FCC NPRM MD Docket No. 20-270 changing FCC fee structure, including Amateur Radio. $50 for new licenses and renewals and Vanity License Applications
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ecps92
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I pay a licensing fee for many of my licenses, not a Tax
but maybe
that would not be a bad idea, a Tax per Freq listed on a license.
I know of some who have frequencies they have not used in years on some wall-paper
but maybe
that would not be a bad idea, a Tax per Freq listed on a license.I know of some who have frequencies they have not used in years on some wall-paper
that's sort of my point.
mmckenna
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Sometimes a small fee attached to a service can help with accuracy.
In other words, it keeps people paying attention to what they have.
Case in point:
We offer various services at work. Payment for those service switched to a "per full time employee" charge. It was touted as a great thing, reduced paper work, simpler to provide service, no additional charges, just one fee.
Problem was, it took away all responsibility for the end user department to track if they really needed said services or not. There was no reason for them to disconnect old services that were no longer in use. Made a huge record keeping mess.
I personally like the idea of the FCC doing this. Clean up the databases, get rid of all the defunct users, flush out unused services. At least that way, the FCC can get accurate estimates of how many real users they have.
How much effort is a clerk to assign a call sign. About 2 minutes! $35 is BS! $10 is more then enough to cover the cost.
mmckenna
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And you determined this how?
The processes are mostly automated. On the LMR side, there's several cross checks that are done with the NTIA data base and, if it's close to the border, with neighbor countries.
A lot of the cost is in the back end, care and feeding of the machines. IT guys don't work cheap.
A IT guy is not assigning call signs! A clerk makers about $12 bucks an hour! IT guy takes about 1 minute to input he information. Get real dude!
They laid out the estimated costs in the docket, and exactly how they calculated those costs, if you bothered to read it. I'm sorry if you don't understand that there is way more that goes into the ULS than just a clerk sitting around making $12/hr.
mmckenna
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No person is assigning call signs. It's mostly automated.
No government clerk is making $12/hour. Even if they were, you are failing to include the costs that go along with that. $12/hour plus benefits, plus keeping the lights on in the office, plus the custodians, plus the building maintenance costs. It all adds up really quick. The true cost of an employee doesn't stop with just the paycheck.
And no IT guy is inputting the information in many cases. VE's can submit electronically. The IT guys role comes in when it's time to fix bugs in the software, patch servers, maintain the network, keep the data center running, keep the cooling system running, etc.
Look, we get it, you don't like the $35 charge.
Hopefully, they hire HVAC professionals to keep the cooling system running. I work in HVAC controls and I'm not sure I want the IT guys working on the cooling systems.
That said, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that the FCC's Universal License System is running old code on antiquated hardware. It's probably like a lot of business systems that were written in COBOL by a guy who retired 10 years ago. Everybody just crosses their fingers and hopes it keeps running.
The license system is all automated. Issuance of new licenses or license upgrades is automated once the VEC sends the test session data to the FCC. Renewals and modifications are done online by the licensee. "Look, ma. No hands!"
I don't like the $35 fee, either. But, unless you provided your input to the FCC during the comment period (I didn't), it's kinda like voting. Don't vote? Then don't complain about the outcome.
That said, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that the FCC's Universal License System is running old code on antiquated hardware. It's probably like a lot of business systems that were written in COBOL by a guy who retired 10 years ago. Everybody just crosses their fingers and hopes it keeps running.
The license system is all automated. Issuance of new licenses or license upgrades is automated once the VEC sends the test session data to the FCC. Renewals and modifications are done online by the licensee. "Look, ma. No hands!"
I don't like the $35 fee, either. But, unless you provided your input to the FCC during the comment period (I didn't), it's kinda like voting. Don't vote? Then don't complain about the outcome.
mmckenna
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Sounds like an old-fashioned bribe...the old "greasing of the palm", as it were...
Ah, yes, "Oil of Palm".
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Hopefully, they hire HVAC professionals to keep the cooling system running. I work in HVAC controls and I'm not sure I want the IT guys working on the cooling systems.
I was referring to the costs of running a large data center. We have one at work, and we spend a ton of money on cooling. While the data center operators are not HVAC techs, they do require some basic knowledge to do simple troubleshooting before the ticket gets opened.
And I think you are right on with the outdated/COBAL type system. Considering the number of times the database goes down, it would make a lot of sense.
Yes!! I’ve been saying this for years. The ARRL touts the growing number of amateurs as reason that amateur radio is alive and well.
It’s not. The FCC and underlying regulations around amateur licensing have dramatically inflated the number of active amateurs.
According to AE7Q’s excellent site, there’s 831728 active licenses. I’d estimate the number of active amateurs being closer to 500000. Those who’ve done something connected to their privileges in the last year and that’s being generous.
500000 isn’t a lot. Roughly 209 million adults in the US. Add in kids and foreign license holders and the number of US licensed amateurs is a very insignificant number.
Unfortunately I'm not familiar with AE7Q's site--maybe my question's answered there??--but how does he determine if a license is actually active (i.e. being used on the air by the operator)? Or does, in this case, "active" mean "not expired yet"?
I'd be curious what percentage of operators are actually actively getting on the air...or, for that matter, making some kind of use out of their license (like experimenting with electronics used in communication).
nd5y
Member
There is no way to determine that. Hams are not required to report or log contacts or activity with the FCC or any other organization.
It's probably the license status in the ULS. Active means not expired. The other possible license statuses are expired, cancelled and terminated.
There is no way to determine that with any accuracy.
There are 85,472 hams who are active enough in the last few years to get a DMR or NXDN ID. That doesn't account for duplicates and repeaters, so maybe 80,000. There is probably triple that number who use HF, and probably at least that number that uses everything else but DMR.
So I personally would estimate the number to be around 400,000, give or take.
So I personally would estimate the number to be around 400,000, give or take.
I just can't fathom the amount of *****ing about a $35 fee for 10 years. I know ham clubs that charge $50 a year or more to be a "member" yet hams pony up the funds. The fee is the cost of your crappy CCR radio that wont even last 10 years.
I have spent $1000's of dollars to get and maintain public safety frequencies for some Search and Rescue teams. They don't even get funding and yet pay for coordination and everything out of their own pockets. I have yet to hear any of them complain that they need to cover these costs.
GMRS has been paying $70 for quite some time yet licenses still get issued daily, and there is only 8 on my license I can use. HAMS have far many more channels they can tie up on nothing if they want.
Oh and that estimate of 400,000 hams in the US equates to about $14 million bucks. You don't possibly think old uncle Sam is gonna throw that in the trash do you ...
I have spent $1000's of dollars to get and maintain public safety frequencies for some Search and Rescue teams. They don't even get funding and yet pay for coordination and everything out of their own pockets. I have yet to hear any of them complain that they need to cover these costs.
GMRS has been paying $70 for quite some time yet licenses still get issued daily, and there is only 8 on my license I can use. HAMS have far many more channels they can tie up on nothing if they want.
Oh and that estimate of 400,000 hams in the US equates to about $14 million bucks. You don't possibly think old uncle Sam is gonna throw that in the trash do you ...
Possibly, at least in part, it's because club membership is voluntary while if someone wants to maintain a ham license the expense seems mandatory--and no one enjoys anything that's mandatory.
I get that. But ya know what a cell phone is voluntary and costs money. Internet costs money and is voluntary. Ham radio is voluntary also. If you don't want to pay then you don't play. Everything in life s voluntary. And everything in life in mandatory. Its all about where you want to spend your hard earned money.
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