Fred, FCC ULS Glitch Late yesterday I exchanged emails with the FCC management official in Gettysburg spearheading the effort on the ground to make corrections and get the system back up and running for amateur applications. His response was that the FCC ULS team is working hard to address the problem and to clean up the affected applications already in the system “absolutely as soon as possible”. I intend to send this information to NQ1R and if HQ sees fit, maybe there would be some benefit to making it a 1- or 2- paragraph release so that applicants are assured that the ARRL is keeping abreast on the FCC amateur application processing problems so that it can better advise its members. Your Constituent With regard specifically to the application of your constituent, Peter Hirst: the public side of ULS shows that his application for a General class license was successfully submitted by the Greater LA AR Group VEC. The fee was paid on April 22 and the application was granted that same day. Issuance of the license was not completed, however, because of the software glitch being worked on. The license will be issued when the fix is tested and implemented by the FCC, no further action by the applicant or the Greater LA AR Group VEC will help. On May 2, the applicant submitted another application, this one to modify his first application to add his FAX number to the contact information provided on his original application. Processing has been completed on his second application and it will be updated when this part of ULS is back up and running. Conclusion I think we all understand the frustration of waiting for our first callsign so that we can get on the air. But these things happen, this is exclusively in the hands of the FCC ULS IT staff, and I’ve confirmed through multiple exchanges with them that getting this fixed and going again is their first priority right now. Directors and officers can certainly say publicly that the ARRL is well aware of the problem and has been keeping in close touch with the responsible FCC staff. As of Friday afternoon May 6, the FCC staff was giving the problem high priority and continuing work to implement the changes to the software that are needed. 73, Dave K3ZJ David R. Siddall Managing Partner DS Law, PLLC 1629 K St. NW, Ste 300 Washington, DC 20006 direct: +1 202 559 4690 Unauthorized Disclosure Prohibited. This e-mail is intended solely for the intended recipient(s) and may contain information that is proprietary, confidential or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, it is prohibited to disclose, copy, distribute, or use the contents of this email and its attachments. If you received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all electronic and physical copies of the e-mail message and its attachments. Unintended transmission shall not constitute waiver of attorney-client or any other privilege. Thank you. From: Fred Kemmerer <fkemmerer@anita-fred.net> Date: Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 11:04 AM To: "david@davidsiddall-law.com" <david@davidsiddall-law.com> Cc: "arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org" <arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> Subject: FW: FCC not issuing licenses Hello David, I hope that all is well with you. See the attached thread about the problems with the FCC issuing new callsigns since the new ULS system went online. I know that you are most likely aware of this situation. Can you share any updates about what might be going on and/or any news about when the problems might be resolved? Best and 73, Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC Tel: (603) 413-5400 Mail: ab1oc@arrl.org<mailto:ab1oc@arrl.org> ARRL New England Division Director [Text, logo Description automatically generated] From: Peter Hirst <hirst@mit.edu> Date: Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 10:55 AM To: "ab1oc@arrl.org" <ab1oc@arrl.org> Subject: Fwd: FCC not issuing licenses Resent-From: <AB1OC@arrloffice.onmicrosoft.com> Resent-Date: Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 10:55 AM Dear Fred (if I may) Please see my message below - can you offer me any advice on whether there is anything else I can do here? Many thanks Peter Sent from my iPhone - please forgive all-thumbs typos and autocorrects! Begin forwarded message: From: Peter Hirst <peter.hirst@mitexeced.net> Date: May 7, 2022 at 10:45:38 AM EDT To: William Driscoll <wmd@driscollesq.com> Subject: Re: FCC not issuing licenses Thank you very much Bill (if I may!) I will try contacting Fred. Best Peter Sent from my iPhone - please forgive all-thumbs typos and autocorrects! On May 7, 2022, at 10:14 AM, William Driscoll <wmd@driscollesq.com> wrote: Dear Mr. Hirst: I believe your best contact would be our New England Division leader Fred Kemmerer (AB10C). Fred can be reached by telephone at 603-413-5400 and by email at ab1oc@arrl.org<mailto:ab1oc@arrl.org>. Very truly yours, Bill Driscoll KA1WEW On May 6, 2022, at 9:07 PM, Peter Hirst <peter.hirst@mitexeced.net<mailto:peter.hirst@mitexeced.net>> wrote: Dear Mr Driscoll I write as an ARRL member having found your listing as a volunteer counsel on the ARRL website. I write to seek your advice regarding the current situation with the FCC not issuing amateur callsigns for the past 3+ weeks. I am one of the unfortunate individuals whose application was submitted on the first day of the new ULS system, which crashed. Many or even I would say the majority of people in that same cohort have subsequently received their callsigns, but I have not. I have spoken three times now to the FCC call center and feel like they are giving me the runaround and saying “just wait”. So this week I emailed the acting director of the FCC Wireless Division: he replied impressively quickly (within the hour!) and said he had forwarded my inquiry internally. But still nothing. I understand that technology systems can run into issues (especially in government it seems) but this is becoming increasingly frustrating, especially being told I have just have to wait and the FCC makes no commitment to turnaround time. The FCC is now charging a $35 fee for this “service”. I paid that fee promptly and it seems to me there ought to be both a contractual obligation on the FCC and possibly (hopefully) a requirement to implement policies and processes in a timely manner as a public office. There ought to at least be transparency and communication about what is going on. I have no way of knowing whether this might be resolved in a day or drag on for weeks or months. I am surprised the ARRL is not visibly being more proactive and seems to be just accepting this situation. Is there anything that can be done to get the FCC to open up about what is going on; and ensure they are not dragging their feet on a solution ? I am not sure what the scope of “volunteer counsel” entails, but if you are advising ARRL, I hope you will urge them to be more proactive about this issue both in lobbying the FCC and communication with members. And if this is the kind of matter where you might provide legal advice and representation to an individual (or create a class as surely there is a rapidly growing logjam?) I have reached a point of frustration where I would consider retaining counsel myself to assist in putting pressure on the FCC to end its moratorium on issuing be call signs, or at the very least set out a timeline for doing so. I look forward to hearing your thoughts about this. Sincerely Peter Hirst 8 Curtis Road Boxford MA 01921 Senior Associate Dean MIT Sloan School of Management Http://executive.mit.edu Sent from my iPhone - please forgive all-thumbs typos and autocorrects!
