As summer is noticeably introducing it’s follow up season. (I’m trying to avoid using the actual word as much as I enjoy the colors.) Our meeting place is still closed to the public and we have no indication when it will be available. It’s a good thing we have our nets to stay in touch. If you haven’t checked into a net lately, you’re missing out on some fun. We have a new net called TecNet that meets every 1st and 3rd Monday at 7:30 pm. It’s a great place to share information on technical topics of any kind or ask questions about tech issues that are bugging you. We might not have the answer to your problem but we have lots 0f experience and will gladly commiserate with you.
If you’ve wondered why my posts have been infrequent, the answer is simple. Since the site is primarily dedicated to informing you about upcoming meetings and gatherings, Covid-19 has pretty much brought that need to a halt. Like you, I can’t wait ’til we can get back to “normal.” Remember the fun fall picnics? The PRC Board decided that it would not be safe to hold such events. And it’s just as well because Parma’s Day Park and the Cleveland MetroPark facilities were mandated by the Governor t0 keep their locations closed until further notice.
A testimony to the power of our Nets is that we are thrilled to welcome new and returning members: Larry Ferrone NB8Z, Jerry Kuhn W8KDG, Forrest Reed KA8HUZ, Tedd Mirgliotti KB8NW, Ralph Dey K8YSM, John Nestelle NV8N, Frank Siedlack WD8AEK. Thank you all for your support!
A PDF of the current roster is available to any member. Just write and ask.
A new topic: Would you be interested in online meetings with guest presenters, etc? Everything but donuts! If so, let’s discuss this either on the air or write us at parmaradioclub@gmail.com.
Free Online Technician and General Class Courses !!!
Many thanks to Anthony Luscre, K8ZT for the following information. It‘s really great news for many of you who would like to get your Tech license or upgrade to General. Register now to hold your “seat.”
The Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Radio Club is offering a free six-session Technician Class License course starting October 4, 2020. Classes are held online via Google Classroom and Meet from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. They will also be offering a free General Class License Course.
For information about the courses and a link to their registration information follow this link: www.cfarc.org
The classes are open to anyone and they would appreciate your spreading the word to fellow club members, on the nets or to your acquaintances. This is also a great opportunity for younger candidates that may not be able to drive to in-person classes.
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Anthony Luscre, K8ZT
Assistant Ohio Section Manager for Education Outreach ARRL – The National Association For Amateur Radio™
k8zt@arrl.net
FCC Proposes to Reinstate Amateur Radio Service Fees
08/28/2020 from arrl.org
[UPDATED 2020-09-01 @1845 UTC] Amateur radio licensees would pay a $50 fee for each amateur radio license application if the FCC adopts rules it proposed this week. Included in the FCC’s fee proposal are applications for new licenses, renewal and upgrades to existing licenses, and vanity call sign requests. Excluded are applications for administrative updates, such as changes of address, and annual regulatory fees.
The FCC proposal is contained in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in MD Docket 20-270, which was adopted to implement portions of the “Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act” of 2018 — the so-called “Ray Baum’s Act.”
The Act requires that the FCC switch from a Congressionally-mandated fee structure to a cost-based system of assessment. In its NPRM, the FCC proposed application fees for a broad range of services that use the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS), including the Amateur Radio Service that had been excluded by an earlier statute. The 2018 statute excludes the Amateur Service from annual regulatory fees, but not from application fees.
“[A]pplications for personal licenses are mostly automated and do not have individualized staff costs for data input or review,” the FCC said in its NPRM. “For these automated processes — new/major modifications, renewal, and minor modifications — we propose a nominal application fee of $50 due to automating the processes, routine ULS maintenance, and limited instances where staff input is required.”
The same $50 fee would apply to all Amateur Service applications, including those for vanity call signs. “Although there is currently no fee for vanity call signs in the Amateur Radio Service, we find that such applications impose similar costs in aggregate on Commission resources as new applications and therefore propose a $50 fee,” the FCC said.
The FCC is not proposing to charge for administrative updates, such as mailing address changes for amateur applications, and amateur radio will remain exempt from annual regulatory fees. “For administrative updates [and] modifications, which also are highly automated, we find that it is in the public interest to encourage licensees to update their [own] information without a charge,” the FCC said.
The FCC also proposes to assess a $50 fee for individuals who want a printed copy of their license. “The Commission has proposed to eliminate these services — but to the extent the Commission does not do so, we propose a fee of $50 to cover the costs of these services,” the FCC said.
The Ray Baum’s Act does not exempt filing fees in the Amateur Radio Service. The FCC dropped assessment of fees for vanity call signs several years ago.
ARRL is reviewing the matter and intends to file comments in opposition.
Deadlines for comments and reply comments will be determined once the NPRM appears in the Federal Register. Interested parties may file comments by using the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), posting to MD Docket No. 20-270. This docket is already open to accept comments, even though deadlines have not yet been set.
“Tell us something we don’t know.”
That’s been a popular conversation starter at the meetings so let’s do it here. We’re all eager to learn new things. You most certainly come across exciting information from time to time about items of interest related to our hobby that you could share with fellow members. It might be a new gadget, a new magazine, a kit or construction article or a web service that interests you. If it catches your fascination, most likely it will interest other members. That’s pretty cool. So, tells us something we don’t know.