The Federal Communications Commission supplied you with an increase from zero to $35 for 2021.
At the same time, the service is determined that Emergency communications, for example, are voluntary and are not required by our rules.
Looking at the numbers, the FCC is correct. From the American Radio Relay League's own annual report, “The Report summarizes a raft of responses to emergencies and disasters by Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) volunteers. ARES membership grew by 3,130 in 2019”
There are 771, 938 amateur radio licenses in the USA. There are 156,775 ARRL members. There are 31,641 registered ARES members. That's not enough to justify calling it an emergency communications system.
But wait ...
Part 97 says 97.1(a) ... (a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.
RACES (radio amateur civil emergency service). A radio service using amateur stations for civil defense communications during periods of local, regional or national civil emergencies is still in Part 97. Yes, Emergency Management still use RACES.
Obviously, the FCC can't call it a voluntary service with respect to providing emergency communications and then say hams are not part of the emergency communications effort.
Congress provided this unintended action. It's time for Congress to correct this. ResistBot gives you a FREE platform to freely contact Congress with encouragement to direct the FCC to change the fee from $35 back to free.
While you are thinking about this, join or renew your ARRL membership.
y our rules.
1 comment:
There has been a lot of discussion indicating that the FCC has started
to institute fees for amateur radio licenses. That is not the case.
Here is information from the ARRL legal counsel, Dave Siddall, K3ZJ:
The FCC fees Report and Order adopted last December was published in
this morning’s Federal Register. I want to note to everyone that
although generally the rules take effect on April 19, collection of the
amateur fees will NOT begin on that date.
The effective date for new amateur radio fees has not yet been
established. The FCC explicitly states in the published Notice (at p.
15061, para. 44, https://tinyurl.com/y52ff2zy) that the fees "will not
take effect until the requisite notice has been provided to Congress,
the FCC’s information technology systems and internal procedures have
been updated, and the Commission publishes notice(s) in the Federal
Register announcing the effective date of such rules." I expect that
the effective date will be some time this summer, but in any event we
will have advance notice.
73, Dave K3ZJ
David R. Siddall
Managing Partner
DS Law, PLLC
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