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ARLB049 VEC filing news

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ARRL Bulletin 49  ARLB049
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  July 26, 1996
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB049
ARLB049 VEC filing news

The FCC said July 16 that it will permit VECs to file Amateur Radio
Service license renewal and modification applications electronically
on behalf of individual applicants. ''This will provide for more
efficient application processing for Amateur Service license
grants,'' the FCC said. As one of the country's 16 VECs, the ARRL
will announce a start-up date to accept applications ''once it has
established its policies and procedures to administer this program,''
said ARRL VEC Manager Bart Jahnke, KB9NM.  Participating VECs may
charge a fee for the service. The FCC said that at the request of
several Amateur Radio operators, it was waiving its rules that
require a Form 610 hard-copy application.

Most VECs, including the ARRL VEC, already electronically file all
applications received from VE testing, a process the FCC said ''has
been highly successful in eliminating delays in obtaining licenses.''
The Commission said VECs will not be required to accept applications
from individuals for electronic filing, and the FCC will continue to
accept hard-copy license renewal and modification applications
without a processing charge. But the FCC said it anticipates
developing the capability to allow individual hams ''to file their
applications electronically and receive a license grant
immediately.''

Once the program kicks into gear, individual applicants--working
through cooperating VECs--will be able to file applications for
license renewal and modification electronically. Acceptable
modifications will include change of name, change of mailing
address, and change of call sign.

Consistent with existing procedures, when application data are
forwarded electronically, the VEC must retain the actual FCC Form
610 documents for at least 15 months and make them available to the
FCC upon request.

The FCC said that all other applicable rules pertaining to
requirements for filing of applications are unaffected by the
waiver, which can be terminated at any time.
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