FCC Proposes to Reinstate Amateur Radio Service Fees

[PA5COR]

WE had a similar discussion here when we had to pay again for renewing our license every year after it had been free for several years.
So, I asked the moaners, you spend 1000's ofnEuro's on 6ransceivers antenna's and other junk a year and complain about paying for something the government needs to do?
When you tank gas at the station is it free?
Is your work free?
Yes, we pay taxes as well, but most people are no ham so this is an extra service provided.
As i have to pay each year for my firearm license to be renewed.
Or paying for my identity card/passport.
LOL

[W3WN]

WE had a similar discussion here when we had to pay again for renewing our license every year after it had been free for several years.
So, I asked the moaners, you spend 1000's ofnEuro's on 6ransceivers antenna's and other junk a year and complain about paying for something the government needs to do?
When you tank gas at the station is it free?
Is your work free?
Yes, we pay taxes as well, but most people are no ham so this is an extra service provided.
As i have to pay each year for my firearm license to be renewed.
Or paying for my identity card/passport.
LOL

Irrelevant.

i don’t have a problem with a reasonable fee.

The proposal states that these are supposed to be COST BASED fees. So how does this justify a $50 renewal fee, especially when it is a “mostly automated” system? When the VECs do most of the actual work, and just submit a list of updates to the FCC?

And even if we’re willing to accept a $50 renewal fee, considering it’s only $5 per year (and I can live with that, even if the actual cost is well under $5)...another $50 for a physical license? For a sheet of laser-printed paper, an envelope, and postage? Actual cost is what, $2?

Dob’t tell me that it’s cost based, and then tell me that the “costs” are exorbitant. Or to put it another way, don’t piss on my leg and then tell me it’s raining.

Not that this is atypical of the FCC. Remember when they withdrew 220-222 MHz, in large part because the band was “under utilized” because there were no repeaters there? And which agency didn’t permit repeaters in that part of the band?

Or when 420-430 MHz was withdrawn North of “Line A” to protect Canadian land-mobile operations... and then US land-mobile was licensed in that spectrum?

This proposal, as proposed, is a rip-off. And we are the ones being fleeced.

[n6hcm]

exactly. when the fee was last this high the FCC administered the tests, actually did enforcement, ...

this is not at all cost-based. this is finding a cash cow and milking it (because other licenses in the ULS don't get the kinds of changes that amateur radio licenses do).

[ad4mg]

exactly. when the fee was last this high the FCC administered the tests, actually did enforcement, ...

this is not at all cost-based. this is finding a cash cow and milking it (because other licenses in the ULS don't get the kinds of changes that amateur radio licenses do).

My thoughts exactly. Not enough to make me walk away from the hobby, but it is yet another reason to hate the federal government.