The FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order (NPRM) on
May 8 seeking to raise fees for Amateur Radio vanity call signs.
Currently, a vanity call sign costs $11.70 and is good for 10 years;
the new fee, if the FCC plan goes through, will go up to $12.30 for
10 years, an increase of $.60.

The FCC is authorized by the Communications Act of 1934 (as amended)
to collect vanity call sign fees to recover the costs associated
with that program. The vanity call sign regulatory fee is payable
not only when applying for a new vanity call sign, but also upon
renewing a vanity call sign for a new term. Instructions on how to
comment on this NPRM are available on the FCC Web site at,
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/howtocomment.html.

The vanity call sign fee has fluctuated over the 12 years of the
current program -- from a low of $12 to a high of $50; the current
fee of $11.70 is the lowest the fee has been since the inception of
the vanity call sign program. The FCC said it anticipates some
15,000 Amateur Radio vanity call sign "payment units" or
applications during the next fiscal year, collecting $184,500 in
fees from the program.

The vanity call sign regulatory fee is payable not only when
applying for a new vanity call sign, but also upon renewing a vanity
call sign for a new term.  The first vanity call sign licenses
issued under the current Amateur Radio vanity call sign program that
began in 1996 came up for renewal two years ago.  Those holding
vanity call signs issued prior to 1996 are exempt from having to pay
the vanity call sign regulatory fee at renewal, however. That's
because Congress did not authorize the FCC to collect regulatory
fees until 1993. Such "heritage" vanity call sign holders do not
appear as vanity licensees in the FCC.

Amateur Radio licensees may file for renewal only within 90 days of
their license expiration date. All radio amateurs must have an FCC
Registration Number (FRN) before filing any application with the
Commission. Applicants can obtain an FRN by going to the ULS site
at, 
http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls
, and clicking on the "New Users
Register" link. You must supply your Social Security Number to
obtain an FRN.

Ray T. Mahorney
WA4WGA
Al Gore and the perpetrators of the "man made" global warming hoax are to be considered as terrorists