A change in how you will log into CORES (PSA)

Every Ham in the US should be registered on CORES, the FCC's COmission REgistration System. This is doorway to access your account with the FCC in the Universal Licensing System. According to the ARRL, starting next Friday, March 29th, the FCC will begin utilizing Two Factor Authorization.

Here are the details from the ARRL:

SB QST @ ARL $ARLB007

ARLB007 FCC to Require Two Factor Authentication for CORES Users

ZCZC AG07

QST de W1AW  

ARRL Bulletin 7  ARLB007

From ARRL Headquarters  

Newington CT  March 22, 2024

To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB007

ARLB007 FCC to Require Two Factor Authentication for CORES Users

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced an upcoming change to the Commission Registration System (CORES) that licensees use to pay any application or regulatory fees, manage or reset a password on an existing FRN, or request a new FRN. Beginning March 29, 2024, multifactor authentication will be implemented. Users will be prompted to request a six-digit secondary verification code, which will be sent to the email address(es) associated with each username. The user will then need to enter the code into CORES before they can continue.

In a public notice, the FCC said this change will make the system more secure. "This additional layer of security will further safeguard against unauthorized access, thereby enhancing the overall integrity of information contained within the CORES system and improving the security of user data," it read.

The Public Notice can be found in PDF format at, https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-24-219A1.pdf .

The FCC recommends that users confirm they have access to their username account email and to add a secondary email address, if need be.

Resources are available for those who need assistance with the system. For inquiries or assistance regarding the implementation of multifactor authentication on CORES, submit a help request at

https://www.fcc.gov/wtbhelp, or call the FCC at 877-480-3201 (Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM ET).

NNNN

/EX

If you haven't re-registered with CORES within the last year or so, you might have to - again. You should also make sure (via CORES) that your FRN is associated with your CORES account.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

My gut might have been right

Plus, I was beginning to hear rumors about this at the Hamfest on Saturday.  At first, I just brushed it off, but when I saw that this was still not resolved over the weekend, I started to give my hunch and this "rumor" a little more credence.

CNN is reporting this:

cnn.com/2023/06/15/politics/us-government-hit-cybeattack/index.html

Although, these days, I don't know how much CNN or any news outlet can be trusted. I come from the Walter Cronkite "old school" of news and so much of what I see on TV broadcast news seems to be more opinion and editorializing rather than "Just the facts, Ma'am." Please ...... just give me the "who, what, why, where and when". I don't need to know how the reporter or anchor "feels" about it, or their personal theories.

In any case, our candidates from the Saturday session won't be too thrilled until this mess is cleared up. I could have told them how in the "Olden Days Before Fire Was Invented" that we had to wait 6-8 weeks for our licenses to show up via snail mail, but I'm sure that would have gone over like the proverbial lead balloon,

Well, at least they can't hack radio waves - or does jamming count?

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

This is not good - continued!

 FCC servers are still down "for maintenance", as they have been since last Wednesday.  

After working in the professional photographic field for 29 years, I have been working in the IT field for the last 16 years. For 6 of those years, i was employed at a Data Center. In all my time, I have never seen server maintenance take more than one evening, two at the most. I am by no means an IT expert, but something seems amiss here. My gut hunch says something is going on here that involves more than just routine maintenance.

Whatever it is, I hope it's resolved quickly. Our exam candidates from Saturday were all anxious to know when they would hear about their new call signs or upgrades.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

This is not good!

With a VE Session scheduled at the W2QW Hamfest this weekend, to boot! We all know the speeds in which the government acts - Slow, Stop and Reverse!

 From the ARRL:

FCC Universal Licensing System Applications Are Unavailable

06/13/2023

The FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS), which includes Electronic Batch Filing (EBF) used by VECs for new and upgrade license submissions and club license applications, Application Search, License Search, License Manager system used for filing applications directly with the FCC, Tower Construction Notification System, E-106 System, Antenna Structure Registration Online Filing and searches, TOWAIR and all ULS Specialized Searches, are currently down.

The FCC’s EBF and License Manager Filing systems have stopped accepting and processing all amateur radio exam session files and applications. The EBF system has not processed any VEC license applications and examination session files since Monday afternoon. The other systems have not been available since Friday June 9 at the close of business.

ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, said her office contacted the FCC staff, which said systems are down due to maintenance but did not estimate how long the systems would be down. “As soon as the FCC staff corrects the EBF system problem, we will immediately file the backlog via the automated system, which would take only a few hours or less to release,” Somma estimated. When the License Manager system is again available, amateurs will be able to file license renewals, vanity call sign applications, and other license updates online directly with the FCC.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

The bee in the bonnet of some American Hams

 The particulars - according to the ARRL:

New Amateur Radio License Applications Fee To Become Effective April 19, 2022

03/24/2022

A Public Notice released by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on March 23, 2022, in MD Docket No. 20-270, announced that new application fees for Wireless Telecommunications Bureau applications will become effective on April 19, 2022. The new fees, mandated by Congress, apply to applications for Amateur Radio licenses including those associated with filing Form 605, the Amateur Operator/Primary Station Licensee Application.

Effective April 19, 2022, a $35 fee will apply to applications for a new Amateur Radio license, modification (upgrade and sequential call sign change), renewal, and vanity call signs.

Anticipating the implementation of the fee in 2022, the ARRL Board of Directors, at its July 2021 meeting, approved the "ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program." Under the program, ARRL will cover a one-time $35 application fee for license candidates younger than 18 years old for tests administered under the auspices of the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC). Qualified candidates also would pay a reduced exam session fee of $5 to the ARRL VEC. ARRL is finalizing details for administering the program.

ARRL had filed comments in opposition to imposing a fee on Amateur Radio license applications. The FCC initially proposed a higher, $50 fee. In a Report and Order (R&O), released on December 29, 2020, the amount was reduced -- the FCC agreeing with ARRL and other commenters that its proposed $50 fee for certain amateur radio applications was "too high to account for the minimal staff involvement in these applications."

ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC) Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, explained that all fees are per application. "There will be no fee for administrative updates, such as a change of mailing or email address. The fees will be the responsibility of the applicant regardless of filing method and must be paid within 10 calendar days of FCC's receipt of the application. For applications filed by a VEC, the period does not begin until the application is received by the Commission, a ULS file number assigned, and an email sent by the FCC directly to the applicant."

VECs and Volunteer Examiner (VE) teams will not collect the $35 fee at license exam sessions. New and upgrade candidates at an exam session will continue to pay the $15 exam session fee to the ARRL VE team as usual, and pay the new, $35 application fee directly to the FCC by using the CORES FRN Registration system (CORES - Login).

When the FCC receives the examination information from the VEC, it will email a link with payment instructions to each successful candidate who then will have 10 calendar days from the date of the email to pay. After the fee is paid and the FCC has processed an application, examinees will receive a second email from the FCC with a link to their official license or explanation of other action. The link will be good for 30 days.

Somma also explained that applications that are processed and dismissed will not be entitled to a refund. This includes vanity call sign requests where the applicant does not receive the requested call sign. "The FCC staff has suggested that applicants for vanity call signs should first ensure the call signs requested are available and eligible for their operator class and area, and then request as many call signs as the form allows to maximize their chances of receiving a call sign."

Further information and instructions about the FCC Application Fee are available from the ARRL VEC at www.arrl.org/fcc-application-fee. Details for the ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program will be similarly posted there, when available.

Just like anyone else, I don't enjoy paying what is in essence, just another tax - but it is what it is.  This was mandated by Congress, not the FCC, so there's no use being mad at them.

I'm happy to see that the ARRL is going out of their way to help young Hams under the age of 18. Not only covering the $35 fee; but also reducing the cost of the test. It's a good thing to remove roadblocks preventing younger blood from joining the ranks.

As far as older Hams living on a fixed budget are concerned - this is a great incentive for local clubs to develop a program to help defray the cost of the fee for those who TRULY need it. But if you can afford a K4 with all the bells and whistles, an extra $35 to the FCC isn't going to hurt that much, is it?

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

 

$$$$$

 35 smackers to apply for a new license, renew a license, apply for a vanity call, renew a vanity call, etc.

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-184A1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR39VwqE33IKQqHFa3KEKPrgfiCW-9likUKOnpI324_1u6h6pRaElhSKxqo

Makes me glad I renewed both W2LJ and NJ2SP in 2020. I won't have to fork out dollars until 10 years from now. Seriously, I can live with the fee - but I really felt it should have been waived for first time license applications.  Just my .02, or perhaps just my $35.02.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Like I said

"It's a snap!"

In my last post, I mentioned that I renewed my license via the FCC ULS system. It is so easy! I thought for those who might be a bit intimidated by the process, that I would outline it here.

First, you go to the Webpage - https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/systems-utilities/universal-licensing-system

Then scroll down a tiny bit to the words "File Online" which will bring you here - https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsEntry/licManager/login.jsp

This is where you log in. You will need to know your FRN (FCC Registration Number) which is on your license:

You enter that in, along with your password.  If by chance you don't have an FRN, you can obtain one by following the link right on that page. I would think, however, that since my renewal of 10 years is up  (and I have an FRN on my old license), then just about every current Ham should have an FRN printed on their license. If you forgot your password, you can also get that by following the link - right on that page.

Once you log in, it will take you to your license page. On the left hand side of the page, you will see a menu of things you can do in an amber-ish color. Click on "Renew Licences" and follow the prompts from there. Hit "Submit" when you are done and you will be given an opportunity to print a copy of your renewal filing.  Before you hit "Submit". please make sure your e-mail address that the FCC has on file is up to date and accurate. That's important, because in 24 hours you will receive an e-mail with a link to your "Official Copy" of your license - all ready to print out. It comes as a pdf file, so make sure to keep a copy of it somewhere on your computer or device.

And you're done! No fees for Amateur Radio licences, even for Vanity Calls - so no need to hassle with submitting a payment, anymore. Now all I have to remember is to renew the license for NJ2SP later in 2020.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

40 Meter QRP Fox Hunt - just as I expected!

Just like Charlie Brown on Halloween, I got a rock - nothing.  Never heard Don NK6A in California, but that was expected. I was able to hear Steve WX2S really well via ground wave. Couldn't get him to hear me, though, Kept switching back and forth between the HF9V and the W3EDP, which were giving me equal signal strengths.

Hey, but Christmas is just around the corner - maybe this is more appropriate:

On the bright side, I was able to log into the FCC Universal Licensing System in order to renew my license which expires in March, 2020. You can begin the renewal process 90 days prior to expiration. I'm probably at about 85 days at this point. It was super easy and the whole process took less than five minutes.  The tricky thing was remembering my password. Last time I used it was 10 years ago. I'm so glad I wrote it down ....... and remembered WHERE I wrote it down!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

It was 40 years ago this month .........

that I took and successfully passed my Novice exam and earned my license.

I had previously told ya'll how I wanted to become a Ham in high school, but ultimately gave up the quest for a while, as I couldn't learn the Morse Code. In October of 1978, I was reading the weekly Amateur Radio column, "Calling CQ" by Bob McGarvey (sp?) in the Sunday New Brunswick Home News Tribune. In that particular column, Bob announced that there would be an Amateur Radio class conducted once a week at nights, at North Brunswick High School.

I signed up for it and attended, faithfully. Memory fails me as to how long it lasted, but 8 weeks seems to be about right, as we started in September and the exam was in November. The two teachers were excellent and it was their method of teaching and explaining that I follow today when I conduct a Technician class along with Marv K2VHW. The one teacher that I remember in particular for being extra especially helpful was Ed O'Donnel K2YJE (SK). I probably owe the fact that I got licensed to Ed.

The license manual that we used was this one, "Tune In The World With Ham Radio", which I still have in my library today - and actually still refer to it from time to time. It was written in a "Ham Radio for Dummies" kind of style and made all the concepts easy to understand.

Morse Code was learned via the ARRL Morse Code tapes. I really stuck with it this time and for whatever reason, it was far easier for me to learn the Code than when I first tried. Looking back, I think that maybe it had something to do with the fact that I had no visual cues. There were no pre-printed out alphabet/character charts to look at or refer to. I learned simply from what I heard. And maybe, just maybe that was all the difference in the world avoiding the eye-ear-brain sequence and just going with the ear to brain sequence.

On the night of the exam, we were all pretty nervous. The instructors used the now famous "Novice Test Trick". Basically, they began by telling us how that they knew how nervous we were so there was going to be a five minute Morse Code "practice exam" that would allow us to get our our jitters out of the way.. "Just listen to the Code and try and copy along", they told us. This way we'd be more at ease when the actual exam began.

They played the QSO tape and we all copied it. They came around, looked at our chicken scratch copy and smiled and announced, "You all passed!" There was no multiple choice. You copied what you heard and you had to get at least one minute's worth of solid copy. Only then the written test was given. Again, my memory fails me as to how many questions that had on it, although I think there were 35 questions. And my failing memory is also telling me it was a multiple choice test, not fill-in-the-blank.

The big difference back then was that they didn't grade it immediately and you didn't know whether  you failed or passed. The instructors mailed all the exam materials to the FCC and you had to wait for a letter from the Government. In my case, that took about six or seven painstakingly long weeks.

I was at work at the camera store that I was employed at, at the time. It was late afternoon, close to closing time when my Mom called to tell me that the letter from the FCC had arrived. I asked her to open it shutting my eyes and crossing my fingers. "Your call sign is KA2DOH" she told me. "What was that?", I asked. I was so apprehensive about what she was going to tell me that I didn't even hear my call sign correctly!

But I had done it! I was a Ham! I had to build my receiver which was a Heathkit HR-1680, first, before I could get on the air. But get on the air I would - and I'm still there, 40 years later. And at least for me, it's as exciting now as it was back then.

73 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Oooops!

You had to know something like this was going to happen.

From the ARRL:

"FCC Cites Baofeng Importer for Illegally Marketing Unauthorized RF Devices 08/02/2018 The FCC has issued a Citation and Order (Citation) to Amcrest Industries, LLC (formerly Foscam Digital Technologies, LLC), an importer and marketer of popular and inexpensive Baofeng hand-held transceivers, alleging that the company violated FCC rules and the Communications Act by illegally marketing unauthorized RF devices. The FCC asserts that Amcrest marketed Baofeng model UV-5R-series FM hand-held radios capable of transmitting on “restricted frequencies.” The Baofeng models UV-5R and UV-5R V2+ were granted an FCC equipment authorization in 2012 to operate under Part 90 Private Land Mobile Radio Service (Land Mobile) rules.

“Under § 2.803 of the Commission’s rules, an entity may not market a device that is capable of operating outside the scope of its equipment authorization,” the FCC Citation said. “RF devices that have been authorized under Part 90 rules, such as the model as issue, must operate within the technical parameters established in those rules.” The FCC also maintained that the UV-5R 2+ is capable of operating at 1 W or 4 W, while the Part 90 Equipment Authorization limits the power output to 1.78 W.

Amcrest conceded that the units were capable of operating on restricted frequencies but told the FCC that, per discussions with the manufacturer, were “only capable of operating at 1 W, the FCC said. The company instructed the manufacturer to fix the problem and later confirmed with the manufacturer that all Amcrest inventory on order and in the future would operate only on 145 – 155 MHz and 400 – 520 MHz.

While the Citation does not mention Amateur Radio, the UV-5R series radios can be programmed in a channelized configuration to function on 2-meters and 70-centimeters. According to the Citation, Amcrest had added a warning in its user manuals and marketing and sales materials implying that the UV-5R V2+ could operate on unauthorized and restricted frequencies, including Part 87 Aviation Services frequencies, Part 80 Maritime Services frequencies, and frequencies reserved for federal government use. The FCC said Part 90 radios that permit the operator to use external controls to program and transmit on frequencies other than those programmed by the manufacturer are “generally prohibited.”

Amcrest told the FCC that it had ceased marketing four models in the Baofeng UV-5R series “a few years ago,” but it did not remove them from its website until last February. Numerous online retailers continue selling UV-5R series radios for less than $25, with some ads indicating that these are “ham” equipment.

Amcrest Industries, LLC, which owns and operates Baofengradio US, is an import, distribution, and marketing company based in Houston, Texas. It also sells hand-held transceivers under its own label.

“While we recognize Amcrest’s efforts to date to achieve compliance with the Commission’s rules, the company must nonetheless ensure the version of the UV-5R V2+ it is marketing operates only on frequencies specified in its Equipment Authorization,” the FCC said in its Citation. The FCC directed Amcrest “to take immediate steps to come into compliance with the Commission’s equipment authorization rules and cease marketing unauthorized RF devices in the United States.” Amcrest could face fines of nearly $20,000 per day if it fails to comply."

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

We need way more of this!

From the ARRL Website:


FCC Proposes $18,000 Fine in Louisiana Amateur Radio Interference Case 07/25/2018 The FCC has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability (NAL) proposing to fine Jerry W. Materne, KC5CSG, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, $18,000 “for apparently causing intentional interference and for apparently failing to provide station identification on amateur radio frequencies,” the FCC said.

“Mr. Materne was previously warned regarding this behavior in writing by the Enforcement Bureau and, given his history as a repeat offender, these apparent violations warrant a significant penalty,” the FCC said in the NAL, released on July 25.

In 2017, the FCC received numerous complaints alleging that Materne was causing interference to the W5BII repeater, preventing other amateur licensees from using it. In March 2017, the repeater trustee banned Materne from using the repeater.

Responding to some of the complaints, the Enforcement Bureau issued a Letter of Inquiry (LOI), advising Materne of the allegations and directing him to address them. Materne denied causing interference but admitted to operating simplex on the repeater’s output frequency. In June 2017, the FCC received an additional complaint alleging that Materne had repeatedly interfered with an attempted emergency net that was called up as Tropical Storm Cindy was about to make landfall. The complaint maintained that Materne “repeatedly transmitted on the repeater’s input frequency, hindering the local emergency net’s ability to coordinate weather warnings and alerts on behalf of the National Weather Service,” the FCC said in the NAL.

Local amateurs were able to track the interfering signal to Materne’s residence and confirmed their findings to the FCC, prompting a Warning Letter advising Materne of the complaint and pointing out that his behavior “as described in the complaint would be a violation of Section 97.101(d) of the Commission’s rules.” Materne responded to the Warning Letter to argue that it was legal to transmit on the repeater’s output frequency, further stating that “he was tired of this trash harassing me,” the FCC said.

In the wake of further complaints, FCC agents visited Lake Charles, tracked transmissions on 146.130 MHz to Materne’s residence, and monitored them for up to 7 hours. The agent reported hearing Materne “playing music on 146.130 MHz and warning other amateur operators that the local Amateur Radio club would not be able to conduct their net later that day.”

That evening, the agent watched as Materne drove to a location near the W5BII repeater, where, the agent said, Materne “began transmitting an amateur digital radio signal from a hand-held radio in his vehicle,” disrupting the net and failing to identify. Subsequently, the agent, accompanied by a deputy from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, approached Materne’s vehicle and confirmed that he possessed a radio capable of operating on 146.130 MHz. “Audio recordings captured by the agent demonstrate that the intentional interference ceased as the agent and the Sheriff’s deputy approached Mr. Materne’s vehicle,” the FCC said in the NAL.

The FCC said that based on the evidence before it, Materne “apparently willfully violated Section 333 of the Act and Section 97.101(d) of the Commission’s rules by intentionally interfering with other licensed amateur communications,” and that he “apparently willfully violated Section 97.119(a) of the Commission’s rules by failing to transmit his assigned call sign.”

“[W]e find that Mr. Materne’s apparent repeated, intentional, and egregious apparent violations of Section 333 of the Act and Section 97.101(d) of the Commission’s rules warrant an upward adjustment of $10,000 to the proposed forfeiture,” the FCC said. “In applying the applicable statutory factors, we also consider whether there is any basis for a downward adjustment of the proposed forfeiture. Here, we find none.”

Thank you , FCC! Unfortunately, there's plenty more of this guy's ilk hanging around.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Expanded Technician Class Privileges

About a year or so ago, you might remember a survey that the ARRL conducted, asking licensed Amateur Radio Ops in the USA how they felt towards a new Entry Level License Class.  According to the League, the results of that survey have led to "recommendations put forth by the ARRL Board of Directors’ Entry-Level License Committee, which explored various initiatives and gauged member opinions in 2016 and 2017."

Instead of coming up with an entirely new license class, the ARRL is petitioning the FCC to expand the privileges of the Technician Class license. In particular, they are requesting "to provide Technician licensees, present and future, with phone privileges at 3.900 to 4.000 MHz, 7.225 to 7.300 MHz, and 21.350 to 21.450 MHz, plus RTTY and digital privileges in the current Technician allocations on 80, 40, 15, and 10 meters."

Furthermore, the petition included the following:

"The ARRL petition points out the explosion in popularity of various digital modes over the past 2 decades. Under the ARRL plan, the maximum HF power level for Technician operators would remain at 200 W PEP. The few remaining Novice licensees would gain no new privileges under the League’s proposal.

ARRL’s petition points to the need for compelling incentives not only to become a radio amateur in the first place, but then to upgrade and further develop skills. Demographic and technological changes call for a “periodic rebalancing” between those two objectives, the League maintains.

“There has not been such a rebalancing in many years,” ARRL said in its petition. “It is time to do that now.” The FCC has not assessed entry-level operating privileges since 2005.

The Entry-Level License Committee offered very specific, data- and survey-supported findings about growth in Amateur Radio and its place in the advanced technological demographic that includes individuals younger than 30. It received significant input from ARRL members via more than 8,000 survey responses.

“The Committee’s analysis noted that today, Amateur Radio exists among many more modes of communication than it did half a century ago, or even 20 years ago,” ARRL said in its petition.

Now numbering some 378,000, Technician licensees comprise more than half of the US Amateur Radio population. ARRL said that after 17 years of experience with the current Technician license as the gateway to Amateur Radio, it’s urgent to make it more attractive to newcomers, in part to improve upon science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education “that inescapably accompanies a healthy, growing Amateur Radio Service,” ARRL asserted.

ARRL said its proposal is critical to developing improved operating skills, increasing emergency communication participation, improving technical self-training, and boosting overall growth in the Amateur Service, which has remained nearly inert at about 1% per year.

The Entry-Level License Committee determined that the current Technician class question pool already covers far more material than necessary for an entry-level exam to validate expanded privileges. ARRL told the FCC that it would continue to refine examination preparation and training materials aimed at STEM topics, increase outreach and recruitment, work with Amateur Radio clubs, and encourage educational institutions to utilize Amateur Radio in STEM and other experiential learning programs."

Some things that come to mind:

1) The Technician Class license has become the de facto "Entry Class License" ever since the FCC stupidly (my opinion, please) eliminated the Novice Class license.  The Technician Class license inherited the Novice HF privileges, but they were for Morse Code only. Since the Morse Code requirement was eliminated, it seems to make sense that the Technician Class license should now include some HF Phone.  The League is NOT proposing to give Techs the same privileges that General Class licensees have - they're giving them about 1/2 (roughly) that the Generals get, so there's still an incentive to upgrade.

2) Personally, I DO NOT care for this part: "RTTY and digital privileges in the current Technician allocations on 80, 40, 15, and 10 meters." Anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis know the affinity I have for CW and Morse Code operations. This feels like an attempt by the ARRL to further erase that mode from existence. It's bad enough when you're in a rag chew and you get blasted away by a digital signal by an existing General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class licensee. Can you imagine the result of all of a sudden allowing 378,000 new users in to that space with new digital privileges? The Technician Class licensees represent the bulk of the amount of Amateur Radio operators in the States. I can easily imagine that the CW bands will become overly dominated by RTTY and other digital signals, with the sudden influx of so many licensees. And yes, I know CW is allowed anywhere - and it may result that we may have to resort to using CW in new and "unconventional" places - like the unoccupied frequency areas of the "phone bands".

3) I know that many Amateur Ops resent an established license class just being handed new privileges without having to do anything extra to earn them. Whether or not that is a valid feeling is not being discussed here. I'm just making note that the sentiment exists.

4) Many Amateur Radio Ops will probably claim that this is just another attempt by the League to drive up membership.  In fact, the figures of new League membership and retention of old memberships is pretty dismal. They may have a point, they may not - that is open to debate.

Whatever your thoughts on this proposal, pro or con, remember that it's just a proposal for now. The FCC has not issued an NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule Making) as of yet; and if and when they do (they could always dismiss this before getting to that point), we will all have ample time for making our voices heard. But .........pro or con, make sure your voice IS heard, if and when the time comes. Don't leave it up "to the other guy", because that "other guy" may also be leaving it up to "the other guy" - which is YOU!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

QST - To All Radio Amateurs

SB QST @ ARL $ARLB039 ARLB039 Rule Making Petition to FCC Calls for Vanity Call Sign Rule Changes

ZCZC AG39 QST de W1AW ARRL Bulletin 39 ARLB039 From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT October 27, 2016 To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB039 ARLB039 Rule Making Petition to FCC Calls for Vanity Call Sign Rule Changes

The FCC is inviting comments on a Petition for Rule Making (RM-11775) from a Nevada radio amateur that seeks changes to the rules governing the Amateur Radio Vanity Call Sign Program. Christopher LaRue, W4ADL, of North Las Vegas, is proposing that any licensee obtaining a vanity call sign be required to keep it for the full license term. LaRue contends in his petition that excessive and frequent vanity call sign filings are hampering the ability of other qualified licensees to obtain vanity call signs in one of the more desirable 1 x 2 or 2 x 1 formats. LaRue said that since the FCC dropped the fee to file for a vanity call sign, some applicants are taking advantage by regularly obtaining new call signs, thereby keeping them out of circulation.

The petition can be found on the web in PDF format at, https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1004220986407/Petition%20.pdf .

"Some are changing call signs almost monthly, just to keep the newer code-free Extra class operators from obtaining a shorter call sign," he said in his petition. "I even saw an older operator that said he does it all the time and has not even owned a radio in over 6 years. When I looked him up, he has had 16 different [call signs] in 18 months."

LaRue said his proposed minor rule change would require any licensee applying for and obtaining an Amateur Radio vanity call sign "be required to keep it for the duration of the license, which is currently 10 years."

He said this would "alleviate a lot of the stress on the ULS system and manpower requirements" at the FCC. "It will also keep inactive amateurs from changing call signs regularly, thereby tying up call signs for 2 years after dismissal of said call."

Interested parties may comment using the FCC Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) at, https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/ . Comments are due within 30 days of the October 26 posting date. NNNN /EX

I had no idea this was occurring!  Takes all kinds, I guess.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

New entry class license in the USA?

I was always of the opinion that eliminating the Novice Class license was a mistake.  They should have re-tooled the privileges and the test.  Now the ARRL seems to want to re-invent the wheel - from the July 28th "ARRL Letter";

"An ARRL Board of Directors-appointed ad hoc committee will study the current Technician license exam requirements and recommend possible changes, which may eventually find their way into an FCC petition for rule making. These could include consideration of a new entry-level license class. The panel's recommendations to the Board would be aimed at developing "a more targeted examination with a more limited set of privileges that would attract a new generation of amateurs."

At the ARRL Board of Directors July meeting (from left to right): Second Vice President Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT; First Vice President Greg Widin, K0GW; President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and CEO Tom Gallagher, NY2RF. [Sean Kutzko, KX9X, photo]

The motion at the July 15-16 Board meeting by New England Division Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI, noted that the Novice license was discontinued in 2000, and the Morse code requirement lifted from all licenses a few years later, with the Technician ticket becoming the new entry point into Amateur Radio. It also cited "a considerable increase in difficulty for the new entry point" and new licensees who have been granted "extensive privileges not appropriate for all newcomers."

"[W]e need to improve upon our efforts to attract newcomers to Amateur Radio and pass along the tradition of emergency and communication support, developing interest in hands-on projects, and improving on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education," the motion asserted."

It seems to me that once the FCC accomplishes something (such as eliminating the Novice license), it's probably going to be pretty near impossible to get them to do something similar again.  They should have thought harder when eliminating the Novice ticket. To parody "The Six Million Dollar Man":

"We can rebuild it. We have the technology".

Hindsight is always 20/20; but that "Entry Level" ticket was a good thing to have; and it never should have gone away.. At least I think so.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

QRP SSB

Going out for a QRP break at lunch time can have its surprises. Sometimes, it's juicy DX, sometimes the bands are hopping, sometimes it's a good ol' fashioned rag chew.

Today brought two nice contacts. The first was with Mike KE5AKL who was atop SOTA peak W5N/SE-048, which is the Otowi Benchmark in New Mexico.  Mike and I were both 449 to each other. I always like working the SOTA peaks.  I never registered as a chaser, I just do it for the fun and challenge.

The second QSO was even more satisfying.   I turned on my smart phone and brought up the DX Cluster. It told me that NI5DX was on 14.255 MHz and was activating NPOTA TR20, the El Camino de los Tejas National Historic Trail.  I have to admit that all the QSOs that I've had operating portable QRP - they've all been CW. I've never even tried SSB from the Jeep before.

But because of NPOTA, I have been packing the microphone in my day pack, so I decided to give it a shot.  Within a dozen or so calls, I got into Bill's log!  Granted, while there was a bit of a pileup, it wasn't ferocious. There were breaks in the action which allowed me to get my foot in the door, so to speak. Because of that, I was able to make myself heard and now have another new NPOTA entity in my "list of entities worked".

On another subject, I see where the FCC will be listening to comments about making Amateur Radio Operator licenses in the United States a lifetime "deal". Once licensed, you never have to worry about renewing or having your ticket expire - until you do, that is.

I was wondering if this is a follow up step after eliminating the Vanity Call Sign fees.  It seems to me, anyway, that if licenses are good for a lifetime, that there will be a lot fewer vanity call signs to choose from in the long run. Less calls to choose from, less applications to process, which means lower costs to the FCC. Just a thought.

So if you were thinking of requesting a vanity call sign - now might be the time to do it. If anyone out there was lusting after W2LJ - sorry, I plan on keeping it for a VERY long time!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

New 60 Meter Allocation

As reported by the ARRL:

ZCZC AG34 QST de W1AW ARRL Bulletin 34 ARLB034 From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT November 19, 2015 To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB034 ARLB034 World Radiocommunication Conference Approves Global 60 Meter Allocation!

The Plenary Meeting of the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15) in Geneva has approved an allocation of 5351.5-5366.5 kHz to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis with a power limit of 15 W effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP). The November 18 decision on Agenda Item 1.4 was adopted on two back-to-back readings. Some Region 2 countries, but not the US, will be permitted up to 25 W EIRP. With this action, and despite conditions that are more restrictive than had been hoped at the start of the Conference, the Amateur Service has obtained its first new global HF allocation since 1979. The new band will not become available until and unless the FCC adopts the Acts of the Conference and establishes operating rules. Until then, the five discrete channels will remain in place.

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) team in Geneva is now focusing its efforts on tweaking the agenda for WRC-19. It is likely, but not certain, that the agenda will include an effort to harmonize the Amateur Radio allocation at 50 MHz. A proposed agenda item to align the 160 meter allocation in Region 1 with the rest of the world is no longer under active consideration.

The WRC-19 agenda will also likely pose spectrum defense challenges, including the possible consideration of the 144 MHz and 430 MHz Amateur Radio allocations for sharing with the space operations service, and the possible consideration of one or more bands above 10 GHz for 5G smartphone use. The bounds of these potential defensive items, however, are still under discussion.

The IARU team continues to monitor several other WRC-15 items that appear to be headed toward acceptable conclusions. WRC-15 continues through the signing of the Final Acts on November 27. NNNN /EX

Now it's up to the FCC as to if/when this will become a reality here in the USA.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

ARRL Bulletin 25

SB QST @ ARL $ARLB025
ARLB025 FCC Universal Licensing System, Other Applications to be Down for Maintenance

ZCZC AG25
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 25 ARLB025
From ARRL Headquarters - Newington CT August 25, 2015

To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB025
ARLB025 FCC Universal Licensing System, Other Applications to be Down for Maintenance

FCC website maintenance in early September will make the Universal Licensing System (ULS), the Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), the Electronic Document Management System (EDOCS) and other public applications unavailable for more than 5 days. The Commission said the outage will begin at 2200 UTC on Wednesday, September 2, and continue through the Labor Day weekend. The maintenance work should be completed by 1200 UTC on Tuesday, September 8. During the ULS outage, it will not be possible to file any Amateur Radio applications.

"[M]ost Commission resources normally accessible through the Commission's website, including access to all electronic filing systems and electronic dockets, will be inaccessible for the same period, with the exception of the Network Outage Reporting System (NORS), the Consumer Help Center (CHC), and the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS), which will remain available," an FCC Public Notice said on August 20. "The Commission's website will remain available, but with reduced content and limited search capabilities." According to the Public Notice, the FCC will follow its normal schedule of operation during the maintenance period, but voicemail will be offline, and most Commission staffers will not have access to e-mail. Static content webpages on the fcc.gov domain, such as the FCC consumer guides, should remain available during the outage.

The FCC will extend filing deadlines for all regulatory and enforcement filings that fall during the maintenance period. Filings due on September 2, 3, 4, or 8 now will be due on Wednesday, September 9. "Except for the due dates specified herein, we are not automatically extending the deadlines for any other comment or filing periods that will be running during this time period, but requests for extension of time will be considered consistent with the Commission's normal practice," the FCC Public Notice said. "To the extent the due dates for filings to which reply or responsive pleadings are allowed are affected by this Public Notice, the due dates for reply or responsive pleadings shall be extended by the same number of days."

In a blog, "Modernizing the FCC's IT," FCC CIO David Bray said that with the world and the technology we use are changing rapidly, "the information technology used by the Federal Communications Commission must change as well." Bray said the FCC has "made significant progress to upgrade and modernize our infrastructure, and we continue to work on modernizing the FCC's legacy IT systems with the resources we have available."

"We understand that this temporary downtime before and during the Labor Day Weekend may be inconvenient for some FCC stakeholders," Bray added.

NNNN /EX

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

FCC Eliminates Amateur Radio Vanity Call Sign Regulatory Fee

Courtesy of the ARRL:

05/22/2015

The FCC is eliminating the regulatory fee to apply for an Amateur Radio vanity call sign. The change will not go into effect, however, until required congressional notice has been given. This will take at least 90 days. As the Commission explained in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Report and Order, and Order (MD Docket 14-92 and others), released May 21, it’s a matter of simple economics.

“The Commission spends more resources on processing the regulatory fees and issuing refunds than the amount of the regulatory fee payment,” the FCC said. “As our costs now exceed the regulatory fee, we are eliminating this regulatory fee category.” The current vanity call sign regulatory fee is $21.40, the highest in several years. The FCC reported there were 11,500 “payment units” in FY 2014 and estimated that it would collect nearly $246,100.

In its 2014 Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) regarding the assessment and collection of regulatory fees for FY 2014, the FCC had sought comment on eliminating several smaller regulatory fee categories, such as those for vanity call signs and GMRS. It concluded in the subsequent Report and Order (R&O) last summer, however, that it did not have “adequate support to determine whether the cost of recovery and burden on small entities outweighed the collected revenue or whether eliminating the fee would adversely affect the licensing process.”

The FCC said it has since had an opportunity to obtain and analyze support concerning the collection of the regulatory fees for Amateur Vanity and GMRS, which the FCC said comprise, on average, more than 20,000 licenses that are newly obtained or renewed, every 10 and 5 years, respectively.

“The Commission often receives multiple applications for the same vanity call sign, but only one applicant can be issued that call sign,” the FCC explained. “In such cases, the Commission issues refunds for all the remaining applicants. In addition to staff and computer time to process payments and issue refunds, there is an additional expense to issue checks for the applicants who cannot be refunded electronically.”

The Commission said that after it provides the required congressional notification, Amateur Radio vanity program applicants “will no longer be financially burdened with such payments, and the Commission will no longer incur these administrative costs that exceed the fee payments. The revenue that the Commission would otherwise collect from these regulatory fee categories will be proportionally assessed on other wireless fee categories.”

The FCC said it would not issue refunds to licensees who paid the regulatory fee prior to its official elimination.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

So basically the FCC is saying, it costs more to process the fees and refunds of fees than it's worth.  I am going to assume (a dangerous thing), or at least hope that this also applies to the renewal as well as the initial application.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

US Amateurs - how to print out your license.

This appeared on QRP-L over the weekend, in a post by Bruce N1RX:

"Here are the steps to download an official copy of your license (authorization). Go to the FCC ULS database at:

http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/index.htm?job=home

Log in with your FRN number and password by clicking on the "LOG IN" button, next to "ONLINE FILING".

After logging in, click on "Download Electronic Authorizations" in the left-hand column.

Enter your callsign and click search. Your license will appear in the left box titled "My Authorizations". Click the "ADD" button, to add it to the list of Authorizations to download.

Scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on the "DOWNLOAD" button in the lower right hand corner. Your computer should then prompt you to "open or save" the PDF file."

Following Bruce's steps will get you to the "Official Copy".  If you just go to the ULS and do a simple search on your call, you will be able to print out a "Reference Copy". The "Official Copy" should be the one you hang on the wall and carry in your wallet.

Your FRN number (if you have one, and just about all of us should have one by now) can be found at the bottom of your license.  If you've never registered online with FCC via the Universal Licensing System website, you'll be asked to set up a password.  This, of course, will allow you to log on to your account in the future.  If you've registered before, but forgot your password, you'll be asked a security question which you had previously set up. If you answer correctly, you will be allowed to reset your password.

It's not a hard process - just one more password in a virtual blizzard of passwords to remember these days. Not sure how much money this actually saves the FCC, but it is convenient and it takes away having to wait for an envelope to come through the mail. It was nice, however, to get your license on whatever color paper they happened to be using with the official FCC emblem on it in the background.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

I'll admit, I fell for it!

Back in 2000, I applied for and received W2LJ as a vanity call.  I had upgraded to Amateur Extra back in 1994, and I had been wanting a shorter call sign. I picked W2LJ as L & J are my first two initials. The fee was all of $10 back then, if I remember correctly.  It seemed like a bargain - a buck a year.

This from the ARRL today:

ZCZC AG16
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 16  ARLB016
>From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  September 4, 2014
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB016
ARLB016 New Amateur Radio Vanity Call Sign Fee Set at $21.40

The FCC has adjusted very slightly downward - to $21.40 - its proposed Amateur Service vanity call sign regulatory fee for Fiscal Year 2014. In a June Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), the Commission said it was planning to hike the current $16.10 vanity fee to $21.60 for the 10-year license term. The FCC released a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (R&O) in the proceeding on August 29, in which it recalculated the fee to $21.40 for the 10-year license term. The $5.30 increase still represents the largest vanity fee hike in many years.

The new $21.40 fee does not go into effect until 30 days after the R&O is published in The Federal Register.

In the R&O, the FCC said it considered eliminating the regulatory fee for Amateur Radio vanity call sign applications but decided not to do so "at this time," because it lacks "adequate support to determine whether the cost of recovery and burden on small entities outweighs the collected revenue; or whether eliminating the fee would adversely affect the licensing process." The Commission said it would reevaluate this issue in the future to determine if it should eliminate other fee categories.

The FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau sets the vanity call sign regulatory fee using projections of new applications and renewals, taking into consideration existing Commission licensee databases, such as the Universal Licensing System (ULS) database.

The FCC reported there were 11,500 "payment units" in FY 2014. The Commission said the vanity program generated an estimated $230,230 in FY 2013 revenue, and it estimated that it would collect nearly $246,100 in FY 2014.

The vanity call sign regulatory fee is payable when applying for a new vanity call sign or when renewing a vanity call sign, although some older vanity call signs are not subject to the regulatory fee.
NNNN
/EX

I wonder what the fee will be in 2020 when it's time for me to renew again!  I think it was around $14 in 2010 when I last renewed.  Oh well, if you want to dance, you have to pay the piper, I guess.

I love this part, though. "In the R&O, the FCC said it considered eliminating the regulatory fee for Amateur Radio vanity call sign applications, but decided not to do so "at this time," because it lacks "adequate support to determine whether the cost of recovery and burden on small entities outweighs the collected revenue; or whether eliminating the fee would adversely affect the licensing process."  Translation - "Naaah!  We decided to raise it by $5.30 instead."

Ya just gotta love the Federal Government!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!