On 2 October 2012, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in WT Docket No. 12-121 that seeks to change the Amateur Radio licensing rules, especially as they concern former licensees.

Acting upon an April 2011 Petition for Rulemaking filed by the Anchorage VEC to give permanent credit to radio amateurs for examination elements they have successfully passed, the FCC proposes to revise Section 97.505 to require that Volunteer Examiners (VEs) give examination credit to an applicant who can demonstrate that he or she formerly held a particular class of license.

In addition, the Commission seeks to shorten the grace period during which an expired amateur license may be renewed and to reduce the number of VEs needed to administer an amateur license examination.

In response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by the ARRL in March 2011, the FCC looks to amend the Amateur Service rules to allow amateur stations to transmit additional emission types in order to permit Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) in the Amateur Service.<br />But in doing so, it denied the League's request for a blanket waiver pending the resolution of the rulemaking proceeding.

Comments on these proposed rules changes will be accepted until 60 days after the NPRM is published in the Federal Register (this can take up to six weeks after release of the NPRM). Reply comments will be accepted until 90 days after publication in the Federal Register.

Complete information can be found at - http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-seeks-to-change-amateur-radio-licensing-rules-allow-additional-emission-types.