AG08
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 8  ARLB008
>From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  February 24, 2016
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB008
ARLB008 FCC Seeks Comments on Petition to Grant Lifetime Amateur
Radio Licenses

The FCC is seeking comments on a Petition for Rule Making (RM 11760
- available on the web at,
apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=60001333714 ) that asks
the FCC to grant lifetime Amateur Radio licenses. Mark F. Krotz,
N7MK, of Mesa, Arizona, filed his request with the FCC last
November. He wants the FCC to revise Part 97.25 of its rules to
indicate that Amateur Radio licenses are granted for the holder's
lifetime, instead of for the current 10 year term. Krotz noted that
the General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL) already is issued
on a lifetime basis, and he maintained that not having to renew
licenses would lighten the FCC's workload.

'It would be mutually beneficial for the FCC and Amateur Radio
operators to update Part 97 to grant operator licenses for lifetime,
Krotz said in his filing. 'The FCC would benefit by reducing
administrative costs.'

In 2014 the FCC granted lifetime credit for examination elements 3
and 4, but applicants seeking relicensing under that provision still
must pass examination element 2.

Individuals may submit comments
(apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/proceeding/view?name=RM-11760) via the
FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS).