FCC proposes new filing fee structure, new fees for ham radio

That certainly doesnt make any sense. Anybody that cant afford $5 a year but has many of the pleasures of life including reasonably modern ham gear, even on SS, should simply fade way, the FCC isnt a welfare department of the gummint.

Im sure several of our Dudley Do-gooders will donate to the cause

 

I do believe that this Hobby is been dead for a while, the new generations do not care much about it as we used to. Times change, technology evolves, kids today do not care about ham radio, these is more for the old ham radio operators who's kids were involved somehow in the hobby and want to be like Dad or Mom, or Grandma and Grandpa. Todays generations are in the more technological era, cells phones, tv streaming, video games, AR, VR, etc... ham radio is old to them. Now, some people can spend thousands of dollars in a radio to have the latest and greatest! yeah, $50.00 bucks is nothing compared to the equipment spent, but there are people who can barely get a decent radio, save up for a $15.00 fee to get a license and who knows how many times they have to take it to even get it. It is absurd for someone who can say I can afford any fee and it's ok with me since that payment is for 10 years!!! Really? Well I will applaud you for been one of the privileged individuals on this earth to afford whatever you want. But again, the regular "Joe's" are in jeopardy to either use or loose their licenses done by these changes.

 

Maybe they shouldn't jump so much at once. Start with like $25 or $30 for issuance and renewals. If people want to have the license, they will do it. The ones who just got licensed for some reason but really don't get on the air probably won't pay it. I have no problem with it. Just this year I bought a fishing license for $30, State Parks permit for $30, and National Forest is around $30 as well. And those are EVERY year! Honestly, if somebody can't find $30 every ten years they are doing something wrong.

 

I'm envisioning hordes of the downtrodden starting Go Fund Me pages in the hope of somehow scraping together $50 for that renewal.

Cry. Me. A. River.

Post Scriptum:

"You ain't talkin' to me, Willis..."

What I want and what I need are two completely different lists. Knowing the difference between wants and needs is one digit on that great combination lock to happiness.

If, and that's a big if, the proposed fee system is enacted, I'll cover the $50 license fee for one deserving soul. The only stipulation is that I get to decide who is deserving.

How's that?

 

Yep... how about a line on the tax form. Donate to a HAM $________ Am a HAM for using the air wave @ .25 per minute $________
Really... Remote and repeater station look out. When fun was free or cheap.

Pay to the grave.

 

Well, THAT oughta keep the riff-raff out...

 

I'm pleased to hear that you disagree with something I never said. Here's what I actually said:

"I wonder if the assumed fee structure for ham radio applications is an oversight in the creation of the law?"

LOL... SMH....

 

$50 fee for sending out a printed copy of a license? Really now.
. Yeah, read it, page 10, Number 29.

 

I believe if the FCC did more collecting on enforcement, they might be able to fund themselves. It would take some regulatory changes to get the money funneled to the FCC instead of the treasury I suspect.

 

They already fund themselves from fees. This is an additional fee to cover the cost of applications. Actually, it's a tax because it's paid by citizens to the government. As a forensic accountant, I think a private company could take over for the FCC, doing everything they do, and doing it better, at a 60-90% savings in taxpayer expenditures.


``SEC. 8. APPLICATION FEES.

``(a) General Authority; Establishment of Schedule.--The Commission
shall assess and collect application fees at such rates as the
Commission shall establish in a schedule of application fees to recover
the costs of the Commission to process applications.

 

Thank you N1FM. I figured some such thing. And I agree that a private company can do better. 73

 

$50 works out to $5 a year. It is a minimal fee. If someone can't afford that, then they probably can't afford the wire for an antenna. It is NOTHING to squawk about.
73
Andy, k2oo

 

Huh? Who doesn't collect on free giveaway offers of wire or salvage old wires they already own?

 

The club I was in had a fund to help the new hams buy their first radio. The could also pay the fee for the first license. This might provide additional incentive to join a club and go through their (free) training program. Worked for me.

 

In Post #215, you said (emphasis mine)

“Section 8 (application fees) (page 736) specifically exempts non-commercial radio stations. Amateur stations fall into that category.“

Which is not true for the reasons I stated earlier so I disagree.

LOL SMH.