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Renewing Your License or Changing your Address

If your license is up for renewal or you just want to update your mailing address, you may be confused about how to do it. You are not alone.

It used to be simple, just file a form with the FCC and wait for your updated license document to come in the mail. Over the last few  years the FCC has taken some steps to reduce the number of forms used overall. To do this, they have made the forms more general. The result is a form that is far more complex and confusing to the amateur radio licensee.

We have also seen the emergence of a few "services" that will do the work for you - for a fee. Although I'm not against anyone trying to make a buck I see this as an exploitation of those who are baffled by the new ways of doing things at the FCC.

To help out, I've written a web page with some clear (I hope) instructions on how to go about dealing with the "new" FCC. The web page is located at:

http://www.ak8b.us/hamrenew.htm

As always, I welcome comments and suggestions.

Bruce Ferry, AK8B
Amateur Licensing Restructuring - Updated February 14, 2006

On July 19, 2005 the FCC released it's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning licensing restructuring. The short summary is that they are proposing the elimination of all Morse Code testing requirements. Several related petitions were dismissed as part of this NPRM.

This is only the next step in the process. This is a PROPOSAL and must go through a 60 day comment period (75 days for replies to comments). The clock started ticking on August 31, 2005 - when the NPRM was published in the Federal Register. The FCC will then take some time to study the comments and issue a final rulemaking with an implementation date.

The latest word from the FCC is that they hope to act on this proposal "sometime this year".

More information can be found at the ARRL website at: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/07/20/100/













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