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President's Message
Welcome back to another year of school, work and FARA! We're starting off the year with some good news. The Annual FARA Picnic is being held on Sunday, September 5th, at our usual place, the YMCA's Harrington Outdoor Center, off route 140 in West Boylston. Tickets are still only $5 for those over 12. I hope to see you all there. I will be bringing the kayak.
In spite of the financial challenges facing a group like FARA, the board has decided to keep dues at the current $10 level for another year. However, we are asking that you pay your dues promptly, to avoid missing an issue of the Circuit! Y2K FARA dues are payable starting in September, and we need to receive your check before December 15, to insure that you get the January issue of the Circuit.
Also in September, we have our semi-annual Flea Market. Please come and support the club, and tell all your friends that this is a chance for them to unload all those old computer parts and get some different stuff to store in that corner of the garage.
Last, but certainly not least, the beam's back! We're ready to contest again. The vertical will be going back up shortly, as soon as we work on some guying and radial issues we have.
73,
Peter, KA1AXY
ULS opens for Amateur Business August 16
ARRL Headquarters
August 13, 1999
Submitted by Peter, KA1AXY
The FCC's Universal Licensing System opens its doors to Amateur Radio Monday, August 16. The FCC reported August 13 that the ULS would be out of service until then to prepare for implementation. Amateurs should wait until the ULS is back on-line August 16 to register.
The ULS ushers in an era of electronic, interactive filing and handling of Amateur Radio applications and marks a major change in the way Amateur Radio applicants will deal with the FCC. It also means the demise of the familiar paper FCC Form 610 series in favor of the "universal" Form 605--primarily designed for electronic use but also available on paper. Amateurs filing applications with the FCC under the ULS will use Form 605 for all purposes except--at least for now--club station applications.
The FCC began a weeklong ULS phase-in period for the Amateur Service August 8 and has been converting existing Amateur Radio licensing data into the ULS database. Electronic Amateur Radio renewal using FCC Form 900 was scheduled to end August 9. Electronic vanity call sign application using Form 610V was to terminate August 13 at 530 PM Eastern Time. Hams should not try to file renewal or vanity applications until the ULS comes up August 16.
Before using the ULS to file an application, renew or modify a license, or apply for a vanity call sign, all amateurs must register. When registering, individuals eligible to hold a Social Security Number must provide this number--which the FCC refers to as a Taxpayer Information Number or TIN. This requirement is a mandate of Congress, not of the FCC. All hams must be registered in the ULS to do business with the FCC.
Applicants use TIN Registration Form 606 for both
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