The FCC's Universal Licensing System is up and running for the Amateur Service, although it didn't happen without a few wrinkles and some frustration on the part of hams trying to register or use the system. At one point on August 16—the first day the ULS was available to hams—no one could access the system, even for registration. But the downtime lasted less than an hour, according to an FCC spokesperson. “The system itself has been running smoothly,” he said. The system also was down briefly on Wednesday and Thursday.

Some hams reported slow response times in accessing the ULS to register or search the existing database information. Others found themselves confounded by the new system.

ARRL New England Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI, used the ULS this week to renew his license. “It wasn't a pleasant experience,” he remarked, citing the complexity of configuring the dial-up connection required. “It’s nice to renew on-line, but I'm glad I won't have to do it for another ten years.” A Midwest ham equipped with a cable modem at first had decided he'd rather file a paper application than to take a step backward in technology. But he managed the dial-up connection and gave the ULS a tentative thumbs up. “It’s certainly a snap once you've done it once, but I'm afraid the dial-up aspect will scare off most folks,” he said.

The FCC has disabled the former on-line vanity Form 610V and renewal Form 900 applications and redirected all amateur applicants to the ULS page.

Even though all amateurs already are in the FCC database as licensees, ULS registration is a must—before filing an application, renewing or modifying a license, or applying for a vanity call sign. Applications filed through a VEC automatically register the applicant in ULS, as do paper applications mailed to FCC that include the applicant’s Social Security Number. Applications filed on-line by anyone not registered in the ULS will be dismissed. Registration requires first providing your Social Security Number or other Taxpayer Identification Number, then registering your call sign.

To register electronically, visit http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls/ and click on “TIN/Call Sign Registration.” A paper Form 606 (TIN Registration Form) that can be mailed to the FCC is available at http://www.fcc.gov/formpage.html or from the FCC's Forms Distribution Center, 800-418-FORM (3676). Paper forms may be faxed (717-338-2693) or mailed to the FCC, 1270 Fairfield Rd, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245.

While amateurs can use a Web network connection to register or to search the ULS for individual call signs or application status, applicants must use a toll-free telephone connection to the FCC's Wide Area Network in order to actually file an application on the new ULS Form 605. Complete connection instructions are on the FCC’s ULS home page, http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls, under “Connecting to ULS.” Connecting to the ULS requires Netscape 4.5 or higher.

The ULS phase-in has created a backlog of new amateur applications at Volunteer Examiner Coordinators. ARRL-VEC Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, said that while the FCC has begun accepting some data from VECs, the quantity allowed to be submitted has been very low—10-20 applications per VEC were accepted the first three days after ULS went into effect for hams. “Not all VECs are set up to file under the new system yet.” To date, only Monday's data appears to have been successfully processed,” Jahnke said at week's end. “The ARRL-VEC is ready to transmit nearly 70 test sessions containing more than 150 successful applications, once the FCC gives us the green light.”

As a result, applicants for new amateur licenses will have to wait a few more days—perhaps several days—longer before their new call signs are issued by the FCC. In addition, no vanity call sign applications were processed during the ULS phase-in period last week. Once the ULS is working as planned, automated processing of electronically filed applications is supposed to occur nightly each business day, but there will be no weekend processing under the ULS.

The FCC said it expects to tackle the VEC application backlog very soon. It also said it hoped to have the ZIP file available daily for Web call sign servers and others to access. At this time, the ULS is not accepting any club station applications. Trustees and custodians of club, military recreation, and RACES licenses should continue to use the old Form 610B to file applications for those stations and should not use their personal Social Security Number as the TIN for these licenses. Club station trustees and applicants should contact ULS Technical Support at 202-414-1250 to obtain an Assigned Taxpayer ID Number for each club license and provide it on the Form 610B.

The FCC says that anyone who fails to register in the ULS will be unable to receive services from the FCC. This means the FCC will not process future license grants, upgrades, modifications or renewals for any applicant not registered in the ULS. The FCC recommends that all amateurs register now, even if they have no immediate need to transact business with the FCC.

Amateurs having ULS problems or questions should contact the FCC's ULS Technical Support staff at 202-414-1250.