HamRegistry questions

[Guest Capt Mark]

OK, so I finally got a pair of UV-5G plus radios and couldn't be happier!  They far exceeded my expectations! So I want to do the right thing and get my GMRS license,  and also be able to connect to area repeaters but...... the privately thing is driving me nuts. HR'S website doesn't have much information and no phone number to call. Do you pay by the month or year? What happens if after a year I decide GMRS is not for me and cancel my HamRegistry after I already have a license good for 10 years. Thanks, and I'm going to join as soon as I get my license! I've been following this forum for a few weeks now and it feels like home. 

[Guest Guest1]

Find a cheap PO Box if possible.

 

Someone else had posted on here, and now myself also, have been trying to cancel accounts.  No way to do it on the website, and getting no response using their email contact.

 

Would not recommend at this point in time.

 

If you go with a PO Box you can try to find the cheapest prices of the different post offices near you using the USPS website

[nokones]

What is your concern or fear if you decide later that you don't like GMRS and what does the HAM registry have to do with GMRS?

[Guest Capt Mark]

1 hour ago, nokones said:

What is your concern or fear if you decide later that you don't like GMRS and what does the HAM registry have to do with GMRS?

Well, I'm not comfortable about having my address so easily obtained by everyone and anyone in this crazy world we live in. (although your mileage may vary) and was told HamRegistry or a PO box would be a work around to getting my license I would be ok with. I can't find any reviews on HR and since I'm new with GMRS just wanted to know what my options were if I decided down the road I lost interest.  Guest1 pointed me in the right direction as I found a PO box a few towns over for $68. P/Y or $36 for 6 months. Yes, I know a determined person can eventually find what they want, I just would feel better if I at least locked the front door when I'm home.

[Guest Guest1]

I would still keep the PO Box as long as my license is active because I don’t want my home address published.

 

But If you decide you want to cancel your HR membership well good luck because people don’t seem to be able to.

 

And hamregistry is just the name of the website.  There’s also options for gmrs only.

 

Lastly, get an alternate contact address before you get your license because even if you change your address later on, your previous addresses will still be public.

[WSAM454]

 

If you cancel with them, then following the rules, you would be obligated to notify the FCC of a change of address, since the license is good and  still in effect for the full 10 years.   I do  not think that there is a way to cancel you license .  

Another consideration: will HamRegistry be around for the next 10 years to protect you?

[Socalgmrs]

3 hours ago, Guest Capt Mark said:

Well, I'm not comfortable about having my address so easily obtained by everyone and anyone in this crazy world we live in. (although your mileage may vary) and was told HamRegistry or a PO box would be a work around to getting my license I would be ok with. I can't find any reviews on HR and since I'm new with GMRS just wanted to know what my options were if I decided down the road I lost interest.  Guest1 pointed me in the right direction as I found a PO box a few towns over for $68. P/Y or $36 for 6 months. Yes, I know a determined person can eventually find what they want, I just would feel better if I at least locked the front door when I'm home.

Just so you know your address is public info and VERY VERY easily obtained in about a 30 second internet search.  It will also come up with old address alias’s wife kids parents phone numbers and that’s just the free websites.  

[Guest Capt Mark]

OK, thanks to all for your help and ideas. It gives me something to think about! Again, this forum is a great source of information.  

[WRYS709]

4 hours ago, Guest Capt Mark said:

Well, I'm not comfortable about having my address so easily obtained by everyone and anyone in this crazy world we live in. (although your mileage may vary) and was told HamRegistry or a PO box would be a work around to getting my license I would be ok with. I can't find any reviews on HR and since I'm new with GMRS just wanted to know what my options were if I decided down the road I lost interest.  Guest1 pointed me in the right direction as I found a PO box a few towns over for $68. P/Y or $36 for 6 months. Yes, I know a determined person can eventually find what they want, I just would feel better if I at least locked the front door when I'm home.

There is a flaw in HamRegistry's business model that affects many people that pay to use their service expecting privacy.

However, I am not comfortable sharing this information with an "anonymous" poster that has no skin in the game...

[Guest Don't use Hamregistry.org]

On 2/23/2024 at 10:09 PM, Guest Capt Mark said:

OK, so I finally got a pair of UV-5G plus radios and couldn't be happier!  They far exceeded my expectations! So I want to do the right thing and get my GMRS license,  and also be able to connect to area repeaters but...... the privately thing is driving me nuts. HR'S website doesn't have much information and no phone number to call. Do you pay by the month or year? What happens if after a year I decide GMRS is not for me and cancel my HamRegistry after I already have a license good for 10 years. Thanks, and I'm going to join as soon as I get my license! I've been following this forum for a few weeks now and it feels like home. 

Beware of HamRegistry.org. I used their services for 6 months, then decided to not use them anymore. There is nothing on their site that lets you cancel them. They don't reply to emails either. I used PayPal to pay them. Since I couldn't cancel my HR account, I decided to cancel my PP account. Apparently, PP is STILL sending them monthly payments from my closed account. I have to dispute the charge every month. Something is seriously wrong with PP and HR. I wouldn't use either. 

[WRXB215]

9 hours ago, Guest Don't use Hamregistry.org said:

Something is seriously wrong with PP and HR. I wouldn't use either.

Good advice.

[Guest Capt Mark]

On 3/5/2024 at 12:14 AM, Guest Don't use Hamregistry.org said:

Beware of HamRegistry.org. I used their services for 6 months, then decided to not use them anymore. There is nothing on their site that lets you cancel them. They don't reply to emails either. I used PayPal to pay them. Since I couldn't cancel my HR account, I decided to cancel my PP account. Apparently, PP is STILL sending them monthly payments from my closed account. I have to dispute the charge every month. Something is seriously wrong with PP and HR. I wouldn't use either. 

So, as a newbie I need help! Besides HR or a PO box are there any other ideas for getting my license and not be worried about my home address out there for all the world to see? And no, I'm not paranoid I just want to do what I can reasonably to keep my ID as safe as I can. I don't even do Facebook. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you guys (and gals) so much for any input and help you can give me. (And yes, I really am a boat Capt)

[OffRoaderX]

9 minutes ago, Guest Capt Mark said:

Besides HR or a PO box are there any other ideas for getting my license and not be worried about my home address out there for all the world to see?

The only other option is to give a fake address, but that violates the rules so either Ham Registry or a PO box are the only FCC-acceptable ways to keep your address private.

[BoxCar]

Places like the UPS store also offer boxes.

[Guest ConcernedJim]

On 3/6/2024 at 2:35 PM, OffRoaderX said:

The only other option is to give a fake address, but that violates the rules so either Ham Registry or a PO box are the only FCC-acceptable ways to keep your address private.

hamregistry.org is apparently a front and/or has some serious website or business issues.  My experience so far...

Set up with them for my GMRS address and opted for the basic tier at $3.99. All has been fine until now...

Now looking to upgrade to middle tier for $5.99 that included both GMRS AND HAM. Except the only issue is that when I click on the Buy button or whatever it says and it takes you to PayPal, the actually cost being shown is ~$17.97 NOT $5.99. Red Flag. (The GMRS only option, first tier, shows $3.99 on the site but when you sign up, PayPal shows $11.97. I am pretty sure that was not the case a couple of months ago when I first signed up...

Go to email them. No response for 24 hours... Next thing I know just a few minutes ago is that their help@hamregistry.org is bouncing.  Not good. Red flag.

These are the biggest issues but their site overall is very weak. Redundant procedures like the fact it seems to ask you for your info again anytime you log back in. It will not show your address you have maybe entered more than once.

Additionally, there is no way to cancel from the site. And no means to contact them except for the email address that now seems to be bouncing.

The billing comes through EBC Services, LLC.

This feels very scammy at this point.

[WRYS709]

As a hedge against hamregistry fees, I purchased some DJT on the open market!

[WSCH851]

I use HRegistry upon watching someone's video that resides on here and talks about "SAD HAMS" all the time (which is fine by me).
If I ever wanted to cancel and run into the problems listed above, then I would just stop payment, or close the PPal acct.

Seems pretty easy to do that, plus when all the banks fail, and we go digital, it really won't matter because the FCC isn't looking for you anyway, they will either be overwhelmed or out of business in regards to a world who gives them the finger.

Just an opinion,

[OffRoaderX]

55 minutes ago, WSCH851 said:

If I ever wanted to cancel and run into the problems listed above, then I would just stop payment, or close the PPal acct.

I agree and recommend the same to anyone having trouble with this company, (or any company)..  For recurring payments via PayPal you dont even need to close the PayPal account, you can simply "end" the recurring payments.

[WSCH851]

43 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

I agree and recommend the same to anyone having trouble with this company, (or any company)..  For recurring payments via PayPal you dont even need to close the PayPal account, you can simply "end" the recurring payments.

Agreed, and I’ve done that before but I was just hinging off the other comment of not being able to do so. 
Agreed 100%

Thank you and thank you for your videos, they help me tremendously. 
 

[Guest ConcernedJim]

On 4/24/2024 at 10:32 AM, Guest ConcernedJim said:

hamregistry.org is apparently a front and/or has some serious website or business issues.  My experience so far...

Set up with them for my GMRS address and opted for the basic tier at $3.99. All has been fine until now...

Now looking to upgrade to middle tier for $5.99 that included both GMRS AND HAM. Except the only issue is that when I click on the Buy button or whatever it says and it takes you to PayPal, the actually cost being shown is ~$17.97 NOT $5.99. Red Flag. (The GMRS only option, first tier, shows $3.99 on the site but when you sign up, PayPal shows $11.97. I am pretty sure that was not the case a couple of months ago when I first signed up...

Go to email them. No response for 24 hours... Next thing I know just a few minutes ago is that their help@hamregistry.org is bouncing.  Not good. Red flag.

These are the biggest issues but their site overall is very weak. Redundant procedures like the fact it seems to ask you for your info again anytime you log back in. It will not show your address you have maybe entered more than once.

Additionally, there is no way to cancel from the site. And no means to contact them except for the email address that now seems to be bouncing.

The billing comes through EBC Services, LLC.

This feels very scammy at this point.

To follow up...   After trying to email hamregistry.org one more time and after having at least 2 of my emails bounce back, I filed a complaint with PayPal and explained the situation. Then when I found out they would just email EBC Services LLC, I knew I had to do something else, so I called PayPal and wound up talking to one of the nicest customer service reps I think I've ever spoken to.

To make this long story a bit shorter, she actually canceled the recurring automatic payment to EBC Services LLC and sent me confirmation. And she then escalated my submitted complaint to a "claim." This means that upon review, and if EBC Services LLC does not respond, then apparently PayPal will also refund the monies I had already spent for the previous months I had paid for. Honestly, I was not worried about the $3.99 so much as I was being billed $3.99 forever.

Seems issue is resolved; but I definitely do not and would not recommend hamregistry.org at this point in time.  LOL

[Guest ConcernedJim]

16 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

I agree and recommend the same to anyone having trouble with this company, (or any company)..  For recurring payments via PayPal you dont even need to close the PayPal account, you can simply "end" the recurring payments.

Hey, all. So I did not make my original post here because I did not know how to deal with or handle the situation. I made my original post here to let everyone know about my experiences with hamregistry.org (EBC Services LLC), especially in light of the fact that it seems like it was only a couple of months ago where I saw someone in the GMRS community recommending them? Turns out probably NOT a service you want to use for several reasons I have since learned about, as I tried to, at least in part, explain in my original post.

I also followed up here today with the outcome after working with PayPal to cancel the recurring payment. I did this (a) to follow up in general to my first post; and (b) because I read somewhere recently where others had problems canceling with PayPal. I found this not to be the case. Now problem is solved.

Obviously, my recommendation would be NOT to work with this service.

And on a sidebar, THANK YOU to @OffRoaderX for all of your GMRS-related videos. Since getting into it only a couple of months back, I have learned more from you than from any other source. Keep doing what you're doing. I certainly have appreciated it all.

[OffRoaderX]

Thank you for the update.