Am Thu, 05 Apr 2018 08:13:34 -0700, schrieb Jeff Liebermann:
I can see that you've never dealt with a lawyer.
Jeff is right about lawyers, but wrong about the FRN, but not completely
so!
It's technical, with nuance, but I was on the phone with the FCC today for
almost an hour, and the end result is that you *can* get the Ham Radio
License (Technicians Class) without giving them a SSN.
After noting that the question is not in the FCC Ham Radio FAQ
http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/index.htm?job=faq
I called the FCC today at 202-418-4120 & was bounced all over the FCC:
https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/available-support-services
So this is a summary, which is simpler than what actually happened.
Starting here (877-480-3201), you hit x4 to get the FRN department who
knows about FRN numbers but not licensing.
Starting here (877-480-3201), you hit x2 to get the ULS department who
knows about licensing but not about FRN numbers.
Bouncing back and forth between them, you end up finding out:
- You can tell the FCC that you don't have a SSN (don't ask, don't tell)
- Or, you can use the last 4 digits & get a "Restricted Use FRN"
- Or, you can use zero digits & get a "Special Use FRN" (form 323).
The latter two really don't apply to individuals, but they will "probably"
work. I have a few FRNs already, as the FRN guy walked me through the whole
process, where I advise you have, ahead of time, this written down:
1. You must give them a real email address (they send a verification note).
2. You can register for as many FRNs as you want with that email address.
3. The password is a bitch (no fewer than 12 characters, no more than 15
characters, a number, both cases, & a special character)
4. Best best is to register for a "regular" FRN & don't give them the SSN
Here are the steps:
A. Go to the FCC web site
https://www.fcc.gov
B. On the top blue bar, press the "Licensing & Databases" tab
https://www.fcc.gov/licensing
C. On the left side, click the "FCC Registration System (CORES)" link
https://www.fcc.gov/licensing-databa...tration-system
D. On the right hand side, click "Register and update Username Account"
https://apps2.fcc.gov/fccUserReg/pages/login.htm
E. On the right hand side, click to create a new account
https://apps2.fcc.gov/fccUserReg/pag...ateAccount.htm
F. Check your email for the verification mail & click the verification link
G. Now go back to step C/D to "Create, update and associate FRN(s)"
https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do
H. When you log in, you'll end up in your "user home"
https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userHome.do
I. Click on the "Register New FRN" link
https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/regEntity...AxQAvfjuDVtKvo
J. It's ok to tell the truth here that you're an individual in the USA
K. When you hit the "continue" button, now you have to decide
Do you want a "restricted use FRN" (i.e., only requires 4 SSN digits) --- this is what the FRN helpdesk suggested
Do you want a "regular use FRN" (i.e., doesn't require a SSN)
L. I did both, so I have _two_ FRNs now, but you can pick one.
M. Most people will pick a "regular" FRN so let's do that now
N. Click on "CORES FRN Registration" link & press "continue"
O. Fill out the form noticing the line that says:
If you do not have a Social Security Number, select a reason:
P. The available reasons a
- Applied for
- Exempted Activities ----- this is what the ULS helpdesk suggested
- The individual is a petitioner
- The individual is foreign
Q. Enter in the following required information:
- First Name: (it takes an initial)
- Last Name:
- Address:
- City: (always amazes me they ask for city when they have zip)
- Zip:
- State: (always amazes me they ask for state when they have zip)
- Email: (why ask this if you're already logged in?)
R. Press "Submit" and you'll get an immediate on-screen confirmation:
"Thank you for registering with the FCC.
As of today, Apr 5 2018 9:44AM, you have been assigned the following
FCC Registration Number (FRN): 0072678193"
S. Write that number down as you don't seem to get an email confirmation.
Don't do what I ended up doing, which is that the FRN helpdesk told me to
create a "restricted use FRN" so I did (which still requires the last four
digits of your SSN); but the ULS helpdesk told me to create an "Exempted
Activities" FRN (which they told me is for people who don't want to give
out their SSN) - so now I have both.
You can't delete the FRN on the web page but you can ask the FCC to delete
it by sending an email to " and the form 323 people
don't have a phone number but you can ask questions of them via email to
".
Let me know if I left anything out that you need, but this seems to be the
process, where both the CORES and FRN people told me lots of people ask the
question (so why isn't it in the FCC FAQ?).