SB QST @ ARL $ARLB048
ARLB048 FCC starts amateur ULS phase-in August 8
ZCZC AG48
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 48 ARLB048
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT July 29, 1999
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB048
ARLB048 FCC starts amateur ULS phase-in August 8
The FCC begins phasing in the Universal Licensing System for the
Amateur Service August 8 at 4 PM Eastern Time. That's when the FCC
will stop accepting batch files that contain new or upgraded
licensee data from Volunteer Examiner Coordinators under the current
amateur licensing system.
Being phased out under ULS is the familiar paper FCC Form 610
series. A ''universal'' Form 605--primarily designed for electronic
use but also available on paper--will take its place.
An FCC Public Notice July 23 says the Wireless Telecommunications
Bureau will begin use of the ULS for the Amateur Service on August
16. The existing Amateur Radio licensing data will be transferred
into the ULS database during a weeklong phase-in period. During the
phase-in period, the FCC will not process new or upgraded licenses.
Electronic filing of Amateur Radio license renewals using FCC Form
900 ends August 9 at 9 AM Eastern Time. Electronic filing of vanity
call sign application Form 610V terminates August 13 at 5:30 PM
Eastern Time. Hams should not attempt to file renewal or vanity
applications until the ULS comes up August 16.
Starting August 16, hams registered in the ULS may file the new FCC
Form 605 electronically at any time of day, seven days a week. FCC
Form 605 will be used for license renewals, modifications,
cancellations, vanity call sign application, application withdrawals
and amendments, as well as requests for duplicate licenses and
administrative updates (ie, a change of address or other clerical
license modification). Applications for new or upgraded licenses
will continue to be filed through a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator.
Automated processing of electronically filed applications will occur
nightly each business day, but five days a week instead of seven.
There will be no weekend processing under the ULS.
The FCC has warned that applicants should anticipate processing
delays during the first couple of weeks the ULS is in effect.
The FCC will stop accepting most Form 610 applications next February
16, but club station Form 610B will continue to be valid beyond the
six-month transition window to allow time for the FCC to implement
new handling procedures.
One feature of the new ULS is a renewal reminder sent 90 days prior
to a license's expiration date. ULS also will simplify the process
of submitting fees to the FCC, and the FCC said it anticipates that
the ULS will be capable of accepting credit card payments on-line in
the near future.
Registration in the ULS is required. Applicants should use FCC Form
606 for both electronic or manual filing. To register online, visit
http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls/ and click on ''TIN/Call Sign
Registration.'' A paper FCC Form 606 is available at
http://www.fcc.gov/formpage.html or from the FCC's Forms
Distribution Center, 800-418-3676.
The FCC will not process future license grants, upgrades,
modifications or renewals for any applicant not registered in the
ULS. Individuals eligible to hold a Social Security Number must
provide this number to the FCC in order to be registered in the ULS.
A copy of the July 23, 1999 Public Notice is available at
http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls.
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