Will the Proposed $50 FCC Amateur Radio License Fee Impact Getting Kids on the Air?

I’m sure you have heard it by now… the FCC is proposing to bring back licensing fees for amateur radio operators. As I understand it, the fee will be $50 across the board for new licensees, upgrades, vanity call sign applications, etc. As with everything, I tend to look at it through the lens of how it will impact getting kids on the air.

First, let me preface this by saying I am a middle school teacher. I teach STEM and computer science. I am fortunate in that my administration has given me the opportunity to teach amateur radio to some of my students. Last year (school year) we had 26 students and three staff members earn their amateur radio license. Every one of those tested for free. There was no testing fee, thanks to the Laurel VEC, the University of Mississippi Amateur Radio Club, and GLAARG. The UM Laurel team administered almost all of the tests to my kids. GLAARG picked up when COVID-19 kicked in, and graciously offered to test my students free of charge.

Now, the FCC is proposing to reinstate fees for amateur radio licenses. What impact would this have on my mission of getting kids on the air? It would be catastrophic. For my age group of students, $50 is a huge chunk of money. If each of my students had been required to pay $50 to the FCC for a license, I might have had 5 students, not 26, earn their licenses.

Now, I understand there are many in the ham radio community who believe that getting kids on the air is a waste of time. They make arguments like they are not a money spending demographic, they don’t even know what they want to do with radio, etc. Let me take a moment to address those folks. There is some truth to your statements.

Let’s start with the fact that they are not a money spending demographic. True. Most kids don’t have a ton of money to buy radios and antenna systems. If these kids don’t get on the air as kids, they may never get on the air at all. That is where I try to make a difference. I have a station at school. These kids do get on the air. While they don’t spend money now, they learn to love the hobby. They experiment, they learn to build gear, and when they do have disposable income, they can buy gear. The interest has to be sparked early for a hobby to grow. Kids also have the advantage of not knowing what ‘can’t’ be done. Their imagination knows few limits. They innovate. They help the hobby evolve. These are the people who will go on to create new modes, new technology, etc. Taking away their ability to get licensed because of a $50 licensing fee hurts us all in the long run.

Next, they don’t know what they want to do with radio. Again… true. But that is the strength of have kids on the air. They don’t know what they want to do, or even what they can do… so they soak it all up like a sponge. They explore radio, they experiment, the innovate, they create. As an educator, that is my ultimate goal. I want kids to take what I show them and build upon it, to explore the possibilities… and to create new possibilities. So, no, they don’t know what they want to do yet… but what they come up with is exactly what they want to do. For technology to evolve and grow, the mindset of doing what has always been done has to go away…. kids are the path to that.

Now, a story. Many hams say that kids lack the perseverance to stick it out and learn the material. They say that kids lose interest. Don’t we all? My daughter first started studying for her license after the opportunity to operate outside at a local park came up. Now, folks who follow my YouTube channel know that Jherica and I enjoy POTA activations, and think you know the beginnings of Jherica and operating at parks. I’m afraid you don’t know all of it.

You see, this was at a local park. It was actually a JOTA station (Jamboree on the Air) that we came across while at the park. I was chatting with the hams and they offered for Jherica to get on the air. She jumped at the chance. She fell in love. She had to be a ham… I had not pushed her into studying, instead she loved plotting places I talked to on a map. It wasn’t until she got to do radio outdoors that she really wanted her own license…. so she started studying.

She studied hard, but fell one question short when she tested several months after this picture was taken. She was upset. She didn’t pick the book back up right away. She still helped me with mapping, she watched me operate… she got on the air every now and then with me… Fast forward several years. POTA is a thing now… and I wanted to try it. I had watched some of Mike K8MRD’s videos and got some gear together. I activated the first time just to test things out. The second time, Jherica came with me. I couldn’t get her off the mic. The flame was reignited and she studied. She passed her technician exam shortly after.

Immediately we went out and activated another park for POTA. I made a contact with her. I call it our Feng Gang park to park. She was a technician, so I contacted her on 2m for a park to park contact. Daddy got to be Jherica’s first ham radio contact with her call sign. 🙂 That wasn’t enough. She wanted to activate parks with her own call sign. She wanted to get on HF. The flame was burning strong… so again, she studied to upgrade. She destroyed her general exam. She was motivated.

Jherica now has her own POTA setup. She has antennas, a radio, a battery for portable ops, and she loves getting on the air. She loves getting on the air. She has developed an interest in AMSAT, loves POTA, and loves HF operating.

All this to say that spending time with kids on radio is not a waste. Kids remember. Interests may come and go, but the work and effort is never forgotten. If we make getting a license appear like an insurmountable task, which $50 can be for many kids, we take away important parts of the future of ham radio. So, ask yourself, is $50 worth losing a generation of amateur radio operators? Because, I fear that is exactly what is going to happen if the FCC imposes a $50 fee for licenses.

Take this opportunity to file your comments with the FCC. If we, as hams, sit and say nothing, we lose. Click this link for file comments: FCC COMMENTS. Post comments to MD Docket No. 20-270.