Earlier this month, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) -- WT Docket No. 12-283 -- proposing to amend the Part 97 rules governing the Amateur Radio Service. On October 24, a summary of the NPRM was published in the Federal Register and the FCC is seeking comments on it.

Specifically, the Commission is proposing to modify the Amateur Radio Service rules to grant examination credit for expired and beyond-the-grace-period-for-renewal Amateur Radio operator licenses; to shorten the grace period during which an expired amateur license may be renewed; to revise the time a call sign is not available to the vanity call sign system correspondingly, and to reduce the number of volunteer examiners needed to administer an amateur license examination. The NPRM also asks for comment on amending the rules to permit remote test administration, and proposes to amend the Amateur Radio Service rules to allow amateur stations to transmit certain additional emission types.

Comments must be filed on or before December 24, 2012 (60 days after publication in the Federal Register); reply comments must be filed on or before January 22, 2013 (90 days after publication in the Federal Register). Instructions on how to file comments are listed beginning on page 12 of the NPRM.