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After
waiting way too long, I finally earned my Amateur Radio Operator license
(KB3UON). So, then I decided to apply for a vanity call sign. I went
to the FCC's Universal License System (ULS) website and dutifully filled
in the form. I got all the way to the part where the data is submitted,
and then a screen appeared asking for payment (which I expected), but
suddenly I realized there were a couple call sign options I had not
listed and decided to back out and start over. No problem, I
though, since the page explicitly stated that no request submissions
would be process without accompanying payment. So, I started
over and submitted the form with the additional vanity call sign options,
then completed the credit card payment screen. All seemed well. Silly
me, I forgot that it was a Government entity. About two weeks
later I received in the mail a letter stating that my application had
been rejected because it was a duplicate filing (see below).
The following day I received another letter stating that the application
was rejected because payment was not received within the required timeframe
(see lower image). The nebulous explanation was useless, so I
contacted the FCC. They told me that the application that I had paid
for was rejected because it was received during the time the first was
waiting for payment, so that made it a duplicate application. The first
one expired for non-payment and was also rejected. The FCC happily
kept my $13.40 filing fee. That will help to guarantee that the average
Federal employee's salary ($108,476 in 2008 inc'l benefits) is well
above the average private industry employee's salary ($69,928 in 2008
inc'l benefits). Source:
USA Today 3/8/2010. Given that the information
screen I received explicitly stated that the first would not be processed
without accompanying payment, I confidently submitted the second form
that also included payment. I exhorted them to consider how a competent
bureaucracy would have considered the circumstances and acted accordingly.
I requested that they process my application or refund my filing fee.
It has been three weeks now, and still no word. I am really looking
forward to having my health care handled by the Fed as well.
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