Trying to renew a long expired license

[OffRoaderX]

22 minutes ago, WRTC928 said:

I was just curious if it was common to have more than one FRN.

upon reflection - it probably is common because the FCC website is such a dumpster-fire that a lot of people may create an FRN for a license then are never able to log back in/recover it for an additional license, so they end up having to create a new FRN... This happened to me..

[WRTC928]

Just now, OffRoaderX said:

upon reflection - it probably is common because the FCC website is such a dumpster-fire that a lot of people may create an FRN for a license then are never able to log back in/recover it for an additional license, so they end up having to create a new FRN... This happened to me..

You have a good point. It almost happened to me. Just when I was about to give up and start over, a miracle occurred and I was able to log in.

[Jaay]

On 4/18/2025 at 10:30 AM, WSEZ864 said:

Gotta be careful with Google AI with these technical/administrative questions.

I've been trying to help a blind Canadian immigrant get his US ham license. Due to the difficulty in studying, he is having great difficulty with the Tech exam and after unsuccessful several tries, he was looking for an easier way.

Google AI told him his existing Canada license can be 'converted' to an equivalent grade US amateur radio license, which, after much legwork and investigation, we determined is NOT true.

The actual situation is that one must pass the US exam to get the US license. Period. The corollary is that he CAN operate under a reciprocal agreement using his Canadian ticket while in the US until a) his Canada license expires, or b) until he becomes a US citizen. I think this is the point Google AI misunderstood and misrepresented - reciprocation vs conversion.

Bottom line: Google AI rendered incorrect information that gave the guy false hope and took us a couple weeks to clear up.

AI is something to tread lightly with. I Don't trust ANY AI apps or programs,but then I have trust issues, anyway.

[WRTC928]

19 hours ago, Jaay said:

AI is something to tread lightly with. I Don't trust ANY AI apps or programs,but then I have trust issues, anyway.

I don't have "trust issues" -- I have "learned experience".

[Jaay]

On 4/20/2025 at 8:18 PM, WRTC928 said:

I don't have "trust issues" -- I have "learned experience".

I do as well, 40+ years worth in technology and coms. But AI is not something the industry has explored enough with yet, and autonomous learning in certain devices needs to be handled carefully.

[Jaay]

On 4/19/2025 at 8:18 PM, OffRoaderX said:

upon reflection - it probably is common because the FCC website is such a dumpster-fire that a lot of people may create an FRN for a license then are never able to log back in/recover it for an additional license, so they end up having to create a new FRN... This happened to me..

Right. It happens easier than most think, and I'm sure Many have decided to let a ham license lapse, or a commercial, or gmrs license lapse, then one day you decide to make the investment again ... Guess what ? Too many Frn's and which one was which ? The gentleman I talked with at CORES said this happens quite often, and sometimes even the commission has been known to mouse up your file and Frn's as well.

[Bogieboy01]

On 4/18/2025 at 12:33 PM, EternalNoob said:

Don't know what "cw" means (again, I'm new). As for the call sign, the DMV is unlikely to let this particular combination of numbers and letters fly on a vanity plate. I apologize if I'm coming off as a troll. I was genuinely asking. 

"Tongue twister" is actually a spot-on way to describe it, come to think of it, but this is a family forum so I'll leave it at that. 

so now i am curious.... what exactly did yo....er....your friend get assigned as a callsign? better or worse than mine at WSHS666  which was assigned march 29th of this year....LOL half the guys on the local repeater call me triple inverted nine because they are too superstitious to call out 666...

[EternalNoob]

4 hours ago, Bogieboy01 said:

so now i am curious.... what exactly did yo....er....your friend get assigned as a callsign? 

Check your inbox 
 

[WRUE951]

On 4/19/2025 at 5:42 PM, WRTC928 said:

I'm pretty sure I didn't get a new FRN for my amateur license. Is it normal to have different FRNs for GMRS and amateur licenses?

only if your created another FRN in your name which i think would be difficult if the information is the exact same. The FCC would have flagged that letting you know you can't create a duplicate FRN... If you have two FRN's in your name then i would say something like name spelling, address etc is different between the two.  

[SteveShannon]

2 hours ago, WRUE951 said:

only if your created another FRN in your name which i think would be difficult if the information is the exact same. The FCC would have flagged that letting you know you can't create a duplicate FRN... If you have two FRN's in your name then i would say something like name spelling, address etc is different between the two.  

No, it’s extremely easy with no checking. I did it by mistake (I cannot claim an accident; it was my own ignorance) They both appear in my ULS account. Once I realized my old FRN still existed I simply used it, but the other one still exists.

[WRUE951]

17 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

No, it’s extremely easy with no checking. I did it by mistake (I cannot claim an accident; it was my own ignorance) They both appear in my ULS account. Once I realized my old FRN still existed I simply used it, but the other one still exists.

with exact info i would think the FCC would flag that with a auto response.    FCC not as bright as i thought.  

[SteveShannon]

5 minutes ago, WRUE951 said:

with exact info i would think the FCC would flag that with a auto response.    FCC not as bright as i thought.  

There might be some reason why a person would have multiple FRNs, such as to compartmentalize licenses. Just speculation on my part.

[MarkInTampa]

56 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

There might be some reason why a person would have multiple FRNs, such as to compartmentalize licenses. Just speculation on my part.

I have two FRN's. Got my ham license in 1996 and don't remember anything about FRN's. Don't think they existed, were required yet or if the club I tested at handled it all for me. I let my license lapse in 2006 and when went to get my GMRS license in 2022 I saw I already had an FRN that was registered in 2001 that I knew nothing about and had a old physical address from when I got my ham license. From what I understand, FRN's were not required prior to Dec 2001 for amateur radio so I assume the FCC created one for me based on my license details that was still valid at the time. I didn't know or care to figure out the issue so I just created a new FRN with the FCC. I got my ham license back with a new call, requested and got my old call back under my new FRN with the checkmark box clicked "expired license" as the reason. FCC didn't question any of it.

[WRUE951]

32 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

There might be some reason why a person would have multiple FRNs, such as to compartmentalize licenses. Just speculation on my part.

I've got two maybe  three FRN's in my name but with different business names and addresses.  I see that happening as a person responsible for FCC stuff at work.    But for someone with the same name and address for personal use make no sense not to mention the headache to keep tabs on each one.