Hello All,

I was about to take my "tech" exam this coming Saturday, which I was
really looking forward to doing. I have been interested in radio for
some 45 years; the last few months, hams buddies have encouraged me to
finally do something about not waiting a 46th year.

I went to the ARRL's site he

http://www.arrl.org/fcc/uls-qa.html

My first and immediate concern was that I had to supply my SSN in order
to apply for a ham license. Why? It is part of the "Debt Collection
Improvement Act" of 1996. What possible debts would be incurred by me
becoming a ham, that the FCC would need to utilize my SSN to collect?
Failure to renew my license!? Did I have an option?

What appears below is how one of my ham buddies explained the matter to
me...


"When you register in the ULS system it will assign you a Federal
Registration Number (FRN) that you can use instead of your SSN.

Also, you will automatically receive an FRN when, as a new licensee,
you supply the VE team with an SSN. The FRN is printed on your
new license."

This is the link for the ULS. You can receive the FRN from this site

https://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/coresWeb/regEntityType.do?btnContinue=true"


But, the problem still exists! I am not calling into question the
honesty or integrity of the VE's or the ARRL, at all! That is not the
reason for my concern. In order to register with the ULS [and apply for
a ham radio license], you've got to submit your correct SSN number. My
concern lies with the necessity of giving out my SSN to another
government institution that cannot guaranty its confidentiality or
safety. Just last year the Veterans Administration notified 26 million
vets that their data, including SSN's had gotten "lost".

Getting into the registration for the FRN, several questions later I am
asked for SSN in order to receive a FRN! This makes no sense to me at
all! I am not applying for employment, a mortgage or a loan of any kind.
I would be willing to offer a birth certificate, my drivers license, my
passport, as well as my COSTCO card [hi-hi] as ID. After all, the
federal government already has my SSN in a multitude of ways.

Apparently, I was misinformed. Yet, my SSN card specifically states
that, "This card is not to be used for identification purposes".

I am planning to write to the ARRL & the FCC for some guidance in this
matter. If, however, there is no way to register with the ULS without
submitting my SSN, I will need to rethink, deeply, just how much
becoming an amateur radio operator fits into my life.

Many thanks for taking the time to listen! It was not my intention to
take out my frustrations on you! I apologize, if I have inadvertently
done so!

I would very much like to hear your views on the matter.

Is my concern really misplaced or even unwarranted?

Alan