Renewing an amateur radio license online

[Jeffhs]

My amateur radio license (WB8NHV) will expire next year. I would like to be able to renew it when the time comes, but every time I try to use the FCC's ULS site I am sent back to the fields which ask for my user name and password. I am entering my correct information in every field, but I always get the same response, running me around in circles. However, now there seems to be something else going on to thwart my efforts to renew my license, namely, an error message: "504 Gateway Timeout." What is this, and why is it getting in the way of my renewing my license?

I would try to file a hard-copy license application with the FCC, but the ULS website states the Commission is not accepting paper forms any longer. I do not think this is fair, since there may still be amateurs who do not use computers for whatever reason. I do not want to have to give up amateur radio just because I do not seem to be able to renew my license online or by mail at this time.

I realize this is the Internet age and all, but being unable to renew my amateur radio license online is almost ridiculous. I would think the FCC would have a backup system for use in case their computer networks go down, and to accomodate those amateurs whose own computers fail for any reason. Again, I do not want to have to give up ham radio after having been in the hobby since 1972, but if I cannot find a solution to this problem with license renewal, I may have no choice but to do just that when my license expires in April 2024.

Thank you so much for reading this; I appreciate it.