It's that time again!

[n1exi]

I received a letter from W5IY yesterday reminding me that it's time for renewal - just fill out a form and remit payment - I have viewed comments here regarding special event callsigns and curious to know has anyone used this service for my application.

Greg - n1exi

[WD8BIL]

Greg, if you have your FRN you can renew online at the FCC website for nothin".
No need to pay W5YI for sumpthin you can do for free.

Renewal Info

[W3SLK]

Budly said:

Greg, if you have your FRN you can renew online at the FCC website for nothin".
No need to pay W5YI for sumpthin you can do for free.

What he said!

[w3jn]

Just renewed myself, there was a charge for keeping the vanity call which I paid with plastic.  Took 2 minutes,,, but you need the ULS info and your password.

[k4kyv]

The FCC website and and obtaining FRN was a PITA, very user unfriendly the first time I tried to use it. But once I obtained a FRN it took only a couple of minutes of typing and a couple of clicks and my renewal was done.  I think they have vastly improved their site since I first had to navigate it to register for a FRN.

To me, the W5YI registration-for-a-fee is a scam.  If they made a few bucks off the renewals of only a small percentage of the tickets that expire each month, that would still be a pretty good income stream.  It probably takes them less than a minute per renewal. Others are doing it as well; I have heard hams say they received letters telling them that they must use the services of a (for-pay) third-party in order to renew. Kinda like the Medicare "advantage-plan" ripoffs that a lot of elderly people get sucked into.

[Ed-VA3ES]

Renewal?  Whuzzat?     Our licenses are issued for life.     Our licenses comprise our Certificate of Proficiency  with an attached license.    $60. for life.    The Certificate also has a small wallet size removable  license card at the botttom.     

[N3DRB The Derb]

Ed, what's your power limit up there? Higher than the states, right?

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

I used the FCC site last year to renew, once I got the necessary info it was a piece-o-cake. Received my renewed and updated license a week or so later. Had no idea I was a boot until someone emailed me from 8 Land.

[Ralph W3GL]

I use my freebee ARRL service for this chore... Works GREAT!  (Life member, 60+ years...)

[KB2WIG]

The ARRL always sends me a renewal notice for free.

klc

[WD8BIL]

K4KYV wrote

I think they have vastly improved their site since I first had to navigate it to register for a FRN.

That's interesting Don. I got my ULS password unsolicited in the mail in Feb. 2001. I still have the letter/notice of the changeover to the online system in my desk drawer here. Most of the hams I've talked with remember getting the notice but "can't find it anymore".

'Course when you only need to renew every 10 years the phrase;"now where'd that notice go?" seems to come out quite quickly!

[k4kyv]

I got my ULS password unsolicited in the mail in Feb. 2001.

They never sent me one.  I recall the FCC was encouraging everyone to apply for a ULS number, but the first time I tried, I couldn't successfully navigate the system.  Some of the links you were supposed to click on refused to open, as I recall.  So I said to hell with it till I actually needed it to renew, a couple of years later.  It worked without a hitch then.

If I needed it to-day, I wouldn't have a clue with what I did with it or what the number is, so at next renewal, I hope it will be easy to recover the number online from the FCC site.

[Ralph W3GL]

Don,

On checking the QRZ site I found the following under your call (additional info):

"ULS Record:  247088 FCC page"

How simple is that?