Search the Community

The FCC had recently proposed a reduction from $70 to $50, but there was push-back at least from Randall Knowles, KAA8142. The Commission subsequently reduced it further to $35. This reduction also applies to license renewals. Source: http://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-184A1.pdf Some passages: "41. One commenter, Knowles, contends that the proposed $50 fee for GMRS is too high, asthe application process is automated. There is no testing involved, as with the amateur license. Werecognize that the application process for GMRS licenses is highly automated. There are, however, somecosts involved in ensuring applicants are qualified and off-lined applications are individually reviewed,and we cannot conclude that there are no costs involved. 42. After reviewing the record, including the extensive comments filed by amateur radiolicensees and based on our revised analysis of the cost of processing mostly automated processesdiscussed in our methodology section, we adopt a $35 application fee, a lower application fee than theCommission proposed in the NPRM for personal licenses, in recognition of the fact that the applicationprocess is mostly automated.... 193. Rule effective date. As the Commission implements the changes to our application fee schedule, we anticipate that OMD, along with the Bureaus and Offices, may be required to update someof our licensing databases, payment instruction guides and/or adjust administrative internal proceduresbefore we may begin accepting the new fees for certain categories of application fee payors.Accordingly, we direct the Office of Managing Director, in consultation with the relevant Offices andBureaus, to cause a notice to be published in the Federal Register announcing when rule change(s) willbecome effective, once the relevant databases, guides, and internal procedures have been updated." $35 can still exceed the cost of some CCRs, but this is an improvement. While we would all want this to be zero, having some fee keeps the GMRS on the FCC's radar, if not for enforcement purposes. Randall Knowles, KAA8142, is from the North Shore Emergency Association. He has lobbied extensively for the GMRS for decades, working closely with Corwin Moore of the Personal Radio Steering Group (PRSG) back in the day. His call sign may be the oldest GMRS one I have identified; I think it was issued in 1976. Attachments area