SB QST @ ARL $ARLB014
ARLB014 FCC Amateur Radio computer system down

ZCZC AG14
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ARRL Bulletin 14  ARLB014
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  February 18, 1998
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB014
ARLB014 FCC Amateur Radio computer system down

The FCC's Amateur Radio licensing computer system is down, and, at
this point, no one knows when it will be up and running again.  The
computer system failed February 10. Sources at the FCC attribute the
situation to a combination of problems.  The FCC's computer system
has failed before, but not for this long.

The situation affecting the FCC's Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, office,
has frustrated those who have been hoping to learn their new call
signs or updated licensing status.  On-line public FCC databases on
the Internet also have been affected.  A spokesman at Gettysburg
said no paper or electronic applications had been processed since
the computer system stopped functioning a week ago.

The FCC indicated to ARRL/VEC earlier this week that it had not yet
been able to resolve the problems but would let Volunteer Examiner
Coordinators know when the system was back on line.  In the
meantime, VECs were asked to not file any Amateur Radio
applications.
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