HAMS & ULS from column 1

ing 686,180 licensees.
   The FCC's Steve Linn, N4CAK, says the Commission ran its own numbers and came up with a similar figure--although without subtracting for those within the two-year grace period. "The quick run done here looked at all active records--717,314--and how many had Licensee ID numbers, giving 18.1%," Linn said this week. "Take out the grace records and we're in the same ballpark."
   During his comments at the Dayton Hamvention FCC forum, Linn encouraged amateur licensees to register with ULS to "lock in" their FCC records. ULS registration, he said, "protects your call sign within the system" and could prevent it from inadvertently being deleted or reissued due to a filing error.
   All amateurs must be registered with the ULS in order to file applications with the FCC, even for such routine matters as a change of address or a license renewal. Registration requires that licensees supply a Taxpayer Identification Number, or TIN--a Social Security number for an individual. Some ama-
teurs have protested that requirement citing privacy concerns, but
the FCC has maintained that it's bound by the Debt Collection Improvement Act to require it.
   Last month, the FCC announced that it has begun implementing the new Commission Registration System, or CORES. Registration in CORES eventually will replace ULS registration, although the FCC has not indicated just when the switch will occur. CORES registration also will require registrants to supply a TIN. Those already registered in ULS need not register again in CORES, however. The FCC says the ULS will continue to be the pri-
mary Amateur Radio licensee data

See Hams & ULS 3rd column

Testing is conducted at the Red Cross Building on Elizabeth Street at 8:30 A.M. on the second Saturday of every month. (Other times may be arranged.)  A total of $6.65 will charged for  each element All elements and code use the multiple choice format. Individual ear phones are used for code testing.Testing is always sponsored by the ARRL-VEC. For more information call Mitch Martin, WA5ZAP @ 561-9397, Email: wa5zap@apex2000.net  or Sterling Talley,Contact Person, WB5G @ 684-6994, Email: sterling@apex2000.net.

Fewer Than One-Fifth Of HAMS are ULS-Registered

Published  by permission from The ARRl Letter, Vol. 19, No. 30, August 4, 2000.

The FCC has confirmed that fewer than one-fifth of US Amateur Radio licensees--including club stations--are registered on the Universal Licensing System. The FCC deployed the ULS for the Amateur Service just under a year ago, although registration has been available far longer.
   The question of how many hams now were ULS-registered arose during the July 21 meeting of the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators, held in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Not even the FCC officials on hand had an answer. After the meeting, RC Smith, W6RZA, of the Greater Los Angeles VEC crunched some numbers to see if he could supply one for his colleagues.
   Starting with the 717,629 licensees in the FCC database at that point, Smith subtracted the 31,449 determined to be expired but within the two-year grace period. Sorting on the Licensee ID Number field, Smith came up with 129,947 ULS registrants, or 18.9% of the remain-

See HAMS & ULS, 2nd column

HAMS & ULS from column 2

plications and updates.
   The FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau recently announced expanded hours for ULS technical support. ULS users may now reach the FCC Technical Support Hotline, 202-414-1250, from 7 AM to 10 PM weekdays. Weekend service is newly available. On Saturdays the Hotline will be available from 8 AM until 7 PM and on Sundays from noon until 6 PM (all times Eastern). Users also may contact tech support via e-mail at ulscomm@fcc.gov.
   For more information, to access the ULS or to register, visit the FCC's ULS site, http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls.

Rig Testing from page 1

SAR Radio Room from 10AM to 2PM. Be prepared to QRX a bit. Last time a lot of Amateurs showed up.

Your editor put this in the news, since it might be a good idea for MARC. It might draw some hams that are not members.