On March 12, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a public notice titled “Delete, Delete, Delete.” While the name may sound ominous, here’s the good news—no immediate changes have been made to amateur radio regulations.

But there’s more to this story.

The FCC is actively seeking public feedback on a broad set of regulatory reviews, covering everything from telecommunications and public airwaves to amateur radio policy. This notice could lay the groundwork for future changes, so it’s important for the ham radio community to stay informed and involved.

Key Areas of FCC Review

The FCC outlined several focal points for potential reform:

• Cost considerations

• Shifts in the communications marketplace

• Regulatory barriers to entry

• Broader changes to the regulatory framework

While these seem broad, many are focused on the economic value of spectrum, and that’s where amateur radio could be affected.

How the “Delete, Delete, Delete” Agenda Could Affect Ham Radio

Let’s dive into the most significant areas of interest.

1. Spectrum Reallocation Risk

The amateur radio service exists within a competitive marketplace for spectrum. Frequencies such as the 2-meter band (144–148 MHz) are allocated to hams, but some segments—like 900 MHz and 220 MHz—are highly attractive to commercial industries.

Key Points:

• Wireless carriers have spent billions acquiring spectrum in FCC auctions.

• In 2024 alone, a spectrum auction raised nearly $500 million.

• Past examples include the auction of adjacent 220 MHz space for $2 million in 1998.

• HF spectrum could draw attention from financial firms interested in high-frequency trading (HFT).

🚨 Most at risk: Segments that could be monetized, especially if public pressure or government funding needs increase.

2. Potential Licensing Changes

The current FCC licensing system for amateur radio is already streamlined and efficient:

• Online application and modification processes

• Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs) handle much of the legwork

• $35 application fee introduced in 2022 for new licenses, renewals, and vanity calls

Could this change?

• Lifetime licenses or 20-year terms may be on the table

• Major overhauls? Unlikely, due to the system’s efficiency and affordability

💡 At just $3.50/year, a ham license still costs less than your favorite latte.

3. Is the FCC Planning to End Amateur Radio?

It’s a fair question—but extremely unlikely. Here’s why:

• Emergency Preparedness: With over 700,000 licensed operators, ham radio is a critical backup during natural disasters. One example? The Mount Mitchell repeater’s role during Hurricane Helene.

• Global Coordination: The FCC aligns U.S. band plans with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Abrupt changes could cause international conflicts.

• Political Advocacy: The amateur radio community includes many civically engaged individuals, and support from legislators has been consistent.

👍 Verdict: Amateur radio isn’t going anywhere, but we may lose some regulatory advantages.

4. Antenna Regulation Under Threat

One area that may be on the chopping block is PRB-1, an FCC rule protecting hams from unfair local zoning restrictions compared to commercial towers.

• If eliminated, state and local governments could gain more control—potentially limiting antenna installation in residential areas.

• HOA restrictions? Unfortunately, the FCC isn’t likely to push back on them as part of this agenda.

📌 Tip: If you’re moving to a new area, check HOA rules before buying property!

Recap: What the FCC’s Notice Means for You

Let’s summarize what you need to know:

✅ Spectrum could be reallocated – The FCC has a strong incentive to auction off valuable frequencies, especially as it targets $16 billion in Treasury contributions by 2025.

✅ Licensing might be modernized – We could see extended license terms or even lifetime licenses, but no drastic changes.

✅ Amateur radio is here to stay – Don’t expect the service to disappear, but stay alert for shifts in antenna rights and spectrum usage.

What Can You Do?

Your voice matters. Here’s how to take action:

1. Submit Feedback to the FCC
   Visit FCC.gov and file your comments under Proceeding Number 25-133.

2. Contact Your Representatives
   Your local legislators influence FCC decisions. Share your perspective with them.

3. Stay Informed with Ham Radio Prep
   We’ll keep you updated as the situation evolves.

📲 Follow us on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

Ready to Get Licensed?

Now’s the perfect time to earn your amateur radio license or upgrade to the next level. Our proven courses make it fast, fun, and easy.

🎓 Start your journey today at HamRadioPrep.com

The post FCC’s “Delete, Delete, Delete” – Is Ham Radio at Risk? appeared first on Ham Radio Prep.

In this article:

My introduction to world of amateur radio

On March 23rd, the Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, issued stay at home orders for seven counties, including Delaware, my home county due to COVID-19. Since I am currently a rising senior in college, my spring break was extended in early March and all classes were online for the remainder of the semester. Most people get home at the end of the day, click a remote, turn on a controller or log into a computer, performing a combination of Netflixing, texting, or scrolling through at times, perplexing posts from barely acquaintances. But I wanted something truly captivating to help me survive the mental and social chaos of Coronavirus. I knew something as trivial as a book or puzzle would not suffice. I became immersed in a suggested videos YouTube search for a quarantine hobby that would hold my interest longer than a potentially long and drawn out retreat. My search led me to a YouTube videos about ham radio. I learned that thousands of people around the world were having discussions across a worldwide network of hobbyists. I also learned you can get started with a cheap but controversial Chinese radio on the market, called the Baofeng UV-5R, which sells for anywhere from $20-40.

Setting up my first radio and programming repeaters

I unboxed the radio, and was able to figure out how to download a free, open sourced software, known as Chirp, through a separately purchased programming cord, which utilized a counterfeit chip in its USB. This also required a driver for my Mac. It was important to locate a repeater to extend my range, because my minuscule 4 watt radio could only reach certain bandwidths of lengths limited to a few miles or less.   Geography such as buildings, hills and trees can create barriers to the signal, aswell. A repeater is like a cell tower network for amateur radios, set up by private individuals and clubs, with their own funds. Chirp automatically programmed the local (some 200) repeaters on my radio, within a 40 mile radius of my closest city, Wilmington, DE. With the help of the repeater, my listening or transmitting signal could be amplified to a radius of 40 miles plus. Many local repeaters are also connected to the internet, and to other repeaters with a variety of digital systems, including one known as Echolink, which can allow me to listen to anyone, anywhere on the planet.

Uncovering the hidden discourse

Due to the legal necessity for a license in order to transmit, in my first week, I just listened. I heard repeaters all over the greater Delaware Valley and sub-Philadelphia metropolitan areas. This amounted to three transmissions from Thorndale and Newtown, Pennsylvania, four from Parkesburg, two from Philadelphia, one from Reading, five from Delaware City, Delaware, and one from Pennsville, New Jersey. My first few listening sessions were the type of transmissions one could imagine. As sisbrawny on YouTube commented, “It seems 90% of conversations using ham revolve around the fact they’re using ham.” This is for the most part true. However, I soon found that I was listening for the other 10% of conversations, ones that only someone with a specialized radio and credentials could hear. This not only furthered my interest and knowledge, but introduced me to a variety of interesting acquaintances which I probably never would have met under normal circumstances.

After a motley of local transmissions on the same repeater, I witnessed my first international conversation, via EchoLink. I was listening to repeater N3JLH, in Delaware City, when a robotic voice abruptly announced that EchoLink had been connected. By the local guy’s voice on our end of the repeater, I could tell he was advanced in age. I learned by listening that the individual on the other end of the repeater, via EchoLink was in Israel, and it was about 2:00 AM his time. He was speaking very quietly and mentioned he didn’t want to wake up the other members of his household. After some startlingly normalized conversation about their respective dogs, the conversation drifted toward the lockdown. I learned that in Israel, the lockdown is much more severe, and the government is heavily involved in the international vaccine race. In a few moments, I had learned more relevant and interesting international information (minus the general conversation concerning their dogs), than I could on any news network. Merely listening to the conversation was incredibly eye opening. I never would have imagined how casually and respectfully an old man in the Delaware Valley and someone in Israel could talk about their dogs and the larger, global conflict.

Another conversation of interest, which I had the privilege of hearing, was via Philadelphia’s KD3WT repeater, between a German-American man of roughly middle age, and a man from Manchester, England. The German spent much of the time talking about how he was angry that many people associate Germans with Nazis and the Holocaust, when he hadn’t even been alive for it. The conversation took an even deeper side, when the Englishman and the German discussed how many people who commit horrible atrocities are deemed ‘normal’ and ‘functional’ members of society, right up until the atrocity is committed, and sometimes during. The Englishman agreed, and expressed his disinterest in Word War II related video games and movies, as he thinks they perpetuate unfair stereotypes of the ‘all good’ or ‘all bad guys’. A conversation definitely worthy of listening, it was one where people of two different nationalities, discussed a motley of different and controversial topics, mostly none of which had to do with the Covid 19 outbreak, and neither of them became ‘triggered’, enraged, or corrected each other. Surprisingly, the conversation I witnessed, was more respectful and intellectual than many collegiate, ‘round table’ discussions I have been a party to, which deal with much more tame, even mundane academic topics.

Getting licensed and making contact

After hearing these conversations, I wanted to finally make a contact for myself. With the help of Ham Radio Prep I passed my test for the technician license in June, and received my confirmation from the FCC later that month. I made it a goal to transmit in the few ways possible, via VHF (Very High Frequency), and UHF (Ultra High frequency) and with the local repeaters pre-programed into my radio. I quickly found that nearly everyone I talked to, was unique and had their own personal reasons for joining the hobby. I rapidly racked up a list of regular contacts I talked to weekly. One operator joined the hobby because his great grandfather was an amateur who intercepted the Titanic’s distress signal and became obsessed with the hobby for life from then on. A few others had disabilities preventing them from getting outside. Others were do it yourselfers, tinkerers and preppers. Overall, they were an eclectic group, who all actively maintain the most important aspect of Ham radio, communication. Obviously, by this point, I was hooked.

I have since received a 1960’s Heathkit HW-16 CW rig meant for Morse Code, and have ordered the proper components and how-to books from Ebay and Amazon to get it back online. I am also looking into stepping up to an ‘All Band’ radio such as the Yaesu FT-991, so I can begin to learn other modes besides the 2 meter and 70 CM bands my Baofeng is limited to. I realize now that Ham radio is a lifelong journey in knowledge and a provides unique ways to socialize with others who one may never meet through the course of normal life. Ham radio is also probably the safest and most interesting way to socialize during the era of Coronavirus. I am grateful for this gift and the study tools at hamradioprep.com, which assisted me in passing my technician exam, and look forward to writing for them in the future. I also look forward to sharing my journey as I progress in the radio arts. And remember – you can unlock and discover the hidden discourse for yourself!

Sources:

1.  “ARRL.” FCC License Counts, ARRL, 31 Mar. 2020, www.arrl.org/fcc-license-counts.

2. Cooper, Michael, and Alan Blinder. “Coronavirus Live Updates: Trump Warns of ‘Painful Two Weeks’ Ahead.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 Apr. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/world/coronavirus-news.html.

3. Ortiz, Jorge L. “Coronavirus in the US: How All 50 States Are Responding to This Public Health Emergency.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 31 Mar. 2020, www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/30/coronavirus-stay-home-shelter-in-place-orders-by-state/5092413002/.

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jhr7i-4jbMI&t=1s

Daniel Kipp Astin, KC3PKQ is a resident of Southeastern Pennsylvania and a 22 year old Senior student of Creative Writing at Susquehanna University.

The post Ham Radio, A hidden Discourse appeared first on Ham Radio Prep.

In this guide:

The most fundamental formula in electronics is Ohm’s Law. Ohm’s law explains the relationship between voltage, current and resistance. Ohm’s law states that Voltage (E) equals current (I) multiplied by resistance (R). In modern times, voltage is often represented as a V, but on the test Voltage is represented with an E.

Using Ohm’s law, we can calculate either voltage, current, or resistance, as long as we have two of the three values.

Here is a triangle representation that is useful to help calculate Ohm’s law. Voltage is on top, and current and resistance are on the bottom of the triangle.

Calculate Voltage

As an example, let’s say we want to calculate the Voltage (E).

1. First, circle the Voltage (E)
2. Notice that the Current (I) is side by side with Resistance (R), so add a multiplication sign.
3. Now, you have your answer: Voltage (E) equals Current (I) multiplied by resistance (R)

Let’s solve Ohm’s law for voltage with some real values.

Let’s solve for voltage in a circuit with a 2-ohm resistor with a current of 0.5 amperes flowing through it.

1. First, plug in our values: Voltage = .5 amperes x 2 ohms.
2. Voltage equals 1 volt.

For a circuit with a 10-ohm resistor with a current of 1 ampere flowing through it:

1. Voltage = 1 ampere x 10-ohms
2. Voltage = 10 volts.

The voltage across a 10-ohm resistor if a current of 2 amperes flows through it is 20 volts.

Calculate Amps

Let’s say we want to calculate the current (I).

1. First, circle the Current (I)
2. Notice that the Voltage (E) is on top of Resistance (R), so add a division sign
3. Now, you have your answer: current (I) equals voltage (E) divided by resistance (R).

For a circuit with an applied voltage of 120 volts across a resistance of 80 ohms:

1. Current(I) = 120 volts divided by 80 ohms
2. Current = 1.5 amperes.

For a circuit with a 100-ohm resistor connected across 200 volts: 2 amperes.

1. Current(I) = 200 volts divided by 100 ohms
2. Current (I) = 2 amperes.

For a circuit with a 24-ohm resistor connected across 240 volts:

1. Current(I) = 240 volts divided by 24 ohms
2. Current (I) = 10 amperes.

The current through a 24-ohm resistor connected across 240 volts is 10 amperes.

Calculate Resistance

Now, let’s use the triangle to calculate resistance.

1. First, circle the Resistance (R)
2. Notice that the Voltage (E) is on top of Resistance (I), so add a division sign
3. Now, you have your answer: resistance (R) equals voltage (E) divided by current (I)

Let’s say we have a circuit in which a current of 3 amperes flows through a resistor connected to 90 volts, and we want to calculate the resistance.

1. We know from our triangle that Resistance (R) = Voltage (E) divided by current (I).
2. We plug in our values of Resistance = 90 divided by 3.
3. Our final answer is Resistance = 30 ohms.

Let’s take another circuit for which the applied voltage is 12 volts and the current flow is 1.5 amperes. We need to solve for the resistance.

1. We know from our triangle that Resistance (R) = Voltage (E) divided by current (I).
2. We plug in our values of Resistance = 12 divided by 1.5.
3. Our final answer is Resistance = 8 ohms.

We have another circuit that draws 4 amperes from a 12-volt source.

1. We know from our triangle that Resistance (R) = Voltage (E) divided by current (I).
2. We plug in our values of Resistance = 12 divided by 4.
3. Our final answer is Resistance = 3 ohms.

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