FCC Radio Operator's Permit

Timbeck2

Timbeck2

Final Approach
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Timbeck2
Planning on flying into Mexico this summer. I've found a 21 step process online on how to get one. Who has one and how much arse pain did you have to go through to get it?
 
Timbeck2 said:
Planning on flying into Mexico this summer. I've found a 21 step process online on how to get one. Who has one and how much arse pain did you have to go through to get it?
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I've got one, and I don't remember it being a pain. But, I got it 10yrs ago so maybe it's changed. At least it's a one time deal, so once you've done it you don't have to worry about it again.
 
Timbeck2 said:
Isn't it only good for 10 years?
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I got mine in Jan 08 and it doesn't list an expiration. It's a restricted operators license, is that what you're applying for?

Edit: Just googled it and it says lifetime of the holder
 
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I got mine in 1965 ,no expiration date. Haven't needed it for Canada or the Bahamas.
 
Fill out the form via the FCC and pay the ridiculous fee, I think that's about all there is to it. I had a trip to the Bahamas planned (which fell through due to weather), and I decided to skip the FCC license because I'd read extensively that the Bahamas just doesn't care. I have, however, read that Mexico is much more strict.
 
You got two licensees, one, restricted operators, for you, which is cheap and never expires, takes like 10 min to fill the app out here. This one DOES NOT expire

https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsEntry/licManager/login.jsp


Then your plane needs a license as a station, that one costs a little more, you can get it at the same link I posted. I will say for Canada, at least, no one cares and even if they did they have, as far as I know, zero enforcement for a FAA cert or plane, so worse you'd get is a talking too. This one DOES expire.


Here the restricted operators one.
image.jpg
 
Fill out the information and pay the fee. Easiest "license" you'll ever get.
 
Both the station license (good for 10 years) and the operator license (good forever) are easy to get online, once you find the right page to get started. That was the hard part. Once you're there and logged in, you put in your information, pay the fee with a credit card, and a day later get an e-mail with a link to download the PDF official copy of your license.
 
iamtheari said:
Both the station license (good for 10 years) and the operator license (good forever) are easy to get online, once you find the right page to get started. That was the hard part. Once you're there and logged in, you put in your information, pay the fee with a credit card, and a day later get an e-mail with a link to download the PDF official copy of your license.
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Indeed, finding the page and getting started was the hardest part. It looks like James331 has posted the correct link though.

I think I spent a good 4 hours trying to figure out how/where to start filling out the application. Once I figured it out I think it took less than 15 minutes to fill it out. $65, if I remember right.
 
thanks everyone, that made it easy. I got the restricted operator's permit.
 
James331 said:
Then your plane needs a license as a station, that one costs a little more, you can get it at the same link I posted. I will say for Canada, at least, no one cares and even if they did they have, as far as I know, zero enforcement for a FAA cert or plane, so worse you'd get is a talking too. This one DOES expire.
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My understanding of this (from long ago and currently not verified) is that Canada does not require this license. But the US officials require it on re-entry to the US. -Skip
 
If you have my luck, the ONE time you don't have it, they'll ask you for it.
 
Timbeck2 said:
If you have my luck, the ONE time you don't have it, they'll ask you for it.
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Same here. I'm the guy going with the flow of a million cars of traffic at 1mph over the limit and then getting pulled over and written a ticket. No way am I going to roll my dice on getting busted on a technicality like this while operating an aircraft to, in, or back from a foreign country. Others may have better dice to roll.
 
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iamtheari said:
I'm the guy going with the flow of a million cars of traffic at 1mph over the limit and then getting pulled over and written a ticket.
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Best way I've heard this explained is the fishing metaphor. Ever toss a baited hook into a school of fish doing the same thing? Ever catch them all? Made me laugh.
 
NJP_MAN said:
I wish I would have thought of this. Never been asked for the license in the 6 countries I have been to.
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I'm guessing the FCC doesn't keep an accurate, publically available list. And if they do, who would bother looking, if you had the doc in hand?
 
Skip Miller said:
My understanding of this (from long ago and currently not verified) is that Canada does not require this license. But the US officials require it on re-entry to the US. -Skip
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Correct me if I'm wrong here, but the US doesn't require and of that stuff in the first place, and could care less if a pilot has it, it's other countries who want that.

I've never been asked about it comming back stateside.
 
James331 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but the US doesn't require and of that stuff in the first place, and could care less if a pilot has it, it's other countries who want that.

I've never been asked about it comming back stateside.
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Correct you if you are wrong? Boy are you asking for it on this site !!!! You will get corrected even when you are right.
 
I have a General Radiotelephone operators permit and a Radiotelegraph Operators Permit.
 
Sundancer said:
I'm guessing the FCC doesn't keep an accurate, publically available list. And if they do, who would bother looking, if you had the doc in hand?
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They do, it's online. But you're probably correct about the latter unless you run into someone who's a perfectionist.
 
Another related question. I filled this out a few months ago and got a link to download a reference copy. (Big semi-transparent grey REFERENCE COPY text across the document) I was expecting to be mailed a copy, but never received one. Is the download all you get now when you fill it out?
 
So that radio license I got way back when I started flying is good for life. If I'm reading all this right I'm supposed to have it if I fly to Canada or Mexico. Canada don't really care but Mexico does. If I decide I need it, is it easier to get a duplicate, or just start over and get a new one?
 
Somedudeintn said:
Another related question. I filled this out a few months ago and got a link to download a reference copy. (Big semi-transparent grey REFERENCE COPY text across the document) I was expecting to be mailed a copy, but never received one. Is the download all you get now when you fill it out?
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The FCC seems to be big on PDF files as the form of licenses. My commercial certificates were just PDF files (roughly in the same format as my amateur ticket as well).
 
Somedudeintn said:
Another related question. I filled this out a few months ago and got a link to download a reference copy. (Big semi-transparent grey REFERENCE COPY text across the document) I was expecting to be mailed a copy, but never received one. Is the download all you get now when you fill it out?
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Just a PDF like the one I posted
 
James331 said:
Just a PDF like the one I posted
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Mine looks the same except it's branded OFFICIAL COPY over the top and it sasy GENERAL rather than RESTRICTED.

No longer a fee to the FCC for the GENERAL RADIOTELEPHONE or RADIOTELEGRAPH licences so I guess I can forgive them (though I did end up giving a testing fee to CATS).
 
flyingron said:
Mine looks the same except it's branded OFFICIAL COPY over the top and it sasy GENERAL rather than RESTRICTED.

No longer a fee to the FCC for the GENERAL RADIOTELEPHONE or RADIOTELEGRAPH licences so I guess I can forgive them (though I did end up giving a testing fee to CATS).
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What's the difference between general and restricted?
 
James331 said:
What's the difference between general and restricted?
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You get a restricted for just paying the fee. The GENERAL you have to take a few written tests. It used to be the GENERAL was needed for just about any professional radio work (working on commercial business radios, broadcast, aviation, ships at sea, etc...). Most of that has been deregulated away. The only use for the GENERAL now is for working on aviation radios (in the auspices of a repair station) and for marine station work. In both cases the FCC doesn't give a hoot. It's the Coast Guard and the FAA that want you to have the archaic paper.
 
jordane93 said:
Fill out the information and pay the fee. Easiest "license" you'll ever get.
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Do the airlines require you to hold an fcc license of some sort? I feel like I've seen that as a requirement on a few websites.
 
So is all this required if you have an amature radio license already?
 
Does the restricted licence make you good to go for using a handheld radio for ground ops?
 
Unit74 said:
So is all this required if you have an amature radio license already?
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Yes. Other than in an emergency, an amateur license does not convey privileges outside the amateur bands.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Does the restricted licence make you good to go for using a handheld radio for ground ops?
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I doubt that it has any effect on that. For one thing, it's an operator's license, not a station license.
 
Unit74 said:
So is all this required if you have an amature radio license already?
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Yep, an amateur license is pretty much useless outside the ham bands. If you got an Amateur Extra Class license back when it meant something, you do get credit towards your commercial RADIOTELEGRAPH license code requirement.
 
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