUHLENBERG COLLEGE
Muhlenberg College WPTU434 452.7000 FB2
pretty strong repeater

School district just got a new license issued for transportation services,
ULS License - Industrial/Business Pool, Conventional License - WQUW344 - East Penn School District

East Penn School District WQUW344 452.7000 FB2

they are not too far away from each other. the part trying to understand is why so many services are letting the FCC call sign drop but still using the system. I Was licensed my self and let mine expire for business, may renew but was always simplex, we had a repeater set up but was taken down awhile back.

Just curious what the train of thinking is, understand with PL/DPL etc..

Too many users operating not licensed most dont realize it guess or ignore notices.

 

[MTS2000des]

Because many LMR users are completely unaware. So long as their walkie talkies work, they don't know/care about the license. Many times the system was procured by someone who has left the organization years before, the licensing was handled by the shop that sold the system, and that shop may be no longer or has changed hands.

They don't think about it because as far as the users are concerned, there isn't a problem. Until the FCC pays a visit, or sends an NAL...

 

[Steveradio]

Its amazing mine expired in May believe.. now need to do co-ordination all over again if decide to.

Pretty much what you said, as long as radios work or the FCC pays them a visit.

 

[mmckenna]

I work for a university, so I have some insight to this:
The average users on our system doesn't understand the difference between a toy FRS radio, a CB, or a commercial radio. To them it's an appliance, nothing more.
Often, the management of these systems falls into the IT crowd. Not always the best place, but it is what it is. Most IT guys do not understand how radio works. The managers understand less.
Trying to get people to understand how these systems work, what the requirements are, and to fully understand licensing is next to impossible.
Budgets and business plans are usually done on a fiscal year schedule. 10 year FCC licensing doesn't fit in well with that. Trying to get equipment replacement and license renewals built into business plans is difficult, especially when the people involved have no clue what any of it means.

Often, these systems are installed by a contracted radio shop. Once the system is installed and the bill is paid, it gets forgotten about. Most smaller colleges and universities do not have their own radio shops. Management of these systems is minimal at best. When that happens, there isn't anyone that considers license renewal. A radio shop could easily do this for them, but with the churn in radio shops and staff, it's very unlikely.
Larger universities, as well as county and state agencies often have someone on staff who fills this role, but there has to be enough need for it to justify the staff time. My group does this, but we have enough radio systems to justify it. Our county has it's own radio shop, so they manage their internally, also.

What I don't understand is why the frequency coordinators don't take a more active role in this sort of stuff. I don't expect them to manage licenses, but dropping a new system on top of one with a recently expired license seems a bit irresponsible. Who knows, maybe they did reach out to the college and someone there was confused….

 

[BaofengScanner]

Get that FCC license renewal notifcation in the mail haha like with magazines

 

[ecps92]

Also the license is addressed to Mr or Mrs xyz (who probably no longer works there) and get's thrown into the circular file

Because many LMR users are completely unaware. So long as their walkie talkies work, they don't know/care about the license. Many times the system was procured by someone who has left the organization years before, the licensing was handled by the shop that sold the system, and that shop may be no longer or has changed hands.

They don't think about it because as far as the users are concerned, there isn't a problem. Until the FCC pays a visit, or sends an NAL...

 

[Steveradio]

Makes sense, to be honest one of the facilities up here in the Poconos had pleasure to assist with license renewal, friend of mine came to me and we got things straightened out after some back and forth but glad they were able to re license with the same frequency and was even more surprised no fines were issued by the FCC.

The county work in pretty much you buy and maintain your own equipment as long as you have radio identifier, which means we have a mix of Motorolas and Kenwoods we finally got them all programmed the same to be in compliance with narrow band.

Guess we take this more to heart than those operating.

 

[Denverpilot]

I work for a university, so I have some insight to this:
The average users on our system doesn't understand the difference between a toy FRS radio, a CB, or a commercial radio. To them it's an appliance, nothing more.
Often, the management of these systems falls into the IT crowd. Not always the best place, but it is what it is. Most IT guys do not understand how radio works. The managers understand less.
Trying to get people to understand how these systems work, what the requirements are, and to fully understand licensing is next to impossible.
Budgets and business plans are usually done on a fiscal year schedule. 10 year FCC licensing doesn't fit in well with that. Trying to get equipment replacement and license renewals built into business plans is difficult, especially when the people involved have no clue what any of it means.

Often, these systems are installed by a contracted radio shop. Once the system is installed and the bill is paid, it gets forgotten about. Most smaller colleges and universities do not have their own radio shops. Management of these systems is minimal at best. When that happens, there isn't anyone that considers license renewal. A radio shop could easily do this for them, but with the churn in radio shops and staff, it's very unlikely.
Larger universities, as well as county and state agencies often have someone on staff who fills this role, but there has to be enough need for it to justify the staff time. My group does this, but we have enough radio systems to justify it. Our county has it's own radio shop, so they manage their internally, also.

What I don't understand is why the frequency coordinators don't take a more active role in this sort of stuff. I don't expect them to manage licenses, but dropping a new system on top of one with a recently expired license seems a bit irresponsible. Who knows, maybe they did reach out to the college and someone there was confused….

That's a pretty big story of an awful lot of incompetence at places ostensibly part of the education system teaching the next generation of adults how to go about doing things.

No offense, but if a place of "higher education" can't keep a simple thing like a license straight, nor teach "IT" folk how radio works...

Maybe not going to be too successful at other things they're responsible for...

 

[mmckenna]

It all really depends on the size of the campus.
The campus I work at is large enough that we handle it internally. My group (myself and 3 others) handle the telecom engineering which includes radio and telephone. We are under the larger IT organization. Having staff who directly handles this stuff prevents issues like the OP was talking about.
Smaller campuses can't afford the staff, and often ignore it or dump it on someone who doesn't understand. It really depends on the individual facility and how it's managed.

Also, university campuses are usually set up so that the operations side is separate from the research and educational parts. Even though the university I work for does post grad/PhD level engineering and IT, as well as research, that is all separate from the actual operation side. While there is some minor level of cooperation between the side I'm on (operations) and the research/education side, it's minimal. This is pretty standard across the country.

 

[exkalibur]

This is why licenses shouldn't be in a person's name. It should be "Attention Radio Manager" or something like that.

 

[cmdrwill]

"Frequency Coordinator" what a JOKE.......