Renewing an amateur radio license online

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by Ed in Tx

I went from Technician to Advanced and was for years, because I couldn't easily master the 20 WPM and didn't really want to spend the code practice time for "Extra", and I could do just about anything on the ham bands with the Advanced. When they dropped the code requirement to 13 WPM for Extra all I needed was another written element to get Extra Class which I got and still have until 2025 at least. And I paid for each test! That should be good enough. I guess the $35 beats the original proposed $70 to renew. I tried to set up an FCC account when they first decided to do this and was unsuccessful. Maybe by 2025 they will have it straightened out since I am apparently not the only one having issues with their web site.

Seventy dollars to renew an amateur license? That sounds to me to be awfully high. I wonder what the FCC had in mind, or maybe there was some technical problem with the site at the time.

I was able to log in to the FCC's ULS site today and reviewed the information I had entered. Everything seems in order, so when the time comes to renew I should have no trouble.

By the year 2025 the site's technical problems should be resolved, and the site should be back to normal. If not, the FCC will still allow amateurs to renew licenses even if said license has expired (the FCC will allow a one-year grace period after 2024). Don't let it go too long, though, otherwise you will have to apply for a new license. Whether or not this means you may or may not lose your current callsign on the renewed license is another matter. This is the first time I have ever run into a problem like this as far as license renewal is concerned; I certainly hope it is the last as well. I've had my licenses (Novice, Tech,and now General) a total of 51 years, and don't want to lose the General if I can help it.