$35 Amateur/GMRS radio fees

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Biker Eagle

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Got my GMRS a week and a half ago, and yes it was still $70. But went ahead anyway...while you still could get one. At the rate internet sites were being shut down, GMRS and Ham are about the only options available. For now.
 

Sputnik

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Effective date is 30 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register.
I looked (briefly) and did not see that it had been published yet.
Works for me since I’m in no hurry to give the .gov another $35. They can take the $70 I gave them for the GMRS and consider us even
 
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sycboi

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I went to apply for a new license today and it’s still showing a $70 fee. I’ll wait a while longer and try again...
 

M Rose

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I went to apply for a new license today and it’s still showing a $70 fee. I’ll wait a while longer and try again...
The fees haven’t been implemented yet, soonest would be April; once the FCC announces it, it will be 30 days until it’s official
 

sycboi

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The fees haven’t been implemented yet, soonest would be April; once the FCC announces it, it will be 30 days until it’s official
I had read March 2021 so I was a bit overly enthusiastic and tried early. I am actually in no big hurry as my Jeep isn’t quite ready...
 
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M Rose

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I had read March 2021 so I was a bit overly enthusiastic and tried early. I am actually in no big hurry as my Jeep isn’t quite ready...
March was an estimate because we knew Congress wouldn’t be in session until late January so the FCC couldn’t get its ruling until February which puts it to March... but the issue hasn’t been heard in congress yet. (I’ve been fallowing this very closely) I will be posting here again as soon as the official date is put into place.

Mean time go take your technician license while it’s still free.
 
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M Rose

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Can the classes be done online now? The closest in person classes to me are an hour away...
Yes they can be... www.SSRA.net holds an exam every Saturday for $14.00. As for a ham cram... I’m not sure who the s doing one right now, however if you go watch these three videos you should be fine.
 
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Sputnik

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So maybe a bit OT but what is the maximum time it can take for the fcc to issue a license? I took the tech exam two weeks ago yesterday but no email and nothing showing in the ULS search except my gmrs.
The vec giving the test said give it a week when they gave me the completion slip.
 
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J.W.

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So maybe a bit OT but what is the maximum time it can take for the fcc to issue a license? I took the tech exam two weeks ago yesterday but no email and nothing showing in the ULS search except my gmrs.
The vec giving the test said give it a week when they gave me the completion slip.
If the group you tested with uploads electronically, usually it only takes a day or so. That being said, the FCC system is undergoing maintenance this week. They say it should be back to normal traffic sometime this coming week but, depending on when the group you tested with sent your information in, it could be a while.

Two weeks seems odd, even with the maintenance. Contact the group you tested with and see if they send the results in electronically or if they mail them. I think the agreement with the FCC is that they must mail them within 10 days. I would have to look it up because very few actually wait that long but I believe that is the limit.
 
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M Rose

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So maybe a bit OT but what is the maximum time it can take for the fcc to issue a license? I took the tech exam two weeks ago yesterday but no email and nothing showing in the ULS search except my gmrs.
The vec giving the test said give it a week when they gave me the completion slip.
They are at about 3 weeks if the application was sent via snail mail. We had three people test three weeks a go and got their call signs Friday.
 
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Sputnik

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Thanks guys. I guess I’d better ask the group that administered the exam.

ETA: they were unable to e file and had to mail in the paperwork.
Probably another week now. Not that I was in any kind of hurry. I just like to track the progress on these things
 
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Mad Garden Gnome

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The funny thing is that the FCC is almost completely hands off where it comes to amateur licenses these days. They streamlined and automated their end but appear to not be offering anything more than when the license was free. So what’s the money for?
Just a guess........."program administration"
 

Mad Garden Gnome

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It’s administered outside of the FCC...
Tests are administered outside of the FCC, by VE's.
The U.S. Amateur Radio License program is administered by the FCC.

Other than that, I was being facetious in my answer about the black hole where the money goes.
 
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M Rose

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Tests are administered outside of the FCC, by VE's.
The U.S. Amateur Radio License program is administered by the FCC.

Other than that, I was being facetious in my answer about the black hole where the money goes.
No I meant the fees as well... the fees aren’t collected by the FCC, they are collected by the Department of Revenue. The FCC doesn’t even get to see the monies we pay for the licenses... read through the “Ray Baum Act” of 2018 where this law was actually made.
 

Mad Garden Gnome

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No I meant the fees as well... the fees aren’t collected by the FCC, they are collected by the Department of Revenue. The FCC doesn’t even get to see the monies we pay for the licenses... read through the “Ray Baum Act” of 2018 where this law was actually made.
I will look that up!