FCC Seeks Comments on Petition to Grant Lifetime Amateur Radio Licenses

This would be an all around bad idea. I personally agree with the points Dan makes.

From: http://www.kb6nu.com/fcc-seeks-comments-on-petition-to-grant-lifetime-amateur-radio-licenses/

"What do you think? Should amateur radio licenses be granted for life? I’m against it for several reasons, one of them being inactive hams and SKs may never be removed from the database, thus skewing the numbers. If anything, I think that the term should be reduced to five years, especially now that there is no cost for a license and renewal is quick and easy online…..Dan

ZCZC AG08
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 8 ARLB008
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT February 24, 2016
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB008
ARLB008 FCC Seeks Comments on Petition to Grant Lifetime Amateur
Radio Licenses

The FCC is seeking comments on a Petition for Rule Making (RM 11760 – available on the web at, http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=60001333714 ) that asks the FCC to grant lifetime Amateur Radio licenses. Mark F. Krotz, N7MK, of Mesa, Arizona, filed his request with the FCC last November. He wants the FCC to revise Part 97.25 of its rules to indicate that Amateur Radio licenses are granted for the holder’s lifetime, instead of for the current 10 year term. Krotz noted that the General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL) already is issued on a lifetime basis, and he maintained that not having to renew licenses would lighten the FCC’s workload.

“It would be mutually beneficial for the FCC and Amateur Radio operators to update Part 97 to grant operator licenses for lifetime, Krotz said in his filing. “The FCC would benefit by reducing administrative costs.”

In 2014 the FCC granted lifetime credit for examination elements 3 and 4, but applicants seeking relicensing under that provision still must pass examination element 2.

Individuals may submit comments via the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS).
NNNN
/EX"

From: http://www.kb6nu.com/fcc-seeks-comments-on-petition-to-grant-lifetime-amateur-radio-licenses/

 

I have heard several make the argument that it will tie up callsigns, keeping them from the callsign pool and vanity applications. Frankly, I don't believe that holds water, as a good number of the people getting 1x2 or 2x1 vanity calls are getting them by showing that the holder is deceased. Heck, there are systems and guys who are snarfing up callsigns before deceased hams bodies are even cold.

 

Worked real well with CB radio, didn't it. Oops they don't even need a license anymore.

 

My only experience shows that withholding renewal is the only costless way of holding the reins on bad hams. I am sure that the time and effort to follow up on ham complaints is costly and prosecution is almost non existent I would suppose due to budgetary issues.

 

GO 1ST CAV ! 173RD AIRBORNE!

 

I think it's a good idea. I would even go a step further, One test one license. Why do we need 3? Tech, General, Extra, I know many who walk in and pass all three at the same time. That's kinda like one test one license any way.

 

Sure good idea for FCC, yes Ham radio like CB radio now just listen to 40m phone band not hard to find stations not using call letters.. Did I say HAM radio I now call it CONTEST radio, ARRL do we really need a 2 day contest

 

If the US makes this change, please make sure there is some mechanism to revalidate an Amateur's address periodically.

Here in Canada, we have lifetime licences. Our regulations require Amateurs to inform our regulator (Industry Canada - IC) of any change of mailing address within thirty days. Most do, some don't, so inaccurate information creeps into the database over time. However, if a ham passes away, IC requires authoritative information of the ham's passing before it will make a call sign available for reassignment. In the absence of authoritative info, IC will keep a call sign on the books until the Amateur's 125th birthday. So, if I pop my clogs today, and my family doesn't inform IC, my call sign will remain allocated to my lifeless corpse until 2085.

The UK has issued lifetime licences, but obliges Amateurs to reconfirm their addresses every five years. Failure to reconfirm will eventually result in a licence being revoked.

 

The FCC relinquished testing to Volunteer Examiners in the early 80's. When other countries dropped the code requirement, the FCC followed suit. With federal budget problems, I'm surprised it has taken so long to have this proposal come forth.

 

why don't we wait till they lay it all out before making fast judgements on it. we need more information on how it is going to be implemented. VO1AU Says in Canada "IC will keep a call sign on the books until the Amateur's 125th birthday." I think it should be a lot lower. and if you don't reconfirm your address every 5 years then you loose those privileges. then after say 2 years then the call sign gets recirculated.

 

Meanwhile in the UK..some amateurs including myself sat the radio exam when it was then a City & Guilds qualification and C&G themselves say it is valid for life with no expiry date.

 

I like the idea of re-affirming the address every five years, via online, email, etc. This would resolve the issue of SK's and people who left the hobby.

However, the idea of a single test will exclude many people from our hobby. I am one of those people who passed all three on the same day and I'm a VE...... BUT..... I am an electrical engineer with experience in radio, the technical aspect of the tests were easy for me. Those who don't have this type of experience would be hard pressed to pass a very large and hopefully comprehensive test. I like the different levels with different privileges, this gives aspiring hams something to study for and work towards. After all, our hobby isn't just ragchewing....... it's about experimenting, improving our understanding of electronics (or learning if you're a newbie) and advancing the ART of Radio

I could be interested in some sort of CW proficiency certification......

 

We are only a few steps away from CB already. Why make it worse.. Renewing a license is a good way to remember you are also a Ham Radio Op.. I Suspect many will drop what they are doing to forget what they are. Next they will want to merge Part 97 with Part 95... Sux for us.

 

Yea I could see a single test in the beginning that blocked those without electronic experience be dumbed down by those crying fowl and eventually no test. No license.. Just Amateur CB... Just Sayin'