Report No. DC-             ACTION IN DOCKET CASE              June 16, 1994


        FCC PROPOSES TEMPORARY CONDITIONAL OPERATING AUTHORITY FOR
               COMMERCIAL RADIO OPERATOR LICENSE APPLICANTS
                          (PR DOCKET NO. 94-58).

     The Commission has proposed amending Part 13 of the rules to
permit persons who have passed the examinations necessary to
qualify for a commercial radio operator license, but have not yet
received the license, to temporarily and conditionally perform the
functions of a commercial radio operator.  The Commission said the
proposed rules should be viewed as yet another step in creating a
government agency that works better and costs less.

     A commercial radio operator license, certificate or permit
(license) is required for persons who operate stations in a number
of radio services.  To qualify for certain of these licenses, an
applicant must pass an examination that is administered by one of
the nine Commission-certified Commercial Operator License
Examination (COLE) Managers.  Within 10 days of completing an
examination element, the COLE Manager must issue a Proof-of-Passing
Certificate (PPC) to an examinee who scores a passing grade on an
examination element.  When the examinee is credited for all
examination elements required for the commercial operator license
sought, the examinee applies to the FCC for the license.  The
Commission then processes the application and, if the applicant is
fully qualified, grants the license.  The Commission stated that
the total processing time may be as much as eight weeks.

     The Commission said because it is dedicated to providing
better and friendlier service to its customers, it is proposing to
provide temporary conditional operating authority to successful
examinees upon properly filing an application with the FCC.  This
proposed temporary operating authority, however, would not apply to
any person who has previously had a commercial radio operator
license revoked, suspended, or is the subject of an ongoing
suspension proceeding.  In addition, the proposed rules provide
that the Commission, at its discretion, may cancel the temporary
conditional operating authority without a hearing, if the need for
such action arises.


                                  (over)



                                    -2-

     With respect to log entries, the Commission proposed that
commercial operators exercising temporary conditional operating
would enter the PPC serial number and date of issue in place of the
FCC-issued license serial number and expiration date.  Possession
of the PPC document would activate the operating authority and
would thereby serve in place of the license temporarily and
conditionally.  The Commission said this procedure would be
verifiable and simple to implement.     

     Comments are invited on this proposal.

     Action by the Commission June 13, 1994, by Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (FCC 94-169).  Chairman Hundt, Commissioners Quello and
Barrett, with Commissioners Ness and Chong not participating.

                                   -FCC-

     News Media contact: Patricia A. Chew at (202) 632-5050.
     Private Radio Bureau contact: William T. Cross at (202) 632-
4964.