10/17/2025

As part of a much larger overhaul focused on deleting almost 400 obsolete wireless regulations[1], the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced plans to delete or modify four minor provisions of Part 97.ÿ

ARRL's Washington Counsel has reviewed the proposal and agrees that the deletions are to obsolete rules and will have no impact on today's modern Amateur Radio Service. One of the deletions was suggested by ARRL [2]as part of an earlier FCC request for public input on rules ripe for deletion.ÿ

The proposed regulatory changes are to:

1. Delete ¨ 97.27. This provision relates to the FCC's right to modify station licenses. The Commission rationale for deletion is that it duplicates Section 316 of the Communications Act. Its deletion will result in no substantive change to the right of the FCC to modify a station license.ÿ

2. Delete ¨ 97.29. This provision specified the procedure to replace paper licenses. The FCC stopped producing paper licenses at the end of 2020, having implemented a system that allows any licensee to download license originals using the password-protected area of the FCC's ULS computer database system that is web-accessible. The ARRL proposed deleting this section in comments filed earlier this year.ÿ

3. Delete ¨ 97.315 (b)(2). This provision grandfathered HF amplifiers purchased before April 28, 1978 by an amateur radio operator for use at that operator's station and also grandfathered those manufactured before April 28, 1978 for which a marketing waiver was issued. The applicability of this rule has long passed.

4. Delete ¨ 97.521(b) and Appendix 2. This rule and appendix relate to VEC regions, which were based on the traditional amateur call sign areas. The FCC no longer limits VECs to regions and there is no reason for doing so given the nature of remote exams.

"Direct Final Rule" proceedings such as this are limited to rules that are no longer applicable because they have sunset by operation of law; govern an expired event; regulate an obsolete technology; regulate virtually a null set of FCC licensees; regulate an outdated market structure; or otherwise are no longer used in practice or otherwise in the public interest. The deletions will become effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register unless the Commission finds that adverse comments filed within 20 days of publication raise significant issues that merit additional consideration.

ARRL will continue to engage with the FCC in the regulatory and rulemaking process as part of our mission to promote and protect the art, science, and enjoyment of amateur radio, and to develop the next generation of radio amateurs.ÿ


[1] https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zNDY0NDE3JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTgxODI4NCZsaT00MDE0NjE4NA/index.html
[2] https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zNDY0NDE3JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTgxODI4NCZsaT00MDE0NjE4NQ/index.html

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