SB QST @ ARL $ARLB051
ARLB051 ULS opens for amateur business August 16

ZCZC AG51
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 51  ARLB051
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  August 13, 1999
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB051
ARLB051 ULS opens for amateur business August 16

The FCC's Universal Licensing System opens its doors to Amateur
Radio Monday, August 16. The FCC reported August 13 that the ULS
would be out of service until then to prepare for implementation.
Amateurs should wait until the ULS is back on-line August 16 to
register.

The ULS ushers in an era of electronic, interactive filing and
handling of Amateur Radio applications and marks a major change in
the way Amateur Radio applicants will deal with the FCC. It also
means the demise of the familiar paper FCC Form 610 series in favor
of the ''universal'' Form 605--primarily designed for electronic use
but also available on paper. Amateurs filing applications with the
FCC under the ULS will use Form 605 for all purposes except--at
least for now--club station applications.

The FCC began a weeklong ULS phase-in period for the Amateur Service
August 8 and has been converting existing Amateur Radio licensing
data into the ULS database. Electronic Amateur Radio renewal using
FCC Form 900 was scheduled to end August 9. Electronic vanity call
sign application using Form 610V was to terminate August 13 at 5:30
PM Eastern Time. Hams should not try to file renewal or vanity
applications until the ULS comes up August 16.

Before using the ULS to file an application, renew or modify a
license, or apply for a vanity call sign, all amateurs must
register. When registering, individuals eligible to hold a Social
Security Number must provide this number--which the FCC refers to as
a Taxpayer Information Number or TIN. This requirement is a mandate
of Congress, not of the FCC. All hams must be registered in the ULS
to do business with the FCC.

Applicants use TIN Registration Form 606 for both electronic or
manual registration. To register electronically, visit
http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls/ and click on ''TIN/Call Sign
Registration.'' A paper Form 606 is available at
http://www.fcc.gov/formpage.html or by calling 800-418-FORM (3676).

Applicants first register their Social Security Number (or TIN),
then enter a call sign. Applicants also must specify a password and
a personal identifier.

Registrants receive a nine-character Licensee Identification Number.
Amateurs may use this number in place of a Social Security Number in
future dealings with the FCC.

For now, applications for club, military recreation, and RACES
licenses should be filed on the ''old'' FCC Form 610B. Trustees and
custodians of these licenses should not use their personal Social
Security Number as the TIN for these applications but should contact
ULS Technical Support (202-414-1250) to obtain a FCC-generated
identification number for Form 610B.

Applications for new licenses or upgrades will continue to be filed
through a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator. VECs will use a special
NCVEC Form 605--a variation of Form 605--to file with the FCC for
test sessions.

Starting August 16, hams already registered in the ULS may file
applications using 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, application withdrawals and
amendments, as well as requests for a vanity call sign, duplicate
license, change of address or other clerical license modification.
Visit the WTB ULS page, http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls and click
''Connecting to ULS'' for information on accessing the ULS system.
Accessing the ULS database requires a telephone modem. A toll-free
number, 800-844-2784, connects users to the FCC's Wide Area Network.

Among other things, the ULS features a renewal reminder sent 90 days
prior to a license's expiration date. The ULS also simplifies the
process of submitting fees to the FCC. The FCC said it also
anticipates that the ULS will be capable of accepting credit card
payments on-line ''in the near future.''

For more information, visit the FCC's ULS page,
http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls.
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