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   PID: Synchronet 3.19c-Win32 master/066055393 Mar 22 2022 MSC 1929   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.15-Win32 master/066055393 Mar 22 2022 MSC 1929   
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   SB QST @ ARL $ARLB010   
   ARLB010 New Amateur Radio License Applications Fee To Become   
   Effective April 19, 2022   
      
   ZCZC AG10   
   QST de W1AW    
   ARRL Bulletin 10  ARLB010   
   From ARRL Headquarters    
   Newington CT  March 25, 2022   
   To all radio amateurs   
      
   SB QST ARL ARLB010   
   ARLB010 New Amateur Radio License Applications Fee To Become   
   Effective April 19, 2022   
      
   A Public Notice released by the Federal Communications Commission   
   (FCC) on March 23, 2022, in MD Docket No. 20-270, announced that new   
   application fees for Wireless Telecommunications Bureau applications   
   will become effective on April 19, 2022. The new fees, mandated by   
   Congress, apply to applications for Amateur Radio licenses including   
   those associated with filing Form 605, the Amateur Operator/Primary   
   Station Licensee Application.   
      
   The docket can be found online at,   
   https://www.fcc.gov/document/effective-date-wireless-application-fee-rates   
   .   
      
   Effective April 19, 2022, a $35 fee will apply to applications for a   
   new Amateur Radio license, modification (upgrade and sequential call   
   sign change), renewal, and vanity call signs.   
      
   Anticipating the implementation of the fee in 2022, the ARRL Board   
   of Directors, at its July 2021 meeting, approved the "ARRL Youth   
   Licensing Grant Program." Under the program, ARRL will cover a   
   one-time $35 application fee for license candidates younger than 18   
   years old for tests administered under the auspices of the ARRL   
   Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC). Qualified candidates also   
   would pay a reduced exam session fee of $5 to the ARRL VEC. ARRL is   
   finalizing details for administering the program.   
      
   ARRL had filed comments in opposition to imposing a fee on Amateur   
   Radio license applications. The FCC initially proposed a higher, $50   
   fee. In a Report and Order (R&O), released on December 29, 2020, the   
   amount was reduced -- the FCC agreeing with ARRL and other   
   commenters that its proposed $50 fee for certain amateur radio   
   applications was "too high to account for the minimal staff   
   involvement in these applications."   
      
   ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC) Manager Maria Somma,   
   AB1FM, explained that all fees are per application. "There will be   
   no fee for administrative updates, such as a change of mailing or   
   email address. The fees will be the responsibility of the applicant   
   regardless of filing method and must be paid within 10 calendar days   
   of FCC's receipt of the application. For applications filed by a   
   VEC, the period does not begin until the application is received by   
   the Commission, a ULS file number assigned, and an email sent by the   
   FCC directly to the applicant."   
      
   VECs and Volunteer Examiner (VE) teams will not collect the $35 fee   
   at license exam sessions. New and upgrade candidates at an exam   
   session will continue to pay the $15 exam session fee to the ARRL VE   
   team as usual, and pay the new, $35 application fee directly to the   
   FCC by using the CORES FRN Registration system (CORES - Login).   
      
   The CORES Login can be found at,   
   https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do .   
      
   When the FCC receives the examination information from the VEC, it   
   will email a link with payment instructions to each successful   
   candidate who then will have 10 calendar days from the date of the   
   email to pay. After the fee is paid and the FCC has processed an   
   application, examinees will receive a second email from the FCC with   
   a link to their official license or explanation of other action. The   
   link will be good for 30 days.   
      
   Somma also explained that applications that are processed and   
   dismissed will not be entitled to a refund. This includes vanity   
   call sign requests where the applicant does not receive the   
   requested call sign. "The FCC staff has suggested that applicants   
   for vanity call signs should first ensure the call signs requested   
   are available and eligible for their operator class and area, and   
   then request as many call signs as the form allows to maximize their   
   chances of receiving a call sign."   
      
   Further information and instructions about the FCC Application Fee   
   are available from the ARRL VEC at www.arrl.org/fcc-application-fee.   
   Details for the ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program will be similarly   
   posted there, when available.   
   NNNN   
   /EX   
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