I recently received an unsolicited official looking manila envelope in the mail (not e-mail) from the Amateur Radio Service, telling me “Amateur Radio License Expiration Alert – It’s time to Renew!, Renewal Notice Enclosed” It has a warning block saying “failure to renew will void your operating authority and could result in the necessity for you to be re-examined and the loss of your station call sign”
Today is December 1, 2008, and my license (N5NTG) doesn’t expire until March 24, 2009. I’m not within the 90 day time window prior to my expiration date, so I can’t renew this early.
This friendly reminder service was a courtesy service of The W5YI VEC, Inc., one of two major VEC (ham testing) services in the USA. This is a legit company, don’t get me wrong. The other major VEC group is of course, the ARRL. There is no clear intent to deceive in this letter, it simply doesn’t mention that you can do it direct for free.
Anyway, the official letter inside, tells us that as of 1996, the FCC allows the VEC’s to handle renewals of licenses, and no longer mails out reminders of expiration dates to the licensee. So when my license is up for renewal on March 24, 2009, apparently I won’t get a letter or notice from the FCC to remind me. I’m supposed to know when my license is renewing. The letter goes on to say, for a small handling fee of $7.00, the W5YI group would handle the renewal process for me. They provided a Form 605 (if changes are needed) and a Form 605-R (if no changes are needed) to be completed and returned in a non-postage paid envelope. If you have no changes to be made, fill out the Form 605-R and include payment, but if you needed to make changes, use the full sized Form 605.
What they didn’t tell you, is that you can do this yourself FREE using the FCC’s on-line ULS service, or by US Mail. If you are an ARRL member, the ARRL will handle this same service for you free of charge, or do it for similar fee if you are not a member. But you can do it free on-line through the FCC’s website, or by mail and here’s how to do it.
The USA Callsign database contains about 750,000 listings and at any given moment, approximately 30,000 of these callsigns are expired! Over 1,000 old call signs are returned to the unused pool each month!
With Amateur Licenses being good for ten (10) years, we often forget to check our expiration dates, especially if we haven’t been real active. If you are a member of ARRL, they will send you notice. Renewing your license is your responsibility and choice. With today’s Internet options, you can renew your license online via the FCC’s web site, or use a service such as ARRL or W5YI to renew it for you (fee might apply if you use a 3rd party renewal service).
For more information about renewing your Amateur Radio License, please visit the FCC’s web site found at this link: http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/amateur/licensing/renewal.html Amateurs may renew their FCC-issued licenses “on line” via the FCC web using FCC ULS.
The FCC goes on to say….
You may receive a license expiration notification from an entity, but you are not required to use its services. File for renewal 30-60 days, but no more than 90 days, before your license expiration date. 47 CFR Section 97.21, provides that when your application for renewal has been received by the FCC on or before the license expiration date, your operating authority is continued until the final disposition of your application. If your license expires, you may apply for renewal of the license for another term during a two-year filing grace period. The application document must be received by the FCC on or before the end of the grace period. Unless and until the license is renewed, no amateur operator or station operating privileges are conferred. Applications received after the grace period has ended cannot be granted.
FCC permits FREE on-line renewals at 90 days or less before a license will expire, and when the license has expired but is still within the grace period for renewal. Licenses that have been expired for more than 2 years are not eligible for renewal or reinstatement. Amateurs may continue to renew their licenses within 90 days before the license expiration date, or within the two-year license grace period after expiration, using FCC Form 605 by mail to: FCC, 1270 Fairfield Rd, Gettysburg PA 17325-7245.
You can get the form 605 by using this link… http://www.fcc.gov/Forms/Form605/605.html
