WB4CS -
Well I covered numerous reasons why the Application Fee should be reduced or elimninated all together at some length in my Comments. Briefly, firstly, the $65 charge bears no relation at all to the work the FCC does to process the application. Secondly, since GMRS applications involve no examination of any technical information, it should be on an equal footing with similar Amateur Radio applications - no Application Fee at all. Thirdly, since the $90 cost of a license is typically more than DOUBLE the cost of a PAIR cheap FRS Walkie-talkies, the arbitrary high charge is an extremely strong deterrent to Bubble-Pack users obtaining a license. It is precisely becasue I am upset about such unlicensed operation on GMRS that I am uging the Commission to eliminate this deterrent for Bubble-Pack users. Fourthly, elimination or drastic reduction of the GMRS license cost will strongly stimulate use of the service for public service by volunteers for such entities as the Red Cross Disaster Service, Emergency Management Agencies (EMA), CERT Teams, Civil Defense, REACT, National Weather Service Operation Skywarn, Salvation Army Disaster Relief, the Seattle Earthquake Communication Hubs, etc.
As outlined in my Comments, drastic reduction or elimination of the Application Fee has no relation to the level of FCC enforcement for GMRS. That potentially could be affected by changes in the Regulatory Fee, as mentioned in my Comments. However, EB (Enforcment Bureau) does not handle GMRS at the Bereau level, but rather, "GMRS is handled by the local field offices on a case by case basis". In my own experience over the years, if you build a good rapport with your local Field Office, you do get response on well-founded and well documented complaints, provided that you limit the number and frequency of them bearing in mind the varied and heavy workload of these offices, like many government agencies.
My on-the-air experience in 47 states of the Union, plus Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands does not bear out your caustic comment that 90% of GMRS traffic is from unlicensed Bubble-Pack users, but I have not been in the northern part of your state. Disciplined operation of an organized repeater system often resuls in Bubble-Pack users relocating other channels, which is our experience here in Chicago.
I hope this answers your questions. Randy Knowles, KAA 8142