the cost of the vanity call sign program

[n6hcm]

in the 10/2013 QST the FCC says the $230,230 in revenue to cover the cost of the vanity call sign program. i kinda want to know what needs done that requires nearly a quarter of a million dollars ...

[W7XF]

in the 10/2013 QST the FCC says the $230,230 in revenue to cover the cost of the vanity call sign program. i kinda want to know what needs done that requires nearly a quarter of a million dollars ...

Bribing Congress to not defund the FCC....

[PA5COR]

Let's say they have one person full time dealing with that subject and see the costs from there.
1 person salaray gross 60 k dollars.
Office space, heating lighting rent computer(s) printers etc a year 50 K
Dealing as FCC with the vanity sub section like making the books etc 40 K
Taxes etc 10 K
Unforseen ( might actually be 2 persons working on it) the rest.

[KG4CGC]

Money has a tendency to evaporate when it gets near bureaucracy.

[WØTKX]

Let the ARRL take over management of the entire radio spectrum.

Including revenue and enforcement. Privatization. :evil:

[N8YX]

Let the ARRL take over management of the entire radio spectrum.

Including revenue and enforcement. Privatization. :evil:
What could possibly go wrong?

[KJ3N]

Let the ARRL take over management of the entire radio spectrum.

Including revenue and enforcement. Privatization. :evil:
What could possibly go wrong?

Only everything. :roll:

[W5BRM]

Including revenue and enforcement. Privatization. :evil:

lol i can just see ARRL hiring Blackwater or whatever they call themselves now for "revenue and enforcement"

[W3WN]

Nah. The ARRL would never stoop that low.

The FCC bases the Vanity fee on the total cost (to them) of running the Vanity program divided by the expected number of successful applications sent. Keep in mind that they ARE a Government agency, and the bean counters come from the same ilk that allow the military to be charged $20,000 for a hammer that can be found at Home De$pot for $15. Anyway, that cost includes a significant piece of the cost of running the ULS system. How much of that cost is allocated to hams, I don't know.

Also keep in mind that the FCC doesn't actually keep the money. It flows through their hands into the US Treasury. I'd feel a lot better if the funds raised actually were kept directly by the FCC and used on behalf of the Amateur service, but it don't work that way.

Finally, in case you didn't know, several years ago, Dean AE7Q (who has an EXCELLENT web site devoted to call sign assignments and history) offered to take over administering the Amateur call assignment system from the FCC. He felt he could do a better job, and at a lower cost. They have yet to take him up on the off, dagnabit.

[kb2vxa]

That pretty much sums up the problem. The FCC is a collection agency for the Treasury and is funded by Congress SSSOOOooo like any lawsuit (;->) they have to inflate demand figures and expect a fraction. You know, like how Dr. Brackish Okun described the need for $20,000 toilet seats.