FFC Rules to Elminate Vanity Call Sign Fee and GMRS License Fee

I guess it depends on your definition of "free". The last time I lived in Europe, our income, including that of my British friends, was taxed well beyond an American conservative's worst nightmare. Sometimes, you get so accustomed to having what's stolen given back to you, you consider it a "gift". Almost reminds me of the "Stockholm Syndrome". Also, not sure of your overall point, Guy. You begin by supporting "free" ham licenses, then you disparage the value of anything that's free. I'm with you there, buddy, 100%. My only disagreement with you is that anything the government gives the populace that appears "free", has probably already been paid for in taxes many times over.

 

Glad I still remember my Old CB Handle LOL
10/4

 

Amateur radio predates the FCC (and the FFC) by a good bit. It was necessary for commercial interests (those who buy the politicians), and for defense (those who guarantee the survival of the purchased politicians) to reign in the amateurs and make it possible for money making and perceived 'safety' radio services to exist. Introduce radio regulation. Things have been going downhill since.

It's only recently that actual 'ownership' of the spectrum, and thus the right to sell it was proclaimed by the federal government. There is nothing except a few inconvenient treaties that the USA is party to preventing them from doing just that with allocated amateur spectrum.

We have no rights to the bands, thus any action by the FCC is in the form of a 'grant'.

We need to get used to this totalitarian stuff, it's the wave of the future.

Now, this decision could have come down adversely for us. It's only due to their idiotic and apparently cast in stone administrative procedure that it's cheaper to eliminate the fees. Had they admitted they were wrong to require payment in advance (admit a mistake?), and change the way they actually do this to a money making proposition (like anyone with ANY sense would do), the cost would have gone up to the 'grantee' and a few bucks erased from the national debt.

But no... and a reading of the report and order will reveal the intent to 'replace' the 'lost' revenue (wait... they just said they saved money...) by taxing other services more. Thus they 'replace' money saved. This is logic? Only in DC.

I'm for a lifetime license. This is how they administer their commercial operator licenses now. Nobody complains.

Meanwhile, I'm back to serving the public interest as member of a trained reserve. I must stay true to the terms of my 'grant'.

 

Good Job, well put and to the point, Thank you. Bill /N1ASS.73............

 

I just purchased my call, do I get a refund????

K2BKR

 

You were 'granted' your call.

It's a bit like a rental, only from 90 days or so from now there is no fee... provided the grant is made.

And no, sorry... the R and A says 'no refunds' because that would cost them even more and it's all about them and not you.

One does wonder what they could possibly be paying their people that they show a loss on fee related paperwork.

While it's true that a refund is a 'cost', imagine the revenue stream at $22 per application that IS granted.

I'm pretty sure I could process several dozen of them an hour.

The cost described for 'computer time' is just laughable.

I sometimes wonder of they read their own stuff.

 

Just great. Anything that makes the GMRS license cheaper just makes it that much more convenient for even MORE clowns to congregate. I jest (or do I?), but is this a conspiracy to make structured civilian comm's unusable?

 

No, not according to the announcement at http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-eliminates-amateur-radio-vanity-call-sign-regulatory-fee (see last paragraph). Sorry.

73,
Tobias KD2EOM
QSL.NET/kd2eom

 

Wont have to pay it when I renew, but it seems I was a bit early in getting my vanity call.

 

With 'vanity' call in hand I'll be waiting for the other shoe to drop; nothing is for free in this day and age. The old adage comes to mind...'if it sounds too good to be true'....

73 Mike/AD2EE

 

The government is not a business enterprise. "Revenue, revenue, we dont need no stinking revenue"

 

Redistribution is a business.

Robin Hood LLC.

Half of the revenue makes it to the worthy causes, the rest employs 11% of the populace.

It's the biggest business there is.

 

Which is unfortunate, but frankly makes sense. If they eliminated the application fee, they would almost certainly end up eliminating the license.

There is a fairly strong likelihood that this will happen eventually, ala Citizens Band. Although officially the Commission has refused to do this.

 

OK. I just do not understand the obsession with the Citizen Band. Leave those folks alone..in fact we need the young ones to study and get their Ham Licenses asap. Our Hobby skews kinda old. The politicians and their minions are watching closely. Remember Ham Radio is a Fun Hobby! 73

 

I wonder which is worth more, the cheese or a dead person's call?