FCC NPRM MD Docket No. 20-270 changing FCC fee structure, including Amateur Radio. $50 for new licenses and renewals and Vanity License Applications

[KE0GXN]

I have been licensed since 1981 and ham radio has been "dying" even before then.

Exactly. About the only thing that bothers me about paying this fee is it does not include a magzine subscription.

 

[robertwbob]

I listen to everybody,the "elete"ham operaters dint m9nd paying. The "elete" always seem to discourage new hams,i know for a fact. But if they asked 5 or 10 dollars no problem. Put the bickering aside n think this year $50. Humm the elete hams paid lets up it to $100. And on n on.
Seems you elete hams come out screaming when spectrums are sold off but like the idea of payung $50.?
You can send that 50 to me so i can become elete too. Now jump in n ***** at me,im settin back ready to laugh when you start mud slinging

 

[alcahuete]

I listen to everybody,the "elete"ham operaters dint m9nd paying. The "elete" always seem to discourage new hams,i know for a fact. But if they asked 5 or 10 dollars no problem. Put the bickering aside n think this year $50. Humm the elete hams paid lets up it to $100. And on n on.
Seems you elete hams come out screaming when spectrums are sold off but like the idea of payung $50.?
You can send that 50 to me so i can become elete too. Now jump in n ***** at me,im settin back ready to laugh when you start mud slinging

Has nothing to do with being elite, and nothing to do with discouraging new hams. We are using a service, incredibly valuable spectrum, and have freeloaded for decades.

How much do you pay for a fishing license? Hunting license? Drivers license? etc. Every other license in existence has a fee associated with its use.

 

[robertwbob]

Has nothing to do with being elite, and nothing to do with discouraging new hams. We are using a service, incredibly valuable spectrum, and have freeloaded for decades.

How much do you pay for a fishing license? Hunting license? Drivers license? etc. Every other license in existence has a fee associated with its use.

enough fees ,before l9ng every cent made be taken for a fee. But i guess you love to pay fees from your words.

 

[mmckenna]

enough fees ,before l9ng every cent made be taken for a fee. But i guess you love to pay fees from your words.

Really depends on what the fees are for.
If the fees go for...
Fishing License: Protection of waterways, stocking of ponds/rivers, enforcement against illegal fishing, then sure.
Hunting License: Protection of habitat, protection from over hunting, enforcement against illegal hunting, then sure.
Drivers License: Making sure other drivers are properly trained before sharing the roads. Making sure chronic drunk drivers stay out from behind the wheel, then sure.

Amateur radio: If some of that money goes to making sure other licensed amateurs are properly trained and vetted, sure.

No one wants to take your "every cent". If $50 every 10 years is an issue, let us know. Maybe we can start a Go Fund Me account for you and raise it. Maybe wealthy hams, ARRL, clubs, etc can raise funds to help those that can't afford it.

 

[alcahuete]

enough fees ,before l9ng every cent made be taken for a fee. But i guess you love to pay fees from your words.

I love to pay more fees? What the heck are you talking about? Seriously.... Get a grip.

I don't think anybody loves to pay more fees. Would I love to have that whopping $5/year in my bank account instead of the government's? Sure! But when you use a service, you pay for it. That's what decent people do. This is something that cheap hams, for whatever reason, just don't seem to understand, and it's doubtful they ever will.

Do you pay for your cell phone service? Why? It should be free, by your thinking. Just another fee for using a service. No reason to pay that. I'm sure you own your phone. No different than owning a radio.

As @mmckenna said, if you really can't afford the $5/year, I'm sure we can put a Gofundme account for you. I have no doubt one of us could forgo a cup of coffee for the year, and instead put $5 into your fund.

 

[robertwbob]

A

I love to pay more fees? What the heck are you talking about? Seriously.... Get a grip.

I don't think anybody loves to pay more fees. Would I love to have that whopping $5/year in my bank account instead of the government's? Sure! But when you use a service, you pay for it. That's what decent people do. This is something that cheap hams, for whatever reason, just don't seem to understand, and it's doubtful they ever will.

Do you pay for your cell phone service? Why? It should be free, by your thinking. Just another fee for using a service. No reason to pay that. I'm sure you own your phone. No different than owning a radio.

As @mmckenna said, if you really can't afford the $5/year, I'm sure we can put a Gofundme account for you. I have no doubt one of us could forgo a cup of coffee for the year, and instead put $5 into your fund.

haha keep on im laughin hard at ya'lls comments.
Its always funny how some get uptight like you all are doing.
I stated reasons why n all you do is like the idea to pay fees n enjoy it, fcc gets tax funded,sells off spectrums and if they could get rid of hams ,more stuff to sell but keep on need more to laugh about

 

[alcahuete]

Like I said, just let us know, and one of us won't drink a cup of coffee one time each year, and will instead put that $5 in your gofundme.

 

[robertwbob]

Like I said, just let us know, and one of us won't drink a cup of coffee one time each year, and will instead put that $5 in your gofundme.

haha go ahead your dime make my daybthank you all

 

[alcahuete]

haha go ahead your dime make my daybthank you all

No idea what you said there, but yes, you too!

 

[K9DWB]

So robertwbob you do have the choice of not paying the fee. You don't need to renew when the license is due. I would rather not pay the fees either, but if they go to a reasonable cause within FCC, ULS, etc. I'll accept it. So it is simple, if you do not like or accept the fee, don't pay it. You do not have to pay for driver's license renewals, for cell phone bills, for concealed carry permits, electric bills, etc. Seriously, do not pay the fee. That service ends and you pay no more fees. But if you decide you want the service, then you do have to pay for it. Paying a fee is not stating you like paying fees but that you like, enjoy, and want to have the service and benefits that comes with that payment.

 

[K9DWB]

PS I will pay the $50 and even poor lil me won't have to skip a coffee. If I can spend $450 last month on a new HT and a few antennas, then the fee to keep the license to use this HT isn't a big deal.

Virtual cupa joe to ya

 

[mmckenna]

fcc gets tax funded,sells off spectrums and if they could get rid of hams ,more stuff to sell but keep on need more to laugh about

The small slices of amateur radio spectrum are of little value to anyone other than amateurs. 70 centimeters and up are mostly secondary allocations, kicking the amateurs off won't change anything.

 

[robertwbob]

Im setting back thinking ,why did most forefathers come here? Why did they have a boston tea party?

 

[belvdr]

Im setting back thinking ,why did most forefathers come here? Why did they have a boston tea party?

Expensive amateur radio fees?

 

[AK9R]

Im setting back thinking ,why did most forefathers come here? Why did they have a boston tea party?

For many of them, it was to escape religious persecution. For others, it was to start a new life out from under the landlords they were subservient to in Europe.

The Boston tea party was rebellion against "unfair" taxation.

The FCC's proposed fees are an application fee. In other words, they want to charge you to process your license application. They want you to help offset the ongoing costs of maintaining the FCC's computer system.

 

[robertwbob]

S

For many of them, it was to escape religious persecution. For others, it was to start a new life out from under the landlords they were subservient to in Europe.

The Boston tea party was rebellion against "unfair" taxation.

The FCC's proposed fees are an application fee. In other words, they want to charge you to process your license application. They want you to help offset the ongoing costs of maintaining the FCC's computer system.

still a tax.

 

[belvdr]

S
still a tax.

Stop being pedantic. What's the problem here?

 

[tweiss3]

Stop being pedantic. What's the problem here?

I think the problem is whining "amateur radio doesn't pay a fee" while reducing other fees (GMRS) after they forced a computerized system on everyone that effectively reduced the labor required to process applications doesn't make much sense. I have a GMRS license as well, and I don't think it makes sense to reduce that already reasonable $70 fee.

I would bet that their real goal is to make it more reasonable for individual municipalities to license and maintain their own radio systems. It appears that more and more cities and agencies are letting their license lapse and jumping on statewide systems via lease, and the FCC isn't getting what they usually got in application fees, so they are spreading the commerical fee losses onto the amateurs.

I do agree that $50 isn't much, but it's the government getting more money out of people, $50 across more sections of your live really adds up quickly.

 

[TailGator911]

I will gladly pay the $50 for renewal, only seems fair since I have been enjoying ham radio for a few decades. No complaints here/