Renewal easy?

[w2xq]

Wirelessly posted (Moto Droid Bionic: Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 4.1.2; en-us; DROID BIONIC Build/9.8.2O-72_VZW-22) AppleWebKit/534.30 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/534.30)

I was surprised how easy and quick it was to renew my non-vanity call on the FCC ULS web site. ARRL and W5YI mailings almost look scary by comparison. Maybe it took 30 seconds; trick was having FRN number and password on hand. FWIW I had entered the info into the phone's reminder calendar 10 years ago. Dunno abt vanity calls and payment, but it can't be that hard. DIY. HTH.

 

[N0IU]

The vanity renewal through the ULS is just as easy. The only difference is that it takes you to Form 159 which is where you put in your credit/debit card to make the payment.

I don't begrudge the W5YI Group making money, but why would someone pay them to do the renewal?

 

[K7MEM]

Dunno abt vanity calls and payment, but it can't be that hard. DIY. HTH.

It's easy for vanity calls as well. Like N0IU said, it only another form. That's how I renewed mine in 2011. I think the vanity renewal was about $18. That's a $1.80 a year.

 

[rapidcharger]

I had a renewal last year. It was a breeze.
I knew I was going to need the FRN and didn't have it but you can obtain it by doing a search for your license.

I seem to remember FCC transactions being more difficult but it's pretty easy now. Even for license modifications for other radio services. If only the ahem ahem healthcare marketplace was as easy.

 

[wbswetnam]

I got my technician license in September then a month later I retested and got my general license. I have made sure to write down my FRN and password in numerous places so that I will be able to find it 9 1/2 years from now.

On a side note, sometimes the gobbermint does manage to make things quick and easy... when I reentered the USA from an overseas trip back a month ago, I was surprised to see how the INS has made it possible to reenter the country with simply a scan of your passport and fingerprint and answering a few questions on a computer screen. This was in DFW airport, and was for all US citizens and "green card" visa holders, not just the fast-track program folks. I got through Immigration and Customs in just 15 minutes instead of the usual 45 - 60 minutes.

 

[kennyloatman]

I get the part about having your password on hand, but your FRN is on your license hard copy. Mine is posted in my shack where I know where it is.

 

[w2xq]

Wirelessly posted (Moto Droid Bionic: Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 4.1.2; en-us; DROID BIONIC Build/9.8.2O-72_VZW-22) AppleWebKit/534.30 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/534.30)

FWIW there was no FRN number on my last license update in 2004. Putting the reminder info into the smartphone calendar worked for me.

I see the ULS received the app on Jan 1 but it appears to be on some kind of hold or review. I guess the backlog from the govt shutdown is still affecting the ULS. I assume the new ticket will be coming soon via the USPO.

 

[KC9AXZ]

I did my renewal a few years go. It was a 10 min process. I was happy to get a letter from the places offering to do my renewal for a fee. If it wasn't for those letters I would have forgot. I know our club VEs have been helpful with others in the past doing paperwork renewals for "less tech savy" hams.

Jon